Ten Months and a Garden in Memory of Leia

It is ten months today marking the day we met our Leia. I still wake up mornings thinking of her first thing. My thoughts always go to our little girl and what she would be doing if she were at the ten-month mark. She should be alive and here with us and enjoying life. But we all know she is not and I must go on as hard as it seems.

Soon after everything had happened with our Leia I had told my husband that I wanted to plant a tree in her memory in our back yard. Since we live in the south and our spring and summers are very hot we were told that waiting till the fall would be our best bet. I had called on a landscaper a few weeks back and met with him to show him where we wanted to plant the tree and what type we had in mind. My husband was leaning toward a Japanese Maple and I was favoring a tree with some type of pink blooms that would come out in the spring time. So after meeting with him he told me that he would get back to me in a couple of days. When I didn't hear from I just figured he was busy and sooner or later he would get back to me. Then on Thursday of that same week I had gone into work earlier and the landscaper had called while I was working. I couldn't take the time to talk to him at that moment so I let his call go to voice mail, never getting a chance to listen to it. Around early afternoon I decided to dash home to let our doggie out and found the landscaper was at our house working on putting in a tree. I called my husband in a panic asking him why he would just start working on the tree without getting back to us. He suggested I go out and talk to him and find out what he was doing. Upon talking with him and after several minutes of questioning I learned that five of our neighbors had gone in on putting in a tree and some other items for a garden. I was in tears as the landscaper stammered to tell me what he was doing. I was so touched by the kind gesture our neighbors had done for us and for our Leia. That night my husband and I got home and we went out to our yard to look at the tree and garden. It was beautiful and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful garden. We were so touch by the kindness of what all these people had done. I saw my one neighbor who I walk with daily and I gave her a big hug and thanked her for the garden. She told me then that they had all wanted to do something in the spring but they thought it might be too soon and so they had decided to wait. A Japanese Maple was the tree that was planted along with several other bushes and flowers. I intend to go out this weekend and blow away all the leaves that have fallen on the garden in the past week. I look forward to being able to enjoy the garden for years to come. I've put in a few pictures of the garden taken this past weekend and with Leia's initial stones.

Dear Leia, I wish you were here with us today. I miss and love you so much. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of you and your pretty face. You will never be forgotten little girl. Love you, Mommy

A Get Away to Atlanta

I've been remiss in posting lately. I have been keeping track of everyone out there and what is happening to all my fellow BLM's. I think of you all often and where some of you are on this journey. I hope all of you are doing well and so happy for this community.

A girlfriend and I got away this past weekend to Atlanta. The main intent of the trip was to see the band Sugarland perform. We both flew in Friday night and spent the evening catching up and talking about our lives. We have been friends since we were both the age of five and every time we are able to meet up it always feels like no time has passed. We just both seem to "click" well and are always there for one another during the up and down times of our lives.

On Saturday we took a tour of the CNN studio which was really exciting (my childhood dream was to become a news anchor). It really was interesting to see all the behind the scenes items and what goes into broadcasting cable news around the clock. We also got to check out Centennial Park located in downtown Atlanta and centers around the Olympics that were held in Atlanta back in 1996. We then ended the evening with an early dinner and then took in the show. We were very close to the downtown area and able to walk to the arena where they were performing.

We watched the opening act (Sara Bareilles) and then were waiting for Sugarland to take the stage when the evening took a turn. Suddenly my girlfriend announced she was going to the bathroom and would be back. I offered to go along but she told me she would be fine. After waiting over 15 minutes and realizing that the band was starting soon I quickly darted to the bathroom where I found her getting very sick. I offered to leave at that moment but she was set on seeing the band. I got her my water that was back at my seat and then asked a security guard if there was anyway my friend could sit somewhere else that would be closer to the restroom. Luckily the lady was very understanding and let us sit in an area where chairs had been set up for handicapped patrons, etc. It was also more roomy and spacious than our seats we had abandoned. I felt so bad for my girlfriend who every few minutes would depart for another round of being sick. She thinks she may have gotten sick on the clam dinner she ate. I was fine but also had a different item for dinner so we suspect it was just a bug that she picked up. We did end up leaving early from the show. It was just about as they were ending the show but we did see the majority of the performance. They really put on a good performance and it was a treat to hear their songs live. I just wish my friend had felt better and wasn't sick. To end the evening (could it get worse?), we were walking the one block back to our hotel when I think a man who I believed to be homeless started to heckle us for money. I had foolishly taken my purse that evening not giving any thought to us having any issue when going back to our hotel but since we had left earlier than expected we also were not walking with a "crowd" of others from the concert, so I think it made us an easy target. He continued to walk next to us, making comments and at one moment I thought he was going to attempt mugging or taking my purse. Luckily, we made it to our hotel before any of this happened but he did walk with us to the front of our downtown hotel. I was never so glad to get to our room! My heart was beating fast and I was shaking from what had happened. My girlfriend jokingly said that if he tried anything she was going to hurl in his direction. What a night! We ended our weekend getaway with a little shopping on Sunday and then headed back to the airport for our departures. Needless to say I was glad at that moment that my hubs had insisted on us getting a rental car. I think after what we had experienced that I couldn't have taken another close call. I love the city but there is nothing like getting home to my own "small" town. I am just glad that my friend was better on Sunday and that she was back to normal. I couldn't imagine flying home being as sick as she was.

I've posted some pictures from our weekend below. The last is my favorite. I found the letters in a Hallmark store that I haven't been in most of this year. I used to love the store but just can't bare going in anymore.

                                           CNN Studio Tour

                                           Centennial Park

                 
                                                     Sugarland in Concert

                                           View from Top of our Hotel

                                           My Favorite Picture and Purchase of the Weekend!

Nine Months

9 months, almost the amount of time that I carried my Leia.
9 months, that I held you in my arms and looked at your beautiful face.
9 months, winter, spring and summer have all gone.
9 months, I will never forget you my precious Leia, I think of you every day.
9 months, we move closer to the one year mark of you being gone.

~Love you Leia Grace and you are always with me and in my heart.