From Paradise to Plan B: Joey's Best Friend

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Joey's Best Friend

Kevin and Molly at the Mortuary.

Joey's best friend, Kevin, and his wife Molly, and their baby Josephine (named after Joey) are coming to visit us next week, and I can hardly think of anything else. We haven't seen them since Joey's memorial service in Maui last June. This will be our first time to see precious baby Josie.

Melissa, Joey's second mom, and her husband, Tom, are coming, too, along with beautiful Rachel, Joey's girlfriend. Aren't we blessed? These people love Joey like we do, and have stuck with us through thick and thin. We love them all so much.

So this coming week, we will have the best kind of full house.

A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

7 comments:

Mackenzie said...: Sounds like just what you need, Karen. Have a wonderful time!!; Sat Sep 12, 11:52:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...: You sound excited and I am so happy for you. We both are in need of a change of sorts. Nothing better then friends to share, talk, cry, love. I will be thinking of you as we fly away for a couple months. Friends to share with us as well.
Love Sharon; Sat Sep 12, 11:56:00 AM EDT
Gberger said...: I'm so happy for you! You have a wonderful time of deep sharing and love coming up, and I pray that all of your hearts will be comforted and renewed. Please post photos when you can. XO; Sat Sep 12, 12:14:00 PM EDT
Elis MacDonald said...: I'm so happy that you are having a family reunion. I know you are going to have a precious healing time together.
love you two.; Sun Sep 13, 12:21:00 AM EDT
Anonymous said...: I can hear you all the way down here--you are so excited. Where will you go and what will you do? I hope the weather is cool. I noticed a few trees your way have started to change so perhaps they will see some. Wishing you the bestest and mostest fun.; Sun Sep 13, 01:26:00 AM EDT
michaelandciara said...: Hi Karen,
I am SO happy that you will have a house full of love! Enjoy your precious moments together! We love you guys and miss you, but we are so glad that you are with your beautiful family. I loved the post where you sent all the kids off to school. Just a small little glimse of the joy you expierience with them. love, ciara; Sun Sep 13, 04:52:00 AM EDT
Jeri said...: I'm very excited and happy for you Karen. Such a wonderful family to have around you. I'll look forward to the updates and pictures. May God richly bless your time together.

Love you,
Jeri; Mon Sep 14, 02:45:00 AM EDT

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About this Blog

We are in the midst of major life changes triggered by the loss of our only son. He died from an epilepsy-related syndrome called SUDEP--Sudden Unexplained Death by Epilepsy. With absolutely no warning, one day he was alive and the next day he was gone. Our hearts are broken.

From the shores of Maui, to the woods of Virginia, to our ultimate destination in Heaven, we are on a difficult journey of discovery. This blog is a form of therapy for us and a place to also count our blessings. It's not what we planned for our lives--Plan A, but instead we are trusting that God has a Plan B.

Quotes I Really Love

"In the end everything will be all right, nothing can harm you permanently; no loss is lasting, no defeat more than transitory, no disappointment is conclusive. Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement and death will be part of your journey, but the kingdom of God will conquer all of these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever."

-Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

brothers and sisters, the church is not mistaken.
the church awaits with certainty the hour of redemption.
those who have disappeared will reappear.
the sorrows of these mothers will be turned into easter.
the affliction of this people,which knows not where it goes amid so much affliction, will become easter resurrection
if we join ourselves to christ and hope in him.

Archbishop Oscar Romero

“God’s will was not hidden somewhere ‘out there’ . . . the situations [in which I found myself] were his will for me. What he wanted was for me to accept these situations as from his hands, to let go of the reins and place myself entirely at his disposal.”

Jesuit Walter Ciszek’s (1904–1983)

Promises We Are Holding On To With All That Is Within Us

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.
Hebrews 6:19

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14:1-3

Mother's Day Poem

Heavy
~ by Mary Oliver

That time
I thought I could not
go any closer to grief
without dying

I went closer,
and I did not die.

Surely God
had His hand in this,

as well as friends.

Still, I was bent,
and my laughter,
as the poet said,

was nowhere to be found.
Then said my friend Daniel
(brave even among the lions),
"It's not the weight you carry

but how you carry it --
books, bricks, grief --
it's all in the way

you embrace it, balance it, carry it

when you cannot, and would not,
put it down."
So I went practicing.
Have you noticed?

Have you heard
the laughter
that comes, now and again,
out of my startled mouth?

How I linger
to admire, admire, admire

the things of this world
that are kind, and maybe

also troubled --
roses in the wind,
the sea geese on the steep waves,
a love to which there is no reply?

From Paradise to Plan B

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Joey's Best Friend

7 comments:

About this Blog

Our Beloved Son

All Together, Whistler Christmas, 2006

Joey and Mom

Joey and His Dad

Joey and His Adoring Sisters

The Musicians

Joey and Rachel's One Year Van Trip--Alaska to Panama, West Coast to East and back again

What Is SUDEP?

Quotes I Really Love

Promises We Are Holding On To With All That Is Within Us

Mother's Day Poem

"a joey always loves his mama"

Joey's Memorial Blogsite-doubleclick for link

Other Remembering Joey Websites

My Friends and Fellow Grieving Parents

Websites I Like and Use

Blog Archive

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