SEWARD... SUCH SMALL TOWN CHARM

A PRECIOUS GIFT FROM MY FRIEND HEATHER

JOJO... ASLEEP ON THE WAY HOME FROM NEBRASKA
WHAT A GOOF BALL

Nebraska is beautiful. I don't know if I have ever seen Nebraska except for maybe driving through it as a kid. I thought it would be all corn fields and flat land. But it was so pretty, green, rolling hills and so many trees. And the little town of Seward was just so charming. Lots of older homes with amazing porches. It even has the cutest little old town movie theatre. We loved it. Greg will finish up his class tomorrow and will head home shortly after... Jojo said today, "I want my papa at home:)"

It was really nice to get away for a bit, even if it was a really short trip. We were so blessed to be able to get together with our dear Seminary friends brother and sister-in-law, Seth and Megan. They were so very sweet to have us all over for dinner. It was great getting to know them. They were so gracious in asking about Samuel and wanting to get to know more about him and our time with him. I can't tell you how much that touches me, someone who is just getting to know me, but still wants to hear about our son who is gone. They were sweet sweet people and we are so thankful for the prayers that they have prayed for us over the last months. I just love how the body of Christ can do that for one another, you don't REALLY have to have known each other forever, to be the hands and feet of Christ in the flesh for someone who is hurting.

So when I came home in my mailbox was the photo book that was pictured above. I LOVE IT! My sweet friend Heather from up north had it made for us. She too lost a son, her first child many years ago, sweet baby Noah. The book was so neat. It had pictures of our WHOLE family in it. Samuel is splashed through out the whole book. Just like he is a PART of the family. I know he is... but I know many others, because they don't see him, and we lost him so early in his life, they certainly don't think of him as the BIG PART that he is. I think most people have moved on, and think that we have too. Nothing could be further from the truth. I still miss my son just as much as I did last October 30th when we left the hospital without him. So to see all of the kids with Samuel and all of the pictures of him with pictures of the other kids, all such important parts of who we are as a family just touched my heart.

What a sweet and precious gift. I just sat at the table crying... that someone would be so kind as to do that for me, acknowledge my sons important part in our family was so wonderful. She was the same person who sent me a letter a couple of months ago telling me all of the ways that Samuel has touched and changed her life. Wow, that is ALL I want is for people to not forget my son, not think that we have forgotten him or moved on, to value his short precious life, and for his life to have had meaning. We know it has great meaning to us, but when someone else shares that, I can not tell you how wonderful that makes me feel.

My friend Becky too just mentioned when I was talking to her on the phone, how our whole situation with Samuel has made her look at things so differently. She said her eyes have been opened to others who maybe need someone to reach out to them. Wow, sweet words of how my sons life HAS made an impact on others outside these walls of our home. I was so thankful that those 2 women took the time to share that with me.

So we are off to another Christian concert by the river walk, John Waller who sings the song, "While I'm Waiting" from the movie fireproof. We have Vacation Bible School and the waiting parent's workshop for the adoption agency we are working with next Thursday through Saturday. Then Sunday, the kids and I will be off to St. Louis for 4 days. We will hit the home school conference there and stay at the Seminary. We are so looking forward to seeing our friends there... many of them have left already but a few special friends are still there. It will be a busy next couple of weeks. I am actually REALLY thankful for the busyness of it all.

I can't believe that it is the middle of June already. I have never been one to wish the time away. But I do find myself just wanting to get through this first year without Samuel. I am ready for the firsts to be over... I know that really won't make much difference but for some reason in my mind it is a comfort to know we will have made it through, survived, the first year with out our son. And we are one year closer to spending eternity with him and our Savior. So thank you for your continued prayers for us. We are clinging to the HOPE that we have in Christ each and every day... and I do mean clinging:)