Bucket List

A dear friend of mine from High School passed away last weekend. Heather Weeks was a beautiful girl with a beautiful soul. She is, I am sure, up in heaven dancing with the Angels now. We took dance together several nights a week all through High School and did multiple shows together as well. She was charismatic, fun, caring and a very loyal friend. We called ourselves the Misfits of Tawn Marie and each adopted a character name from the Rudolf Christmas movie with the Land of Misfit Toys. I still have my sweatshirt that says "Erin Cropper- The Dentist". I think of her every time I wear it and now I will wear it in such sadness. Her life was cut terribly short at only 24 years and she will be sorely missed. Her little body was ravaged so quickly by cancer- first of the Colon and then spreading everywhere from her bones to her lymph nodes to her lungs. She had SO much to offer this world. I suppose she lives on in all of the many lives that she has touched and that we should be glad that she is no longer in pain.

I had only recently rekindled our friendship after being out of touch for a few years. We wrote back and forth several times throughout the last few months and I just wish I had done more. The last communication we had was an email that she wrote me on November 2nd and I never wrote back. I didn't think in a million years that it would be that last time we spoke. I had even picked out a Christmas present for her from a catalog; an angel ornament that says "Protect This Woman". Too late.

I can't imagine what Heather's life might have had in store for her had she lived on. She was so smart and so talented.

The tragedy of such a young friend dying has inspired me to create a Bucket List- a list of things that I hope to accomplish before kicking the bucket. I have not yet put a ton of thought into what the list will include, but I plan to work on it over the next few days and post them here when I'm finished. I imagine, however, that it will probably grow throughout the years to come as well.

That is all for now. In her memory, I'll post the picture that I framed and sent to Heather in a package recently. We all miss you, Heather. Rest in Peace.

5 months

I'm writing today with no real rhyme or reason. I haven't written in over a week so I thought I had better just sit down and do it. You are five months old today, Caelan. You have exploded into all kinds of new awareness... discovering that your feet belong to you, discovering that your hands can work together. You are able to sit up with almost no assistance and are capable of manipulation. Yes, you have your mama wrapped around your tiny fingers and you know it. :) You cry the moment I leave a room, and smile the instant that I re-enter. You cough a fake cough just to see my reaction and then smile ear to ear when you see that it got my attention. You are holding onto toys and putting everything and anything in that achy mouth of yours. You can roll over from your tummy to your back and are working hard to flip the other way as well. The world is yours.

Yesterday was Halloween and nothing eventful happend- thank God. We had quite a few Trick-or-Treaters and gave out several pounds of candy. There weren't any particularly clever costumes worth mentioning. I can't wait until you are old enough to dress up and go out. I'd like to challenge myself here and now to hand craft all of your future costumes... somebody remind me of this in a few years when I'll likely try to scramble off to Target on October 30th instead.

I suppose I'll sign off for now. You are sleeping in my left arm right now and skilled as I am at typing one-handed, I'd rather rest and enjoy this moment of silence.

Until next time...