Thanks all. I spent a bit of time making up some lasagna and rice krispie treats and Hypo and I took them to the family today. They were in the process of working on the photo montage/video that will play during visitation tomorrow so we watched some dance recital videos with them and talked for a little bit. I reached out to one of G's closest friends who I have always considered an "at risk" kid because her family environment is not the greatest. Her facebook posts last night and today indicated that she is very distraught. I let her know our door is open if she ever just needs to be around others.

G's mom and dad are holding up "as well as can be expected". Her twin is handling things by completely avoiding home and being with her friends constantly. She did go home for about an hour and then asked her friends to come and get her again. Eventually, this is going to hit her and I worry it will hit her hard when it does.

Visitation is tomorrow with services on Tuesday morning so my son won't be here. The kids had a meeting tonight, selected a floral arrangement and planned a lantern release memorial gathering for Tuesday night and he should be back in time for that. Everybody will wear the t-shirts they had made in the fall.

I'm better. I went and talked to some of the other moms while they kids were having their meeting (these kids have planning meetings for everything.. they are going to love the corporate world someday). It helped me to be around others.

AGDee, prayers to you, hypo, and all who knew and loved G.

My dad died last week, the funeral was yesterday. My first day back at work starts in 8 hours and I'd appreciate any prayers/positive energy that could be spared to send my way.

Thanks.

I'm so sorry. You're in my prayers.

D, don't forget that you need support, too. Let me know if there's anything I can do - I look forward to seeing you next week - just reach out if you need something in the meantime.

Thanks sis, soon to be roomie, if only for a few days. I actually forgot that it is next week already. I'll be better when my son gets back home and I can give him a huge hug. Seeing another parent go through this makes you really want to hug your kids, a lot.

My mom started her last chemo treatment today!! Her hair has really thinned out, and she wants to get it cut really short this weekend so it'll all grow back in evenly. She'll keep her port so they can continue to do blood work for at least the next 6 months, and then she'll have another colonoscopy in December.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers! My mom is truly the luckiest person (and I mean this in more ways than one), so I know she'll beat this!!

DreamfulSpirit- I'll continue to pray for your mom. I'm glad things are going well.

The last few days have been emotionally draining. G's funeral was this morning and went well into the afternoon between the church, ceremony and luncheon. It's the first time I've been a funeral for a child/young adult and it was heart wrenching. So many were just sobbing through the entire thing. At the cemetary, we were asked to all touch the casket so that our fingerprints were on it, as a symbol of the imprint that G made on our lives. One of the kids from the band asked all the band kids to come up together. They all put their hands on the casket and did one of their band chants that goes like this:
"Whether the weather is cold,
Or whether the weather is hot,
We'll be together whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not."
They were all sobbing and so were all the rest of us.


Tonight, they attempted a Chinese sky lantern memorial at a local park but the winds were really just too strong for it go well. A few lanterns ended up being lit and launched but it was kind of scary as the wind was taking them too close to trees. However, where the mood was very sad and full of tears in the morning, the lantern ceremony was lighter and felt more like "we're all going to be ok." They held up their lanterns, letting the wind fill them and did the "weather" chant again. This time, without tears, but with spirit and love.

Thank you to all of you for your prayers for this young lady, her family and her friends. I hope I have no need to post a request in this thread for a very, very long time.

I'm playing The Band Perry in honor of G. I know it's super cliche, but the song just fits her story.

It does, although I have had to turn the radio station when it comes on since Saturday. She loved Broadway musicals, especially Wicked and Rent. They used Seasons of Love from Rent during her service and people were singing and sobbing simultaneously. Might be a while before I can listen to that one too.

I've been away some lately and didn't realize that she had died. I'm so sorry to hear that.

And I do pray that it's a long time before you need to post any requests other than requests for prayers of thanksgiving.

My two favorite musicals. The girl had great taste. :)

I don't know what is happening with the world but it seems horror is striking everywhere. This morning, a 15yo boy was murdered in a drive-by shooting. I just found out he was a family friend of one of my friends. She's absolutely devastated--she's away on a business trip and put up a FB message that she appreciates the messages but she just can't answer the phone today. :( Prayers for her and the rest of his loved ones are appreciated.

I am at OPA's Convention, and while here, my chapter sisters learned of the sudden, and unexpected passing, of another of our chapter sisters. She was 30, and had just gotten engaged earlier this week.

Please keep Jennifer, her family, and OPA sisters in your thoughts and prayers.

http://www.lawlorfuneralhome.com/fh/...13&fh_id=12204

A second cousin of mine, who I was close to when I was a kid but haven't seen in a while, friended me on Facebook on Friday. I was reading through her wall to get caught up on her life and it became clear she is facing a medical challenge. I sent her a private message asking her what was going on and she told me this:

Hey Cuz! The prayers is all I need. I have stage IV colon cancer with tumors on my liver. Surgery to remove the primary tumor was in early May and it was a success. Now we are treating the liver with chemo every two weeks. I am certain I will be healed and that this is God's will. So please pray for my healing and strength.
Thanks for the message and God bless!

So, with great sadness, I am once again asking for your prayers for my cousin. She is only 45.

Not for me, but for my panhellenic sisters. Please keep the Alpha Phi chapter at WashU in your thoughts and prayers. They've lost two sisters since school let out for the summer and all our hearts are breaking for them.

Bump.

Also, an update on the baby for whom you all prayed at the start of this thread - she is now 2, and a little bundle of personality. Her father is currently working on watching his language, as Kitty made quite an impression babbling incomprehensible gibberish with a clear-as-a-bell "f____g" in the middle. :rolleyes: