the day

Today was a day.

I got a text at 6 am this morning from our good friend Becca (The DeWild Family blog link is on the right side of the page)...and she was in labor at the hospital. How exciting!!!! Wished her luck and I was off to school...last Friday of the year with students.

Baby Jack arrived around 10 am this morning...everything went smoothly and everyone is doing well. (See pictures of Keatin and Jack below).

About 45 minutes later, I answered the school phone and it was Cheryl's husband...and my stomach dropped and I knew... Cheryl passed away this morning in her sleep.

It is even hard to write about it now... It was the most trying day at school ever. Two of Cheryl's daughters are middle school students (which is connected to our elementary school)...and Cheryl's husband asked Chris/myself to go get them...and we had to tell them. Ugh - I tear up just thinking about that moment, those minutes right now.

Staff had to be told, students had to be told. Like I said previously, the kids LOVED Cheryl. She REALLY connected with the kids. Chris and I split up and we were in & out of every classroom in the school, telling the students. I cried, kids cried. I had kids in my office who couldn't pull it together. I talked to 2 1st grade boys for a long time...and one said - "I wished I could have seen her one more time." Sigh...don't we all. I talked to all 70 kindergarten students together...one asked - "where is Cheryl now?" I said she was in heaven, and another boy said - "oh good - that is a wonderful place and the streets are gold there."

I saw Cheryl 2 times on Wednesday and I got to hug her lots...and we had a really nice visit. I stopped again yesterday after school, and she couldn't keep her eyes open...I just held her hand while she slept. I squeezed it when I left, and whispered goodbye. I secretly hoped she was just tired...but I could tell things were different.

This has been a whirlwind of a day.

cheryl

Please keep praying for Cheryl. I visited her 3 times today...she is an amazing person.

This is a picture that was taken this winter. On the left, is my principal Chris...and the middle is Cheryl (she couldn't stand up for the picture, but we cuddled close to her). :) We are kind of like the 3 amigos in our office...

I just thought you might like a face to go with your prayers. She can certainly still use them...

prayers

To all my friends and family...and for that matter, anyone else who has wandered over to our blog...

If you believe in the power of prayer, please say some for my secretary at school, Cheryl. She has been away from work for several months now, fighting her battle with cancer. And things are not very good for her right now...not very good at all.

My heart is heavy for her, her husband, and her 3 daughters (ages 16, 14, & 11).

Please pray she has the strength to fight this battle, wherever it may lead.

I want to get my hands on a picture of her so you can see the sparkle she used to have in her smile. In my opinion, she's THE BEST elementary school secretary. Not a kid entered our office who wasn't greeted with a "hey bubba" or "what's up sweet pea." She handed out hugs and words of advice from the heart. She's Cheryl to EVERYONE, even the students.

Anyways...please say a prayer for her tonight...and whenever else you think of it.

stuff

It is almost the end of May...and nothing too exciting to post. Makes me realize I haven't had the camera out much! :) I have 2 weeks left of school and I am COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS...I am just ready for summer.

Keatin still melts our hearts every day...she is almost 22 months old!!!!! She talks up a storm and is saying more and more complete sentences. For example, she just said - "what is daddy doing?" And last week at church, she said VERY LOUDLY - "I see a baby." :) Josh and I were saying the other day, it is almost like you have mini-conversations with her sometimes...it is so fun! She loves to drive her 2 "cars" down the sidewalk to our neighbors driveway...where we always tell her to turn around...and we KNOW she KNOWS...but she usually tries to get halfway down the block with a big smile on her face. :) We spend lots of time outside, listening and pointing at "airpanes", "onmowers", "otocycles", birds, doggies, and "kwirls."

This pic was taken in the Quad Cities at Josh's grandpa's funeral... At one point, during our down time, Josh and Rob (his cousin's husband) were volunteered to take an old air conditioner to the dump...and so we loaded up the car for them...with kids too! Luke and Abigail (in the rear facing infant seat) are Rob's kids...and I plopped Keatin's carseat in between them...and off they all went for a ride to the dump! :)

Josh's other cousin, Troy, has a daughter as well - Catalina. Here are Keatin and Catalina watching some cartoons. :)

This was at the funeral home, in the kid room...all the great-grandchildren. :)

Keatin loves to help water the flowers. She has her very own watering can from G & G Petersen. :)

We got Keatin a sandbox a few weeks ago...but we just tested it out for the first time the other night. I THINK she liked it...but didn't care for the sand between her toes.

grandpa heeren

Sorry I have been MIA... Josh's grandpa passed away suddenly last Thursday...and so our lives have been very busy the last week. This whole experience has been very hard for Josh...and we all miss him dearly.

Below is the link to his obituary...if you would like to read it.

Please keep Grandma Heeren and their whole family in your prayers.



http://www.memorialsolutions.com/sitemaker/sites/Vandem1/obit.cgi?user=203604Heeren

piggies

I got Keatin's hair up into real pigtails the other day! The front is still too short to be pulled back...but one barrette did the trick! :) I thought for sure they would be out by 9 am that morning...but the babysitter said they stayed in until after nap! Still hasn't had her first haircut...but it was fun to do her hair. :)

piano

This is a picture from last week when Keatin and I had dinner at Becca/Lyle's house. They have a piano and Keatin likes to play music. :)

She insisted that "mommy - sit ear (here)" (pointing with her little finger to the bench) and "Becca - sit ear (here)" (again...more pointing).

It was cute.

We played some lovely music together for quite awhile. :)