Saturday, January 5, 2013

12 days of Christmas...gifts




 We have been blessed beyond measure by so many praying for our family, acts of service and love by so many friends.  I know the Lord gave us many gifts to help us get through this first Christmas without Samuel.  I wanted to share some things that helped our family and special ways we celebrated through our grief this year.  I am going to be writing several posts about this, so please share!  I hope that others will be inspired to do these things that helped us, for another family that needs it!
 
This year the Christmas season was going to be difficult...and it's not just a day, it's a whole season!  Even though we have His JOY , it was hard to be excited without our boy.  He loved the lights and decorations!  He loved going to The Merry Christmas Tree Farm, his therapists house, to get our Christmas tree each year!  He loved presents and toys!  He loved reading about Jesus' birth and singing Christmas Carols!  He loved it all.
 
 
So, as we had entered into the season and I was trying to get going on everything,
 we were surprised one morning with an exciting treat!
 
This was sitting at the door on December 14th.
Attached was a note:
"On the 1st day of Christmas... A partridge in a pear tree?
 How about peeps and pear bread?"
~imagine our excitement!!
 
Inside the box was homemade bread, pear preserves and peppermint peeps!
YUMMY
 
 
The next morning we dared look outside and there was another box!
the note read: "On the 2nd day of Christmas... 
how about turtle chocolates and 2 packs of Doves?"
**double yummy!!
(This is fun for me, too)
 
The next morning came and we were racing to the door!
"On the 3rd day of Christmas... French Hens??  How about French hair?!"
(shampoo, conditioner and hair supplies)
 
How fun!!!
 
Every day it was exciting to wake up and see what was at the door!
 
"On the 4th day of Christmas...four calling birds...we got it right, or
 did it say four cawing birds?? we tried!"
 bird feeder, bird food and 4 bird crafts
 
By this time everyone is asking me who is doing this?? 
I have no idea, but it is awesome and happy for our family and I am so grateful!
 
 
"On the 5th day of Christmas... 5 golden rings! 
 at $1750.00 per ounce, you didn't expect real gold, did you? Merry Christmas!"
5 ring pops and a bubble ring kit!
 
 

"On the sixth day of Christmas... six geese a-laying??
 Oh no, we thought it said 'six Chick fil A's'!"
so carefully wrapped in the eggs are
$5.oo gift cards to Chick fil A!!!!!
I am loving this :)
 

"On the 7th day...swans a swimming.?
 Definitely not as cool as penguins a dancing!"

inside our box was the movie Happy Feet 2
(the kids have watched it over and over),
 tootsie rolls and penguin body wash!
 
 
"On the 8th day...hmmmmm....how about
 a milk bath, hot cocoa and a latte candle?"
sounds great to me :)
 
this was also at the door on the 8th day
"the swan wishes to thank the penguins for holding down the fort until his arrival.
Strong headwinds caused the delay. Merry Christmas!"
so funny
 
Now on the 9th morning, there was nothing at the door.
We tried not to be disappointed, but I remembered I didn't turn the outside light off all night,
 so I told the kids that it may come, but I was afraid our "secret gifter" was afraid of being seen...
But... later that afternoon at the other door,
it arrived!
"On the 9th day of Christmas... we have to protect our feet if we are going to dance. First things first"
 

Fuzzy warm socks for us all!!
(Our gifter is so clever)
 
"On the 10th day of Christmas...leaping , flying? Batman did both! 
So can angry birds. That's all I got."

An awesome game of Angry Birds!!!
(which we play almost everyday)
 
 
"On the 11th day...bag pipes wouldn't fit. How 'bout icing for piping?"
sugar cookie baking mix and decorating kit!
 
Now of course, Christmas day was here and I thought of this person, who everyday is sneaking to our house, delivering a gift... this is Christmas morning, surely there won't be anything.
Why did I doubt this amazing gifter???!!! 
 
"On the 12th day of Christmas...12 Drummers Drumming,
 edible drumsticks are so much more exciting!
 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!"
 
and there were 2 packs of Super Nugget drumsticks(ice cream cones) in dry ice!
YUMMY!  We all are still enjoying those!
 
And then Tim got excited about the dry ice...so then they made some concoction with it.
 
 
And had a happy morning!
 
Thankful for givers today.
 
We still don't know who did this for our family, but it was truly a treat and blessing to us. I pray that I can bless another family some day, as this person has blessed us!
 
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
 
2 Corinthians 9:7-8
"Each one must do as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything for every good deed."
 
 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The Samuel Cutliff Research Fund - The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation

I wanted to add a tab on my blog, so that others could know about Samuel's research fund...but it won't let me add this tab?? If anyone knows what I am doing wrong, I would love to know!  Thanks!

Monday, December 31, 2012

New year 2013






This year end is different. 2012 was the hardest, most painful year of my life. Watching Samuel struggle and in pain and losing him was more than I could bear.  My mind can't even fathom that he is really gone, its too much.
 
 We miss his sweet smile,
 
giggles with Daddy,
 
 
brothers and sisters,
 
 
having fun,
 
 
 his playful eyes,
 
 
, his curls,
 
 
 his kisses
 
our family togetherness,
 
 
and so much more.
 
 Pictures comfort and bring sadness. He taught so many people so much and brought to our family joy that is indescribable. He had special needs and with his absence I miss that beautiful special world. I don't want him to be suffering, but I selfishly want my little boy here. 
As we face this new year without our little boy, I pray that the Lord will continue to use Samuel's life to influence and Teach. I also pray He will continue to bring comfort and Hope to those in pain.
I can't wait for the day when beauty will rise! I'm thankful today for the Hope that one day all of our pain will be gone and we will be whole again.
”Out of these ashes... beauty will rise and we will dance among the ruins We will see Him with our own eyes Out of these ashes... beauty will rise For we know, joy is coming in the morning... in the morning...”
 
I wanted to share some treasured memories of this year.  Thankful for each day that we were blessed with Samuel and storing these moments in my heart forever.












































A sunset he painted for us after his heaven going.
 

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Christmas in heaven

As we are surrounded by the Christmas season, we are missing our boy so! I went to his spot and decorated a couple of weeks ago. We have a flag, a beautiful wreath and bow from a dear friends, a shiny tree and snowman that another sweet friend found for him. It feels good to do things for him, even though it makes me sad, I also want to be near where his earthly body is and do things for him! My sweet friend, who's son passed away 3 days before Samuel shared a song with me, ”Christmas in Heaven”... Here is a small part:

”Is there snow falling down on the streets of gold? Are the mansions all covered in white? Are you singing with angels silent night? I wonder... what Christmas in Heaven is like.”

I can only try and imagine. I know it is beyond what our mind can fathom. This Christmas season is hard. With pain and sadness surrounding so many. The empty place in our home and hearts. Even though we weren't sure if Samuels strength could press on, walking down the road of not sure ...to him being gone is something that you cannot prepare for. I miss holding his hand and cuddling with him. I miss his curls. I miss his tube beeping. I miss pushing his wheelchair around...And so so much more!  We are all changed and our family will never be whole again. 
I am thankful the Lord has given me something to celebrate.   I was focusing on my sadness and grief and everyone else was excited about Christmas...then He reminded me to celebrate Him! Without Jesus coming to earth, born in that manger, we would not have this promise of heaven and this gift of eternal life. My precious son is in heaven because of Christ's ultimate gift of dying on the cross for our sins. So, I need to rejoice and be ever grateful! I was lost, but now I am found. Praise the Lord for this most precious gift.
I know celebrating without my little boy will be difficult... until I am with him in heaven, but if I keep focused I can have JOY this season.

(I know so many pray for us daily, thank you! We need it!  Also, many are lifting up the families who lost their precious children last week, this pain is unbearable. Will you also remember a few friends of ours who also won't have their child with them this Christmas got the first time?  The Edwards, the Eatons, the Jacobs, the Burgess', and the Winstanley family. There are many more, who are missing their children daily and this will be their 2nd, 3rd or more year trying to figure out how to live without part of their heart. Thank you so much)  <3

*** beautiful song...
Watch "Christmas In Heaven" on YouTube

Picture is from last year <3


Monday, November 12, 2012

Sprinkled with love

Our precious friends ”sprinkled” us with love as we celebrated Samuels life for his birthday. Sharing my friend's blog about it. <3  Our family is truly blessed with amazing friends! Thankful that He put friends in our lives and they stuck with us, even when they knew what being our friends would mean... Constant encouragement, service, meals, support, gifts, hugs, calls, texts, support, loving us, helping clean, organize, etc.!  Our friends chose to stay our friends through the good and bad and love us through it all.  I pray I can bless others as they have blessed our family. The Lord blessed our family with sweet, precious friends and we are so thankful!

http://woventogether5.blogspot.com/2012/11/sprinkling-sky-for-samuel-our-dear.html?spref=fb&m=1