I really do have to thank Christine for starting this Grains of Gratitude. I find myself on the "lookout" for things to be grateful for each week, wondering what I can include on my list each Sunday!I'm grateful Joe was off on Monday so he could go with me to Kayla's ENT appointment. It's nice having someone else along for a change!
I'm grateful that on Monday I had a mystery shopping assignment to Burger King - hey who wouldn't appreciate getting a free dinner, plus getting paid for it! (any night that I don't have to worry about cooking dinner is a great night!)
I'm grateful for our spouses' group Fondue Social we had on Wednesday. It was a nice get-together with some yummy fondues and fruits. The Club did a really nice job of setting up for us. I brought this Butterscotch Fondue and I sent this recipe for Carmel Rum Fondue to a friend of mine and she brought that, plus we had one other type of fondue - delicious!
I'm grateful Joe was able to take most of this week off so he could study, study, study! He tests on Tues for his next promotion (rank). If you could keep him in your prayers that he retains all this information he's been studying and does well on his test it would be much appreciated!
The next thing I'm going to write about is actually very sobering. I've been a "member" of a T21 online message board since Kayla was just a couple of months old. For those of you who have joined message boards for whatever topic, you know that over time you come to feel a real connection with the other members, almost like a family. Well earlier this week a mom on this message board lost her 13 month old son; it was absolutely devastating news and I can't begin to imagine what she, and her family (they have 2 other boys) are going through. What I am grateful for is the sense of family and community we all feel towards one another. While we know we can't bring him back, we all pulled together and brainstormed on what we could do to show our support. Donations were taken and we were able to order 12 meals from one of those "prepared meals delivered to your home" services, care packages for his 2 brothers, an God's Escort print, and we're also making a scrapbook for her as well.
Last year we lost a mom from the board to cancer and she left behind 2 daughters. Someone arranged with a florist for each of us to send one single tulip in a vase to the funeral home and we were told it made such a powerful statement. We just did this again for this family. His Mass is on Monday and I would be grateful if you all you could remember this family as they say their goodbyes to their son Mikey.
24 comments:
Oh Michelle...the last couple things you mentioned brought tears to my eyes. How very, very sad about the child...and in the earlier case, the mother.
It is amazing how modern things like the internet can bring so many of us from all over close together...as you said, like family. Sometimes I long for the old-fashioned days but this is truly one of the blessings of modern times!
God bless!
I love reading your sunday posts, so much to be greatful for :)
I will keep Joe in my prayers, which rank is he studying for??
Curt is studying for Tech right now and should be testing soon too....if you could send out a prayer for him too I would appreciate it :)
Hugs,
Sandra
How sad. Those boards can be amazing things when you get the right group of people together. How wonderful that you can all be there for that family.
Good luck to Joe!
Oh my goodness her family will most assuredly be in my prayers!!!
The last one you mentioned brought tears to my eyes. I can not imagine how devastated the family is at losing a child. My heart breaks for them. I will keep them in my prayers.
Joe is in my prayers too.
Your last mention is so sad - it makes me remember to savor all the moments of life. Amazing though, how the online community can come together and support one another.
Michelle,
What a great thing the board did to come together in this difficult time and help the family. It is so sad.
I wish Joe the best on his exams...I am taking the state one for professional ed knowledge on Saturday.
HUGS!
That poor family. What a kind thing for your group to do for them.
I love your Sunday posts. You're reminding me to find many things to be grateful for in my own life.
I sometimes feel just overwhelmed by the great number of needs. It just hurts the heart to hear of something like that. I'm so glad you are able to support the family in such a real, tangible way. I'm sure it will mean a great deal to them.
We have much to be thankful for Michelle. I always love these posts. I'll be praying about the test.
It's when I see your Grains of Gratitude that I realize another week has gone by already! How very sad about that family losing a child...something a mother never wants to experience. I think it's absolutely wonderful what you and the other "members" have done for them. Best of luck to Joe when his test comes around, he's certainly in my prayers:-) xox
Oh Michelle... I'm so sorry for your friend's loss... I don't even WANT to imagine their grief and pain. I hope they can come to peace as easily as is possible...
Michelle,
We will include Mikey's family in our prayers. What a beautiful gesture, with the tulips.
T
oh that is so so so sad ...
Totally sending Joe positive retention vibes for his studying!
First of all, I'm so very sorry to hear about the parents who lost their 13 month old son. How very sad. What a blessing that this mom (and dad) has such a great group of online friends to offer support. I will offer up prayers for them.
I really hope that Joe does well on his promotion test! I know he'll do great, but I'll say some prayers for him as well.
Your mystery shopping gig sounds fun. Oronzo has done some of these in the past and enjoys them!
That fondue social sounds like a lot of fun!! We had some friends that did one of these once (about 4 of us brought fondue pots and recipes) and it was a lot of fun.
Thanks for sharing the things you are grateful for this week. And thanks for inspiring me to do my first Grains of Gratitude today!
Aww, how sad for the family who lost their little boy. That must be so devastating. :( But at the same time it was lovely to hear all of the things your group has arranged for the family. That was just so nice and caring. :)
This was a really great post! Brought tears to my eyes.
I also love the boards I am a member of.
I will say a little prayer for Joe on his testing.
How nice of your group to send the meals to the family that lost their baby! That is just a wonderful thing for you all to do. Im sure it will be most appreciated. Im so sorry for the family...so very sad.
You are one of my grains of gratitude Michelle....coming and reading your blog is like sitting down with a good friend and having a cup of tea. Im very thankful we are friends.
I will definitely keep Joe in my prayers, hope he will succeed...I have to tell that this time I study for a test as well...it will be at the end of March but I have plenty of information to retain.
God is on our side for sure...
Lovely post!
I"ll say a prayer that Joe does well on the test. I also agree a night free of cooking is very nice.
The family you mention I will keep them in my prayers. Reading it I just couldn't help but get teary eyed. it is nice that she can get extra support from people on the internet.It is so nice how everyone had come together to help them.
love,
MIMI
It's so wonderful to have friends who are there to support you during those awful times. Sounds like your message board groups and online groups have been awesome to each other!! I will definitely keep Mikey's family in my prayers!!
The Fondue sounds wonderful!! Yum!
Michelle - I, too, have felt the closeness of the board in times of need. I thought it was telling, that even after a board "blow up", that everyone came together :) My heart goes out to Mikey's family, as well as Anne's (and Rose's) this week.
The mystery shopping thing has always intrigued me - how did you get involved with that? I love to shop (and consider it my only talent LOL) and would love to try and do the mystery thing, I'm just always a little skeptical of the ads on the radio ;) Would love to hear more about it!
We will be keeping Joe in our prayers that he does well on his test!
Thanks again for joining in!
Oh Michelle, that is so so sad. I'll be praying for this family today. I cannot even imagine. Will also be praying for your dear hubby. Your Sunday posts alwasy remind me how much I have to be thankful for. Thanks Michelle!
How sad this is, Michelle. It sounds like you are all a close group and really come together for each other. The statement you made with the tulips really moved me.
I am in tears....it is amazing, simply amazing what compassion does.
I will keep both these families in my daily prayers, it is so very very upsetting....
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