Luke is loved!

So...in trying to whittle my MUCH-TO-DO list down...I want to make sure that I write about the things I wanted to write about for Luke. Someone needs to tell me how to make that editing mark-through line when you type something in Blogger so I can go back and do that with my post of things I wanted to do.

I finally got some pictures from Luke's showers together...I meant to yesterday, but friends...yesterday was a hard day. My heart just hurt. It still does. In the last week or so, TWO mommies I 'know' who were in the middle of pregnancies after loss lost their precious babies. AGAIN. I came across an 18 year-old little girl who had just lost her 23 weaker 5 days ago. The OB appointment for me yesterday was just sad...two mommies learned their lives would never be the same. One whose due date was TODAY. NO REASON. My doctor was heartbroken. I was and have been heartbroken. I listened to SCC yesterday. There are many songs on his Beauty Will Rise CD that I have not been brave enough to listen to and I'm not sure why yesterday I bit the bullet and did so, but I did. Questions. His song Questions just resonated so much with me.

There's no escaping it. Whether it's through the computer or on the nightly news or in your OB's office for a relatively benign appointment...this world STINKS.SO.MUCH sometimes. I just couldn't bring myself to write about how loved we are and how blessed we are when my heart hurt so much for so many women.

And it still hurts, but right after Questions, I listened to I Will Trust You...and though I DO.NOT.GET.IT, I continue to trust. It's very hard on many days...but really, what else is there? What else is there if there is no hope in that trust?

On my darkest, darkest day, I still can't do anything but trust and believe in His Hope.

So anyway, YES....Luke is LOVED! Luke is proof that I don't understand, but am so grateful for the blessings regardless. I just cannot wait to meet him and hold him and hear him cry. I beg God nightly just to let me at least have those things...though I WANT so, so much more. I wrote about the surprise shower that my Bible Study ladies gave for me and another sweet friend due right before I am (though I think I'll beat her since I'll be scheduled!)...it was a total surprise and I cried and cried. Again, if you've never had a group of precious women lay their hands on you and just cover you in prayers of thanks for you and your children and your life...I'd HIGHLY suggest you find yourself a group of people who are willing to do so. It's amazing and powerful and we were just spoiled rotten that morning!!!!

Becky made this great cake!!!

Those gift baskets were OVERFLOWING!

Sweet, sweet, sweet women!!!

Lots of tears...joy and remembrance...

Luke's other shower was November 20. It was seriously a gorgeous, gorgeous day. The weather was amazing and I couldn't have ordered a prettier day. It was held at Mary's Hope on Church Cove and was a neat place. It was built in the late 1880s and was just such a pretty, pretty setting and perfect place to celebrate Luke. I loved people just mingling and visiting (and eating all the yummy stuff!) and we were blessed so abundantly with so many precious things for Luke.

And Matthew.

I can't even type that without just crying my eyes out. My Matthew. I miss him so much. I don't think anyone will ever have any idea of how touched my heart was with every word written and every thoughtful gift given as they celebrated Luke and remembered Matthew. Lord knows I know how hard it is to celebrate the life of one as you try to honor the memory of another and so, so, so many did it in such a precious way. Truly, truly, truly, the day was just perfect.

As perfect as it could be with one precious boy wiggling around in my stomach loving his cake...and one precious boy in Heaven waiting to show his mommy and daddy how perfect He is.

Mary's Hope on Church Cove...just beautiful!

Sweet little Grace Anne did this for Luke behind the house!

The turret that held the cake table with some of Luke's cruise pictures!

God Heard!

One of the food tables with the awesome cupcakes!

Some pics behind the house on the water...

Yes. We take every picture very seriously.

Shelby, me and Nanci...they did such a lovely, lovely job!

Luke's nursery quilt for the gift table...

Some sweet friends! Miss seeing them all the time!

Amy made this adorable aviator hat...and the pillow in my lap is one she made and part of Luke's nursery theme!

Amy also made this wall hanging for his room. I made the hat that's on the door knob!

Cannot WAIT to take all the hat pictures!!! Cousin Andi made our newest little Hokie this adorable hat!

How awesome is this porthole picture? Shelby's friend made it to match Luke's nursery theme!

John LOVED saying, "Look!! Bear Bottom! Bear Bottom!!" According to his driver's license, he IS a grown-up...but the jury's still out!

One action-packed post!

Okay...let me start off with the fact that I am sitting on my sofa in my pajamas when I should be in church...and then say that my alarm clock is one of those that automatically sets time based on some satellite or something like that (remember, John's a pilot/space/weather geek) and apparently thought TODAY was Daylight Savings Time! So, it goes off, I get ready to get up and John tells me, "You know that it is actually an hour later than that, don't you?" Well, frankly, no, I didn't. And John, if YOU did, why didn't you let me know a little sooner????? Upon getting up, however, my sinuses and throat said to me, "You know, Lori...we're a little uncomfortable today. Maybe you need to sleep in a bit more?" Well, darned those little stinkers, they talked me into a little more sleep...just a little and then I'd get to church, just miss Sunday School. Hmmm. About an hour later, I smell bacon, eggs and coffee. John has figured that I have ditched church altogether and made a lovely breakfast. Which really was yummy, but again, I slept too late for church. Needless to say, I feel guilty. Twice.

And, on the subject of guilt....today is THE day for Nanci and another friend of ours, Rory. We have been getting updates and I just still cannot believe the determination those marathon runners (a group of people to whom Nanci now belongs!! No more non-runner status for her!) have. In fact, as I type this post, here's the latest alert for her: NANCI WEINSTEIN, 02:02:57 (NET) @ 15K Pace 13:11 , Predicted 05:45:39.00. Powered by Marine Corp Marathon..

Here's the guilt...I had planned to be there today--after church, we were headed up there. Well, as you read already, church plans have fallen to the wayside and my sinuses still say the thought of doing much of anything outdoors today is not really going to go over well. And for this, I feel terrible, because I am SO proud of Nanci! I have been following her efforts and her perseverance. I have watched her move out of our neighborhood (sniff, sniff) and uproot her life (again, as we in the military life often do) and STILL stick with it. She and I talked about that dedication on our way back from our FABULOUS NKOTB concert and she said it was just something she was doing solely so she could say she did it. I told her that there were lots of things I'd like to be able to use that motivation for, but the truth was, I was and am TOO LAZY. There is absolutely nothing I can think of right now that I am so moved by that I would put myself through what Nanci has just to claim I did it. And so, for her effort, dedication and success...I'm honored to know her!

And while I am talking about dedication, again John Wright and his family show themselves as true definitions of Christian love and have a new website. On this site, you can see things that are needed in Kyrgyzstan and fund them. Instantly. The hearts of this man and his family are so great indeed, and if you want to do something that you know is needed and simply done out of love for our fellow humans, go here...

Also, I am continually moved by the things that Cindy LaJoy has to say. She is the moderator for they Kyrgyz yahoo group, and the proud mother of three wonderful boys. Her latest post was about her baby, Kenny and as usual, moved me to tears. (Sap, remember? I'm a sap!) She knows that she is his biggest advocate and I am so glad because there are so many parents out there who get railroaded by the school system (of which I am a part, don't forget, so I am really bucking the party line!) and their children are the ones who suffer. I love my children. I love my families. I HATE the culture of education that basically acts as if parents are a big pain in the school's butt. Hello--PARENTS PAY MY SALARY! Parents trust me every day with their precious children. As I told Cindy, PARENTS REIGN SUPREME. Or should. Now, realize there are also parents who could care less, send their kids to school and don't give a darn whether they succeed or not. Those parents, sadly, are just facts of life. All I can do is make it the best I can for the children of those parents. But by and large, parents just want what is best for their kids and trust us to provide it. And in reality, that just doesn't happen all the time. Or much of the time. Not for lack of trying, mind you. Just politics. Indifference. Party Politics. Redonkulous (my new hilarious word) if you ask me.

Okay...now I remember why I mentioned Cindy, other than I was touched by what she wrote. She ALSO left a comment that made my day: Celebrate the things you can, Lori!! If you don't, you go nuts :-) Patience, smatience...we want that dossier approved and a referral offered NOW!! Hahaha! Hang in there, the wait really IS worth it. Well, doesn't that just say it ALL! She's right. I DO want that dossier approved and I DO want that referral. I know I'll suck it up and wait, but she had a point in there is nothing wrong with wanting it yesterday!! So, thank you, Cindy, for putting that in perspective.

And on that note...

YIPPEE!! OUR DOSSIER HAS MADE IT TO KYRGYZSTAN AND WILL BE THE CATALYST THAT BRINGS EMMA HOME. THANK YOU, LORD!