Slowly getting back to "NORMAL"

What is normal anyway? Can you actually have a normal life after you lose your child? I really don't think this can actually happen, you can only adjust and go on with life the best way you know how. I haven't stamped or done anything crafty in several weeks now. When Lauren Meader called and talked to me and I found out about this digi stamp, The Weiman Wranglers, for my little cowboy and cowgirl, Ethan & Ava, I was beyond excited and my wheels actually started turning again! Melissa with Pink Cat Studio generously and quickly designed these perfect little images to represent my little boy and girl. Thank you so much Melissa & Lauren...they are just awesome. These images are raising money to go towards the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois. This is the reason we have 2 horses and a minature burrow that my kids like to call a "little ass" thanks to their Daddy! It's a great organization that provides kids with wonderful things. Lauren's little girl Alexa received a wish too as well as so many others. I encourage you to hop over to Pink Cat Studio and purchase these cute little images and support a great organization.

I just downloaded my pictures from my camera of this little memory book that I made for myself to share quotes and little things from my Ethan that I never want to forget. I'm not quite back into my creative mode yet, but someday I will be. This image captures Ethan perfectly though, he always wore his black cowboy hat, a button up shirt, his "seat" belt, blue jeans, and of course his cowboy boots with his socks pulled up. Ethan loved balloons too and the red bandana is something that he wore so much this past winter to keep his mouth warm. I'm a little prejudice, but I had the most "handsome" little boy ever! He hated to be called "cute" so I had to watch myself!

Here is one of my favorite picture of Ethan and me...his proud Mommy! Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks again so much for all the prayers and support!

Back to say THANK YOU!

Well, it's been just a week since we lost our little boy Ethan, but it seems like an eternity since I've held him in my arms and kissed his sweet little face. It's been an emotional week of ups and downs, but all in all I think we are all doing very well. We got to see so many people at Ethan's visitation and the place was just filled with balloons. There were over 80 bunches of balloons and we let most of them go afterwards so Ava was able to take part and say a special message to her Ethan. She misses him so very much. Tuesday was Ethan's service and it was just perfect. The sermon was so personable and it just made us reflect on how special our little boy was and still is to us. we let balloons go at the cemetary too. Ava has been such a trooper through all of this and talks about Ethan everyday. Here are some wonderful things that Ava thinks of when she talks about Ethan.



"Mommy, does Ethan have a pool up in heaven?"
"Mommy, is GOD holding Ethan?"
"Ethan just jumped into his pool in the clouds....Mommy, is it raining?"
"Mommy, does GOD have a car, what color is it?"
"Mommy, what color house does GOD have?"
"Mommy, I miss my Ethan"
"Is Ethan going to be here for his birthday?"



She misses him so, but we have tried to explain how he is up in heaven now with GOD and is all better. We have a ton of home videos and so many pictures to keep the memories of him alive forever.



Here is the picture that we chose to put in the paper and also on his card at the funeral home. It showed Ethan with his perfect smile riding his horse, an activity that he loved so well. We chose the Cowboy Rodeo Prayer as we thought this was very fitting for our Ethan. He loved to go to the rodeo and we took a family vacation to Texas at the end of February and it was all about our cowboy. Ethan loved going to rodeos so this seemed so fitting.

In Loving Memory of Our Cowboy Ethan

From the Cowboy's Rodeo Prayer:

Our gracious and heavenly Father.....

When we take the last ride,

That we know is inevitable,

To the country up there-

Where the grass is green and lush

and stirrup high,

And the water runs clean and clear;

We pray that you will tell us,

as our last judge,

That our entry fees are paid.

We ask this in Christ's name.

Thank you so much to all the wonderful bloggers that have left such kind messages to our family. We appreciate all of the prayers coming our way. A big thank you to Lauren's DT team that has started a fund for Ethan's memorial and sent balloons for Ethan too. Lauren has another surprise too that she'll reveal in a few short days just made my day. These girls are the best. Here's a link to all of their blogs:

Lauren

Dana

Dawn

Jennifer

Kendra

Lisa

MacKenzie

Maria

Odette

Pam

Tamara

Tracey

Hopefully I will get back to my stamping soon. Until then......Happy Stampin! Alicia

To Everything there is a season

We are trying to adjust to the news that we heard this past week. Our son Ethan has been battling neuroblastoma cancer for almost 2 years now. We found out that we have no other options to help him with his disease and we are coming home today to keep our boy comfortable at home. It's amazing as I'm sitting right next to him as I type this and he is painting some wooden cars with blue and red paint. We've moved on from painting cars now to painting the hospital table.....I'm sure we've paid for it! He still makes us laugh!

Don't worry, someday I'll be back to this stamping world....that is what got me through all of this in the first place. I wouldn't be on here now except Ethan was needing a little time to himself because he was mad that we had to give him some oral medicine! Thanks so much to all of you that I have never met that have prayed for my son and our family. Here's one of my favorite pictures of Ethan.

To everything there is a season,

a time for every purpose under the sun.

A time to be born and a time to die;

a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

a time to kill and a time to heal

...a time to weep and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn and a time to dance

...a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to lose and a time to seek;

a time to rend and a time to sew;

a time to keep silent and a time to speak;

a time to love and a time to hate;

a time for war and a time for peace.
ecclesiastes 3:1-8