Angel Moms

Newsletter-Jan. 2002





January Dates

Jan. 6, 2001-Carolyn's Daughter Cassie Hubbard became an Angel-DixieA2000@aol.com
Jan. 6, 2001-Georgie's son Jeffery Ola became an Angel Gking0347@aol.com
Jan. 9, 2001- Brenda's son Nicholas became an Angel-BrenM1211@aol.com
Jan. 10, 1973-Morrigan's son Shawn Bannon was born-morrigan1000@yahoo.com
Jan. 10, 2000-Debra's son Jordan Ferris became an Angel-dodddebra@hotmail.com
Jan. 14, 1990-Dawn's son Joshua Bell became an Angel-Dusk810@hotmail.com
Jan. 14, 2000-Valrie's son Aaron Elijah became an Angel-furbal26@hotmail.com
Jan. 21, 1982-Cathy's son Kenny Keogh was born Figet321@aol.com
Jan. 25, 1997-Janice's Cory Hurst became an Angel-inchhi@worldnet.att.net
Jan. 27, 1984-Alma's son Martin was born-acastillo@stic.net
Jan. 29, 1978-Seanna's son Aaron Michael was bornSeannah@hotmail.com
Jan. 29, 1981-Laurie's daughter Jill was born-buddy4holly@msn.com
Jan. 31, 2001-Vicki's daughter Cheyenne became an Angel-ibanole1@hotmail.com




Craft Exchange

Now that Christmas is over I thought it would be a good time to start a new craft exchange. Time for us to relax and make another AngelMom a crafted item.

This months theme will be:
A crafted item with an angel on it and a verse or a poem. This can be written by you or one of your favorite saying you have read or posted. Some things that come to mind for me are a book mark that is cross stitched, a towel that is cross stitched, a pillow with stitchery on it, a framed piece..lots of versatility here so let your mind go to work and make an AngelMom smile! I will take names until Jan. 5 and mail out will be Jan. 30 You can start on your project before the date to sign up to give you a jump start.

Email me at dkgold56@cs.com if you want in on this exchange! (Please put "Craft Exchange" in the subject line)





Angel Moms First Anniversary

Oh January 16th, Angel Moms will be one year old! We have come a long way in one year. We started out with 9 members and now have 96!

Carin and Judi are working on an anniversary page. We've decided that all who wish to will write a letter stating what AngelMoms means or has done for them. Send the letters to Carin's home addy by the 15th, and Judi is going to add them to the Angel Moms website.

Carin
Please put "AM Anniversary" in the subject line.
~Thank you~




Featured Mom

This months featured mom is: Judi Walker

Hi, my name is Judi and it wasn't my idea to be the featured mom, it was Deb's, see if I ever ask her advice again!

I live in Louisiana, I was born and raised here and still live in the town I grew up in. I am married and have been for almost 19 years to a great guy named Mike. And that's pretty good considering we married 4 days after meeting each other. I am a stay at home mom. I have three children, Jennie is 17 and Laurie is 12, my son Shane is forever 19. I have three granddaughters, Shane's twins Krista and Kristen are 4 1/2 and we have adopted their baby sister as our granddaughter too, Tina is 2.

I lived a pretty normal life and thought I had it all until Oct. 27, 1997 when my world was shattered. My son Shane was murdered. Everything changed! I thought murder happened to other people or was something I heard about on the news, but now I was one of the "other people." I went to support groups and to counseling, I was even hospitalized a few months after I lost Shane. I felt so alone........ About 4 months after losing Shane, we got a computer and I got online. My life changed, I searched for help and for others who understood my pain, I found Debbie.....Debbie became my life line, my mentor, my friend.......then I met Deb, the first mom who I knew that had lost her son the same way I lost Shane and she also became my friend and inspiration, I had people who understood and cared! And then I met other moms, I was no longer alone! And before I knew it, with the help of all of my friends, I survived the first anniversary of Shane's death.

I became involved in a small e-mail group of women who had lost children and we called ourselves Angel Moms. Other moms would find out about the group and wanted to join. But some members wanted to keep the group small and private, so I thought about creating a group that all moms could join and get the support they needed. I asked Debbie and Linda to help me. And Angel Moms was born, we started out with about 14 members and today we have about 80. Angel Moms has went beyond what I thought it would and it is awesome!

It has been four years since I lost Shane, though it still hurts and I miss him with all my heart, it has gotten better. But I could not have made it this far with out the love and support of my husband, my daughters, family, friends and all my Angel Mom friends. Shane started teaching me lessons from the moment he was born, and even now, he is still teaching me. Losing Shane has made me a more compassionate person, made me realize what is really important in life. I have learned that by reaching out through my pain and helping others, I am also helping myself.



Poetry Section



Tea For Three

Come and sit with me and we'll have tea
And talk of things that were and things that are to be
Of places we will go and things that we will see
Just the two of us
My dear daughter Krista...and me

A little wooden table
With chairs for two, not three
Yes, of course you may bring your bear
and place him on my knee
No longer just the two of us
It's tea for three, I see
My dear Daughter Krista, the bedraggled bear.. and me.

The years passed by and you grew up
Framed in memory I still see
Cherub hands dimpled daintily, clutching ivory cup of tea
Twinkle laughter owns the moment
Baby faced and full of glee
Starshine dusted by the angels
Oh, God's precious gift to me.

If I live to be a hundred
I shall never richer be
Than when I shared your dazzling presence
And together we sipped tea.
My dear Daughter Krista, the bedraggled bear..and me.

Krista was given a pink and white bear when she was born, by my Sister Gloria. Krista and I used to have tea, with this bedraggled bear.(It lost it's eyes, and I sewed buttons on to replace them). Now I am having tea with her Daughter, Brittany We still have the old bedraggled bear.





"The sun sets every night whether we want it to or not. The earth rotates on its axis as the seasons change before our eyes. We need the energy of the sunsets and the strength of the seasons to continue to live our life as we know it. It may not be as easy as before but, Day by Day, we must accept being left behind.
AND KNOW THAT ONE DAY WE WILL JOIN OUR LOVED ONES FOREVER!"

(Above borrowed from a Heavenly Angel)
Submitted by Shirley Krista's Mom




From Deb's Desk


Meaning of the colors of roses

Red~Love, beauty, courage and respect
White~Purity and innocence, silence or secrecy, also reverence and humility
Pink~Appreciation,"Thank you", grace, perfect happinesss, and admiration
Dark Pink~Appreciation, gratitude
Light Pink~Admiration, sympathy
Yellow~Joy, gladness, friendship, delight, the promise of a new beginning
Orange~Desire, and enthusiasm
Red and White~Given together, these signify unity.
Red Rosebud~A symbol of purity and loveliness
White Rosebud~Symbolic of girlhood
Thornless Rose~Signifies "Love at first sight".



Angel Moms Web Site

Editors: Judi, Deb, Debbie