(Karen's Grandaughter) |
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This month's Featured Mom is Carolyn Le
When I found out I was going to have a daughter I was so happy.
I have three older sons and I thank God for them.
The news of having a daughter made me so happy.
Instead of dinosaurs and toy cars we finally have
pink dresses and dolls. Many people tell me I am
lucky to have sons but,I got news for them "little
girls are important too."Then the news the doctors tell you that destroys you. Kimlan has Trisomy 12. This caused her to have many heart defects,cloacal exstrophy,and a large omphalocele. I hope and pray the doctors could surgically repair this so, my daughter can have a long happy life.
Kimlan spent a lot of time in the hospital. She was in NICU for two months. We were happy when she came home. Our precious girl had to go back to the hospital for surgery and also another time when she had bacterial meningitis. It was a true miracle she survived this. The nurses told me Kimlan is a little fighter. They were right. She fought hard to live and be with her family. I was beyond heart broken the day she went into cardiac arrest at the hospital. When the doctor took my hand and told me Kimlan passed away I feel like I was being destroyed from the inside out. I was losing my only daughter. Our family was losing our sweet Kimlan. I was mad and hurt. I wanted the doctors to save Kimlan. I needed my daughter. I hurt so much missing her.
I am very grateful for Angelmoms ladies. They are medication to my broken heart. I had my first anxiety attack after Kimlan passed away. I talk with other moms and found out they also have gone through this.
I got news about Kimlan's Congenital Heart defects quilt block. I was glad to hear this. Next month,they will display these quilts in Houston,Texas. I hope we can make it but,I am not sure if we can. We live near the Dallas,Texas area. www.chdquilt.org/angelgirl.html This is their website if anyone in the Houston area is interested.
Alittle about us. First I feel like I should speak of Kimlan because,she is very precious to us. I have three older sons. My middle son has cerebral palsy. I also have specail concerns for my youngest son because,he was with me at the hospital the day Kimlan passed away. Please keep him in your prayers. That is alot for a young one to go through. In the past I worked in health care but,now I stay home with my sons. My husband and I try to make it through this grief. It is not easy for us. I handle my grief different than he does. I cry and I want to talk. He is silent and want to be left alone. I am sure other people can understand.
Thank you, for showing me love and friendship in this painful time.
Love, Carolyn & family.
Kimlan's Web Site
Letter to Mom
by Joy Curnutt
Mom, please don’t feel guilty
It was just my time to go.
I see you are still feeling sad,
And the tears just seem to flow.
We all come to earth for our lifetime,
And for some it’s not many years
I don’t want you to keep crying
You are shedding so many tears.
I haven’t really left you
Even though it may seem so.
I have just gone to my heavenly home,
And I’m closer to you than you know.
Just believe that when you say my name
I’m standing next to you,
I know you long to see me,
But there’s nothing I can do.
But I’ll still send you messages
And hope you understand,
That when your time comes to “cross over,”
I’ll be there to take your hand.
Orbs I thought about what I should write about this newsletter and I thought I would talk about Orbs mainly because of what happened a few weeks ago. I had some Angel Mom friends come stay with me and one of them brought their little grandson, he is 3 years old and she gave him the camera to play with he was snapping pictures all over the house and when his grandma was going though the pictures to see what she could delete she ran across a picture that had Orbs, just one picture and we remembered that at the time of that picture we were sitting down eating dinner and we were talking about our angels at that time. It was an awesome feeling. I have talked to alot of Moms that have had Orbs in their pictures and there is no way it could be dust particles because it would be on maybe 1 picture out of 25. Also at the Angelmom retreat we had alot of Orb pictures and this was all with different cameras. I feel our angels are always watching over us and from time to time visiting us. To me this is very comforting to know. If any of you have Orb pictures you would like to share please e-mail them to me and i can put them in the angelmom photo site so everyone can see. holly_tiffsmom@yahoo.com.
I found this little write up about Orbs and thought I would share.
Amongst those who believe that orbs are due to paranormal phenomena, there is a belief that the orbs are a manifestation of spirits or that the orb is the spirit itself in the preliminary stages of becoming a full-bodied apparition or at least, trying to materialize. The idea is that the orb is energy and this energy starts off as an orb and then can sometimes build itself into a shape or form which represents the spirit. Another belief is that the orb is not the spirit as such, but is the spirit energy - something created by the spirit or how the spirit's energy appears to us.
There isn't any scientific method that I know of which could tell us if the orbs are spirits beginning to manifest or spiritual energy showing itself to us in the form of a sphere, unfortunately, so we have to leave it to educated guesses along with circumstantial evidence. Not ideal but until the metaphysical can be shown to exist - by way of seeing it, measuring it, examining it in a controlled enviroment and checking the effects of outside stimuli and thereby taking it from metaphysical to physical - we have no accepted method of postulating agreeable and acceptable theories which can be shown to give the same results time after time. One way of getting a theory which quite a few tend to find more acceptable is by asking a Medium for an explanation. I have never really heard a Medium explain in-depth about orbs, I have only heard them say that they are indeed linked to spiritual presences and that they are spheres of energy. Hence you will quite often hear people refer to orbs as spirit-energy.
What is very interesting is the appearance of orbs on infra-red or 'night-shot' video cameras as they are often called. In these cases, the orbs can be seen to dart about and make some very interesting mid-course changes at acute angles. They sometimes seem to appear from nowhere, zoom across the viewable screen and then fade away or just simply disappear from sight - most often the case with dark rooms and infra-red cameras that only allow for a reasonable increase in brightness of the surroundings. The most fascinating aspect of video-captured orbs is that in my mind, at least, they rule out dust particles as being the culprits since they move quickly and make course changes - sometimes around people - with noticeable variances in speed. In a room with no movement and no draughts, I find it hard to believe that we are witnessing just one dust particle that happens to be visible to the camera and happens to make striking velocity changes.
It seems like this time of the year, the holidays hit us one after another. Just as we get through one, here comes another one. This month we have Thanksgiving, a time to look back and remember the things we are thankful for. Some may think they have nothing to be thankful for because their loss is so new. But there are things there and in time, they will come to light. As time passes and the pain eases some, we see things differently, we see a new us, a new perspective, we learn to live again.
I would like to share some of the things I am thank for.
I am thankful for having a son named Shane. Though his time here was short, he sure gave me a lot. As much as it hurt to lose him, I am thankful for every precious moment I had with him.
I am thankful for my family, my husband Mike, daughters Jennie and Laurie, my granddaughters Krista, Kristen, Tina and Shana and my mom. Without them, I don't know where I would be. They helped give me a reason to keep going and start to live again.
I am thankful for the friends I have, who have stood by me and helped me get to where I am today.
I am thankful for each and everyone in this group, even though pain brought us together, love, comfort and support are shared to help us survive. We reach out to each other through our pain to try and help ease the pain of another or just to say "You are not alone."
Wishing you all a peaceful Thanksgiving.
Hello dear friends! Halloween is over, and we are now heading full force into the holiday season. Whether this will be your first holiday without your angel, or you have survived many, we all can’t help but reflect on holidays past, and the holidays that will never be. Speaking for myself, I know I am truly thankful to have each of you here, and I am thankful that we all have each other to turn to in our grief.
This story was in one of the many little booklets given to me by the hospital after Zackary died, and it has always helped me to remember the precious time we had with him. I wish you all a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving.
Hugs to all,
Krista, mom to Angel Zackary
The Little While
by Darcie D. Sims
Many years ago as we faced our first bereaved Thanksgiving, I was worried. Our infant son had died in September and no one felt much like celebrating anything, let alone gathering family together to express our gratitude. Gratitude!!!! About what???? What on earth did we have to be thankful for?
Our little guy had died after a horrible battle with a malignant brain tumor, leaving us exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. There was little to spend on a lavish meal, and I did not have the energy to even think about hosting a family gathering.
But, despite our unwillingness to participate in the passing of days, Thanksgiving did arrive and we did have a small family dinner. I think the turkey was dry, the mashed potatoes lumpy and I'm not sure we even had rolls. I set the table with our best crystal and china in a weak attempt at being "festive", but the only thing sparkling during that meal were our tears.
It is a tradition in our family to have the youngest at the table say the blessing, so it fell the our five year old daughter, Alicia, to find some words of thanksgiving. I was almost glad it wasn't my task to speak of gratitude when there simply wasn't any to be found around our table! How awful of me, a grown woman, to wish such a job onto a five year old!
Alicia refused to accept her assignment. She refused in the manner of many 5 year olds and it became a battleground between mother and daughter, adult and child. She simply looked at me and said what we all felt, "What's there to be thankful for this year?"
We argued intensely, and her refusal guaranteed the silence I dreaded. I knew this year's celebration would not be survivable. Her stormy face told me to forgo the family blessing. We ate in grieving silence, each caught in our own web of stories, tears and sadness. About halfway through the meal, however, Alicia announced that she would say "something" at dessert. I wasn't sure what "something" meant, but I figured dessert was something to be thankful for!
As the pie was served, Alicia told everyone to "hold hands like the Waltons". Slowly, awkwardly, painfully, we reached across our grief and clasped hands, forming a family circle around our table. Alicia bowed her head, took a deep breath and in her five year old voice brought us the light...
"Thanks God, for the little while."
In our grief we had focused on what we had lost and worried about how we would survive another day. Alicia, with the wisdom reserved only for children, understood better than any adult around that table the gift her brother had given us and the gift for which we are forever grateful...the little while.
A very dear friend of mine recently lost her husband after a 2 month struggle with kidney cancer. It has been a very rough road for her and her family but it has me thinking a lot about the difference between losing a spouse versus losing a child. To anyone who has lost a child, the two can not be compared. The bond with our children is stronger than any other, they are extensions of ourselves, they define who we are and give us a reason to live. When they are taken from us, part of us dies and we will no longer feel whole ever again.
The older we get, it is almost expected we will lose our husbands. Hopefully that will be later than sooner but statistically the odds are, we women will outlive our spouse. That’s just the way the life cycle usually works. Many people remarry after the death of a spouse and learn to live on with someone new and find true happiness. Of course no one can be replaced but that can’t happen after losing a child. If you have experienced a miscarriage or lost a baby, yes you may be able to have more children and love them with all your heart and soul but you will never be the same person you were before. If you’re like me and have lost an older child we must try to find the sort of happiness we had with them in some other way. If we are lucky it is through grandchildren.
Just 3 days after the funeral for my friend’s husband she said to me, “as hard as it is for me right now, at least it was not one of my kids. I could not imagine losing one of my girls” (she has three daughters). I’m sure anyone in her situation would agree.
Losing a spouse, parent, brother, sister or any family member is truly devastating but losing our children is the ultimate pain and anguish. That is why I am thankful every day to have Angel Moms for support. It has been my lifeline for the past 5 years and will continue to be. I truly hope that is the case for all of you too.
We've lost our children in so many tragic ways and I am trying to focus on those causes each month in our newsletter. I am also going to list each of our Angels with their cause of death that I am writing about that month. I will do my best not to miss anyone's name, so please help me by looking to see if your Angel is listed on the Angel Moms "How We Lost Our Angels" page at www.angelmoms.com/causes.html . If your Angel isn't listed, then please send me their information, so I do not miss anyone. It's very important that each Angel is remembered.
I'm sorry for all of your losses and I'll do my best to be gentle with how you lost your child/children/grandchildren. I encourage anyone to write to me and send any information they want to share to help me with my articles. God Bless!
Love & Hugs,
Melody ~ Angel Adam
Love lifts Angels more so than wings. Love lights their way more so than any halo. And love sings from within them far louder than any harp could play.
CANCER AND LEUKEMIA
Cancer: A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system.
Leukemia (medical condition): Cancer of the blood cells, usually white blood cells. Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream. Leukemia is usually associated with anemia, fever, hemorrhagic episodes and splenomegaly. Common leukemias include acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic or precursor lymphoblastic leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Treatment is vital to patient survival; untreated, the natural course of acute leukemias is normally measured in weeks or months, while that of chronic leukemias is more often measured in months or years. 1 death occurs every 9 minutes in the USA for leukemia/lymphoma/myeloma. 23,300 estimated deaths from leukemia in the US 2004. 2,290 estimated deaths from leukemia in Canada 2004.
Bladder Cancer - Melanoma - Breast Cancer - Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Colon and Rectal Cancer - Pancreatic Cancer - Endometrial Cancer - Prostate Cancer - Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer - Skin Cancer (Non-melanoma) - Leukemia - Thyroid Cancer - Lung Cancer
Cancer symptoms depend on the type of cancer but may include: Abscess, Bowel symptoms, Bladder symptoms, Poorly healing skin sore, Breast lump, Lump, Indigestion, Difficulty swallowing, Hoarseness, Persistent cough, Bleeding, Discharge, Wart changes, Mole changes, Pain - though this is usually not an early symptom of cancer, Unexplained weight loss, Unexplained weight gain.
Diagnostic tests depend on the specific type of cancer but some types of tests are common. The list of tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Cancer includes: Physical Exam, Imaging - used to see the tumor or its related damage CT, MRI, X-rays, Ultrasonography, Radionuclide scanning, Biopsy, Needle biopsy, Surgical biopsy, Pathology tests - this is the analysis of biopsy tissue. Other tests depend on the specific type of cancer.
Our Cancer and Lukemia Angels
Angel Aaron (Denise P.) Angel Adrienne (Patsy P.) Angel Amirah (Janice R.) Angel Amy (Shirley F.) Angel Andrew (Pamela W.) Angel Anthony (Jan A.) Angel Ashley (Donna W.)
Angel Bailey (Angela D.) Angel Beth (Cindy C.) Angel Bob (Maggie K.)
Angel Caitlin (Aleta) Angel Caitlyn (Christianne W.) Angel Candace (Connie P.) Angel Cariana (Janis G.) Angel Carrie (Natalie S-B.) Angel Charlene (Berniece R.) Angel Christian (Faye W.) Angel Christopher (Lindalee B.) Angel Chucky (Shelia) Angel Colin (Tanya B.) Angel Conor (Sally M.) Angel Cory (Peggy P.)
Angel Daniel (Jennifer S.) Angel Darnetta (Diann A.) Angel David (Charron B.) Angel David (Joann H.) Angel Diana (Carol J.) Angel Donald (Pam H.) Angel Doug (Laurel B.) Angel Dustin (Judy T-D.) Angel Dylan (Cynthia E.)
Angel Graham (Linda H.)
Angel Henry (Wakenda Y.)
Angel Jacob (Dawn G.) Angel Jaired (Heather M.) Angel James (Cookie H.) Angel Jeffery (Sue F.) Angel Jenny (Joan B.) Angel Jesse (Margie N.) Angel Jessica (Christine O.) Angel Jill (Laurie M.) Angel John (Shirley R.) Angel Justina (Priscilla W.)
Angel Kaden (Denette S.) Angel Keli (Mona H.) Angel Kelly (Denise K.) Angel Krystal (Angela) Angel Kyle (Melissa L-S.) Angel Kyle (Sharron E.)
Angel Lacey (Tina C.) Angel Lance (Justine S.) Angel Lisa (Cheryl R.) Angel Lisa (Sandy W.)
Angel Madison (Stacie W.) Angel Marc (Linda R.) Angel Marcia (Arlene B.) Angel Matthew (Jane A.) Angel Michael (Joyce H.) Angel Michelle (Connie K.) Angel Monique (Veronica O.)
Angel Nathan (Martha S.) Angel Nichole (Anita B-D.) Angel Nicole (Renee B.)
Angel Rick (Debbie H.) Angel Ronald (Cathie) Angel Rossy (Leslee G.) Angel Ryan (Melanie H.) Angel Ryan (Trudy S.)
Angel Samantha (Jennie B.) Angel Sammy (Jenni P.) Angel Sean (Karen W.) Angel Shane (Brenda C.) Angel Shane (Connie M.) Angel Shane (Dawn B.) Angel Shannon (Erika L.) Angel Shayna (Olivia A.)
Angel Teresa (Jerri O.) Angel Torique (Yana I.) Angel Trevor (Angela B.) Angel Tyler (Chrissi J.)
Angel Virginia (Joanne G.)
Through sharing our memories
it keeps our children alive.
With each special moment remembered
they help us to survive.
As we walk down memory lane,
we always keep them near.
For they are the ones we will never forget.
the ones that we hold so near.
Written by:Zana Maxwell-AngelMom to Alex
http://alexchristopher.memory-of.com
With this being the Month of November and Thanksgiving I am pleased to share the memory of Reeny's family .She lost her husband Ray this year and her 2 Angels Dustin(1995) and Becky(2005). Thank you so much Reeny for sharing this Memory of your precious family.
With Thanksgiving coming up this month and it also being my late husband's 75th birthday the 14th and his first with our angel children Dustin and Becky. I thought I would share a favorite memory of when we were all together. This happened a long time ago when we were living on a ranch in south Texas. The kids were young and Ray decided that year that we would have wild turkey for our Thanksgiving. Well, let me tell you, please unless you know what you are getting into don't do wild turkey. That was the toughest old bird I ever tried to cook and we wound up eating Chicken that year. The kids of course thought it was funny. But Mom didn't...I look back now and am able to laugh about it as to me Thanksgiving was when everything was to be perfect and the time of year to give thanks. But let me tell you I didn't that year...It is one of my most favorite memories now as we were all together .
Please send Memory to dianaandharold@bellsouth.net
Acts Of Kindness
The Act Of Kindness Award will be given to an AngelMom that was nominated for their kindness and thoughtfulness. It will not be a contest, it is "Thank You" kind of award. Anyone can be nominated. If someone has touched your heart by doing something special, please nominate them by emailing Loni. There is no exclusions, everyone is included. We will list each member that has received an Award.
Acts of Kindness Awards for October were presented to
Lyndie Sorreson by Kim Sensenig
Angel Mom's Acts of Kindness
"The Tea Cup"
There was a couple who used to go England to shop in a beautiful antique store. This trip was to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups.
Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked, "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."
As the lady handed it to them, the tea cup spoke.
"You don't understand," it said, "I have not always been a tea cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Don't do that. I don't like it! Let me alone,' but he only smiled, and gently said, 'Not yet!'
"Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!', I screamed But the master only nodded and said, quietly, 'Not yet.'
"He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then....then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. 'Help! Get me out of here!' I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet.'
"When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'Oh, that felt so good! Ah, this is much better,' I thought.
But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please; stop it, stop it!!' I cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'
"Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up.
"Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering, What's he going to do to me next? An hour later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I did. "I said, ' That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful I'm beautiful!'
"Quietly he spoke: 'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.
I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.'"
God knows what He's doing in each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will.
So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this:
Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest tea cup, sit down, and have a little talk with the Potter.
Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Cranberry Drizzle
Prep/Cook Time: Prep/Cook Time: 30 min.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (regular or Certified Organic)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 cup whole cranberry sauce
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pumpkin or calabaza squash (about 2 1/2 lb.), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" pieces (5 to 6 cups)
2 tbsp. light cream or heavy cream (optional)
Directions:
MIX 1/4 cup broth, oil, brown sugar and cranberry sauce in small bowl. Set aside.
HEAT butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender.
ADD remaining broth, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper to taste and pumpkin. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 min. or until pumpkin is tender. PLACE half of the pumpkin mixture in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return puréed mixture to saucepan. Add cream, if desired and heat through. Divide soup among 8 bowls. Top each with a spoonful of cranberry sauce mixture.
Serves 8.
Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake
Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hr 42 min
Makes: 16 servings, one slice each
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup caramel topping
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.
CUT each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife. Stack layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top of cake.) Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.
Pumpkin Fudge
"Using the same method as is used in making traditional fudge, pumpkin is substituted for chocolate in this seasonal recipe for a corn syrup based treat."
3 cups white sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Butter or grease one 8x8 inch pan. In a 3 quart saucepan, mix together sugar, milk, corn syrup, pumpkin and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling. Do not stir. When mixture registers 232 degrees F (110 degrees C) on candy thermometer, or forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water, remove pan from heat. Stir in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, butter and nuts. Cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F or 43 degrees C on candy thermometer). Beat mixture until it is very thick and loses some of its gloss. Quickly pour into a greased eight-inch pan. When firm cut into 36 squares.
A loved one is a treasure of the heart, and to lose a loved one is like losing a part of yourself. But the love that this person brought you did not leave, for the essence of the soul lingers. It cannot escape your heart, for it has been there forever.
Cling to the memories and let them heal you. The love and laughter, the joy in the togetherness you shared, will make you strong. You'll come to realize that your time together, no matter how long, was meant to be, and that you were blessed to have such a precious gift of love in your life.
Keep your heart beating with the loving memories and trust in your faith to guide you through. Know that, though life moves on, the beauty of love stays behind to surround you and embrace you. Your loved one has left you that...to hold in your heart forever.
~Debbie Burton-Peddle~
This was supposed to be in last month's newsletter.
My name is Natashia. I’m 9 years old. A year and 9 months ago someone very important to me went to heaven. My oldest brother, Johnny was 17 years old when he passed from a heart condition.
I want to share how I remember my brother on special occasions with other brothers and sisters who have loss some one very dear to their heart. Since the night my brother became an angel I have always felt him close within my heart.
I couldn’t imagine a holiday with out remembering my bother. I know it is hard for our parents during these special days but it so important to remember our loved ones and make them a part of our day. I miss my brother and do special things to remember him. Johnny loved to draw and he was teaching me. I like to make drawings of him and of things we did together. I also try to draw pictures that he drew but I could never be as good as him.
On holidays I like to make crafts, write short poems or happy stories of Johnny to place on the table in his memory. For example last Thanksgiving I made Turkeys with his picture on them and placed them on the table. On Easter I dyed eggs with his name on them. Every holiday I find a way to include him. By doing these crafts, drawings and special writings helps me smile during the holidays. Even though tear sometimes still come with my smile.
On October 27th my brother will be 19 years old. It is hard to believe this is his second birthday in heaven. Johnny was my best friend. He taught me to do so many things.
I decided to make bookmarkers this year to hand out at his birthday party. I am going to put his picture on it with a poem. Our family and friends can put them in their bibles or books and when they open them up they will know Johnny is right there with them.
These are things I do to remember my brother. I hope you can find something that helps you with your loss and always remember our angels are always close by, right there in our heart.
I want to wish you a Happy Birthday Brother. I miss you very much! Thank you for being the best big brother a sister could ever have!
Johnny’s Sister,
Natashia Sanchez
Arvada, Colorado
Some Links To Share
Memorial Trees
Always Remembered Ornament
Always In My Heart Memory Bear
Mourninglights™ custom printed glass memorial candles
Life is eternal, and love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon;
and a horizon is nothing save
the limit of our sight.
~Rossiter Worthington Raymond~
Memorial Donations
In Loving Memory of
Shane Hebert by his family
Angel Moms Newsletter-November Printable Version
If you have something you would like included in next months newsletter, please e-mail Judi
Editor: Judi,
Staff: Brenda, Diana, Krista, Lynn, Laurie, Holly, Linda, Melody,
Angel Moms Web Site
