Loved Ones,
On Valentine's Day 2008, Ray and I surprised the girls with news of a trip to Disney World the next day. That day and the days following are some of our most precious memories. So we didn't know what this day would be like.
To my precious friend Carmen who spent the night so the girls would wake up with a "slumber party," we thank you.
To our neighbors and friends who cheered extra hard for Nora at her Valentine's Day soccer "double-header," we thank you.
To our precious family who showed up en mass with videocameras and cameras to cheer for Nora and record this day, we love you and we thank you.
To my precious extended family who cooked up a Valentine's afternoon lovefest to hang out with us, we know you did it for us and we thank you.
To our many neighbors who brought over Valentine's treats tonight and many other times, we thank you.
To our friends and family far away who called, wrote and sent Valentines of all kinds, we thank you.
We celebrated our precious Ray with ten red balloons attached to 10 High School Musical Valentines we sent off to heaven. Those beautiful red balloons glittered and bobbed for so long in the air as we sent our love up to heaven for our beautiful daddy, husband, brother, son and uncle.
The last time I sent this verse I felt as I wrote it that it truly embodied my husband. His love. We felt this love all around us today.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
not alone and not afraid --
kristin
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
DC Memorial Service
Loved Ones,
We have news about the Washington Memorial Service for Ray. The Service will be February 26 at 5:00 pm at St. Peters on the House side. It will be followed by a reception in Ray's honor at the Capitol Hill Club from 6-8. We hope you will be able to join us. All of Ray's sisters and a large contingency from my family will be there as well, including of course me and Nora, Maggie and Lucy. Craig will be sending an e-vite to you to get an idea of numbers for the reception. This will follow shortly. I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to the service and seeing all of you.
Not alone and not afraid,
Kristin
We have news about the Washington Memorial Service for Ray. The Service will be February 26 at 5:00 pm at St. Peters on the House side. It will be followed by a reception in Ray's honor at the Capitol Hill Club from 6-8. We hope you will be able to join us. All of Ray's sisters and a large contingency from my family will be there as well, including of course me and Nora, Maggie and Lucy. Craig will be sending an e-vite to you to get an idea of numbers for the reception. This will follow shortly. I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to the service and seeing all of you.
Not alone and not afraid,
Kristin
Monday, February 9, 2009
Healing
Loved Ones,
The girls and I went to church yesterday for the first time since Ray died. None of the girls wanted to stay in childcare so all four of us sat in the row. Our pastor spoke eloquently of Christ's healing that he gave freely to so many. He said that sometimes this healing was physical, and other times it was emotional and spiritual, allowing us to journey the roads we must travel.
This spoke to me. It is always a wonder when so many pray for healing, how God answers those prayers. We hoped so much that Ray's healing would be on earth. While I am so grateful for Ray's healing in heaven, I do believe that part of his and our healing was here, giving us the very strength to travel the road we walked.
And, though the road we walk now is long, I do feel God's hand upon us as we walk. And Ray's. The girls and I laughed so hard as we thought of how happy Ray would have been with our car that we finally cleaned out yesterday.
I also want you to know that we do feel God's hand from yours. So many many things brighten our days, the gym and pool membership from our neighbors, the heart shaped cookies from friends, coordination of our sump pump (!), so many cards with loving and kind words about Ray, masses in his honor... The list is long and all of it together makes it a little easier to have joy in our days.
Our prayer requests are these: for those times when we feel Ray's loss so dearly -- family dinner time, weekends, the old and familiar routines that we must resume in his absence. And for the girls, for those times when they achieve something they so dearly would loved to have shared with their dad and when they think of their dad -- that they always know his continued love from heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4
not alone and not afraid --
kristin
The girls and I went to church yesterday for the first time since Ray died. None of the girls wanted to stay in childcare so all four of us sat in the row. Our pastor spoke eloquently of Christ's healing that he gave freely to so many. He said that sometimes this healing was physical, and other times it was emotional and spiritual, allowing us to journey the roads we must travel.
This spoke to me. It is always a wonder when so many pray for healing, how God answers those prayers. We hoped so much that Ray's healing would be on earth. While I am so grateful for Ray's healing in heaven, I do believe that part of his and our healing was here, giving us the very strength to travel the road we walked.
And, though the road we walk now is long, I do feel God's hand upon us as we walk. And Ray's. The girls and I laughed so hard as we thought of how happy Ray would have been with our car that we finally cleaned out yesterday.
I also want you to know that we do feel God's hand from yours. So many many things brighten our days, the gym and pool membership from our neighbors, the heart shaped cookies from friends, coordination of our sump pump (!), so many cards with loving and kind words about Ray, masses in his honor... The list is long and all of it together makes it a little easier to have joy in our days.
Our prayer requests are these: for those times when we feel Ray's loss so dearly -- family dinner time, weekends, the old and familiar routines that we must resume in his absence. And for the girls, for those times when they achieve something they so dearly would loved to have shared with their dad and when they think of their dad -- that they always know his continued love from heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4
not alone and not afraid --
kristin
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