More Heros

These were some of my favorites. :)

My Little Super Heros

The clouds made today a perfect day for photos. When Rob got home, we just went out in the backyard to play. Andy was still in his jammies and Suzy liked the super hero games so much we used one of his blankies for her to have a cape as well. I took several fun shots that I may post later. But, these are quick previews of Rob's favorites. I hope you enjoy, especially Uncle Andy (ahem.. Dr. Awesome)!

loved it

When I die, I want a room full of these. It was the most beautiful bouquet I have ever seen. LOVED IT! It reminded me of my engagement day when sweet Rob bought probably more daisies than even these and spread them all over his apartment.
The butterflies were a great addition and totally made this arrangement my hands down favorite bouquet I have ever seen. It was sent by one of Mimi's friends from Kindergarten. It was made by Krisit Greene.
Rob, I don't just want these when I'm dead. You could also put this in your mind file for our 50th wedding anniversary...... ;)

Pity Party is Over - The Joy of my "Job"

I really do love my job, if you can even call it work. I make a great wage traveling all over the country, helping people. They say I'm good at what I do and I love the comments about how helpful some of my topics can be. I had several people last night tell me how I had impacted their lives... in one very short hour.

Granted, sometimes I get sent to armpits like Detroit or places that aren't even on maps with the nastiest flea bag hotels you could imagine. However, God must have known I needed rest this tour. Plattsburgh, NY is..... gorgeous. I had to take a ferry over from Burlington, VT. This is how my day "started" yesterday. (Actually, it started at 3:30am CT to catch a 6:00 am ET flight... but I'm not counting that....)
Then, this state park was right off the highway on the way to my hotel. I had a few hours to spare, so I thought, "Why not?" It was awesome.

I think I heard angels singing for me when I found this little spot. Free electricity to sit and play with photos in front of a gorgeous beach front? Well.... don't mind if I do!
The seagulls gave me a little company as well.
Loved the field of daisies just at my feet.

The view from my hotel room. Fall isn't quite here, yet... but the leaves at least have a little color and the temp is wonderful.
I don't have to speak again until this afternoon. I'm planning to head back to this cool bench for a little bible study after a stroll this morning.....

memorial movie

I'm just curious if this will post here. Aunt Robyn picked out this song for the funeral procession and it was amazing. Kenny Chesney's "Who You'd Be Today." I loved it. I promise, no more sadness. I'll post pictures next that will make you in no way continue to feel my sorrow. ;) Promise.

Grieving in my own way

I still can't write too much about this. I'm currently waiting on Laura's delayed flight to join her in the rental car for the viewing which starts in .... 10 minutes. Is it wrong that I'm kinda glad her plane is delayed and I don't have to be there for the entire time? Seriously, there is just something about a 17 year old that you adore that is just painful beyond worlds. It's a whole new meaning of being taken too soon.

I've been sorting through some photos for the funeral and these made me smile... and then cry.

Now....
Then....

Brit battled Lymphoma and beat it when she was just 11 years old. I was so blessed to live closer then and visit her more. However, I just can't write what a blessing it was to have that last week with her. I can't believe I'm already back to Indy in less than a week. I digress...
I was big into magic back then and she loved it. This time, I think it was more of a humoring ol' Aunt Marti. She did enjoy, however, showing some of the tricks to the other kids on the Cancer Unit. Hence, no photos this time of magic.
Brit with Suzy when she was just a babe.
One of my favorite photos. My two first girls. :) This was the lake I used to live on in Indiana. Britany just adored Nala. One of our last discussions was how I could bring Nala up to visit because she really missed her. Sadly, she may get a chance to see her soon... Poor dog is over 14 years old..... THAT, my friends, may just put me over the edge. For now, I'll dry my eyes again and get ready for that viewing... Laura just landed.

Britany Gaylyn Bohrer

June 24, 1992 - September 9, 2009

May your sweet soul sing in heaven. I'm glad this last battle was quick and you were so courageous. But, damn it, I hate that it happened to you.

Insert some great memorial poem that I am incapable of writing myself.

slumber party part two

With the lack of sleep and late night kitchen runs, I feel like I am ending a week long slumber party. Britany's grandma, Meme, has been bringing us food since Brit isn't really crazy about the hospital food. She has been nothing short of a short order cook and I know how much work she has done and how grateful me, Brit and Brian (her dad) are.
Last night, she brought us artichokes, steak, and potatoes. I'm eating better here than I do at home. Party indeed.
I brought all kinds of crafts and magic tricks with me. The favorites turned out to be the beads and friendship bracelets brought down by Child Life. Brit has gotten such relief and change of focus from these, that we have spend HOURS making little beaded animals. She's had fun giving them away to many family and staff members.
We ventured out for a craft group activity and she made a bracelet out of some really nice beads.

Then back to the room for more animals. We have stayed up past 2:00 am two nights now, working on these animals while she had such pain and fevers that sleep just wouldn't come.


The panda has been one of her favorites.
Her dad bought her a panda at the gift shop and she is proud of the similarities.
Only about half of our creations remain after giving them away to favorite staff and family.
Uncle Jeremy came by and brought an entire shopping bag full of more beads. Brit could not have been more excited. I had the job of sorting the various tubs into color categorized baggies for future creations. They fill a huge basin.
A drag racing team came by to visit with the kids and sign autographs. Yup, back home again in Indiana. ;)
I have no idea who they are, but they were very kind.
This has been one of the most physically and emotionally exhausting weeks of my life. However, I'm so glad I got to spend it with such an amazing girl. Love you, Brit!

Brit visit Part One

I have amazing friends who have allowed me to jump on a plane with just a few days notice to spend some time with my sweet niece, Britany, while she's getting chemo. She battled it before and it was so hard to see. Now, it's weird. In some ways it's harder because we know what's coming - or not. Yet, in other ways it's easier because there are less unknowns. What I was not prepared for was the emotion I would feel this time around for total strangers. I can't even express the heartache I have about the little babies that are up there on the Oncology unit with us. Just this morning, Life Line came in with a little babe no bigger than Ezra, a baby born to a dear friend just weeks ago. I wonder if it's just that much harder this time because I'm a mom now. Or maybe I'm maturing enough to know that the world extends beyond my own family. Who knows.

The trip out was uneventful. I love it when I can see the sunset from an airplane.
The clouds below and sky above. It's just amazing in person. I wish I could edit like some of my blog favorites, like Amy Rose King or Lyndsay Stratner, but you can at least get an idea.
Doesn't she look thrilled to see me? Actually, she really is. We are having a good time and she introduces me to everyone as her fun and crazy aunt from Texas. It's weird, I have a photo almost exactly like this one from when she was just eleven. Except, we both look so much older.
She thought I was weird for taking this photo. I disagree. This IV holder is wild. At night, it gives off this eery green glow. I'm not the only one who says it looks like Kryptonite.

I just think it makes for a cool photo.
After her hair started to fall out last week, Brit got frustrated and just started yanking it out with her fists. There were a few die hard strands that didn't want to come out. So, we put our heads together and the true OT in me came up with a plan. At first, we started "waxing" with surgical tape. Then, we went for the big guns and my sister Emily came to take me out to dinner one night and we made a pit stop for some real wax. I wish you could have seen us. It was quite a site! She said it didn't hurt at all. But MAN, was it weird to do. You KNOW I love this girl.
So soft, so smooth. Some people are really curious about chemo heads. It's a big pet peeve for most when someone wants to touch it. Not Brit, anyone walks in her room and she's all... "Feel my head. It's so soft. It's awesome." I laugh.
We tried some finger weaving, but it was crazy hard. We moved on to magic tricks, bead work, and friendship bracelets. I'll post those photos later.
The best part about this? She gets massages 3 x week. Not including the ones I give her while I'm here. Welcome to spa Riley. ;) (Riley Children's Hospital in Indy).

I'll post more later.....

new pages for the 2009 book

I'm currently sitting in Riley Children's Hospital with my sweet niece as she is receiving treatment for Intermediate Lymphoma. She battled Burkits Lymphoma almost seven years ago. I sat with her then because I was "local". Now, I had to fly up for a super intense week long stay at the hospital. I must say, this is one of the hardest things I've ever done. The hours are similar to that of a newborn. However, the emotions are not as uplifting. Yet they are still so intense. I'm trying to take some documentary type photos that show the positive side of things and hopefully I'll have them up soon. I thought I'd be able to do more book work while she slept. However, it's proving to be very different than I expected. She only sleeps about 30-90 minutes at at time and I'm "doing" much more than I'm sitting. Since this is my happy blog therapy, I'll spare some details until I can better process them, have some good tears, and talk about it in a therapeutically comical way. Until then, please say a prayer for sweet Brit and enjoy some of the newest pages of my 2009 book. I'm sure Diana and Ashley could also use some prayers as they have proven to be the most amazing friends and watch my kids while I'm away for an entire week. Love you, gals!