Ronnoc the Cunning…
Connor was a clever, talented writer. In honor of a new year and new beginnings I am sharing my favorite writing of his with you. The characters in this paper are all good friends and in his British Literature class at Edwardsville High School. He walked by my desk one afternoon and gently tossed this…
Sweet are the uses of adversity…
Are you struggling with something daily? Adversity in life either motivates us to overcome, endure or overwhelms us to hide under the covers. We get one chance in this earthly life to make today count. One chance to live life to the max in positive ways. Change is reality. Tomorrow may or may not come.…
Are you adopted?
Five years ago today our family forever officially grew! As we arrived in the courtroom with our team of supporters, the judge smiled as he announced we would need a larger room to accommodate our crew! It was a celebration from the beginning. Adopting two children who were not gifted an easy start in life,…
Thank you…
Look Up Be Happy is a blog about a journey. Sadly, our journey is not so different than that of many others. When I began, this was our story. As time has passed I have realized this is NOT just about our journey, it is about many. Thank you to those that send messages of…
Your shine touches hearts and minds…it changes the world.
Hope is my favorite four letter word. We all “hope” for things in this life. As death takes people from us, that “hope” can fade as we contemplate why? Why would God do this to them, us or to me? Death is not natural. We were not created to die. For the wages of sin…
Christmas joy…
Many things I do, I still do for him. This new journey has been strange and I find myself quite different. I used to be creeped out by cemeteries, now I find peace there. Most people are in craft stores to create some fun. I find myself in Michaels buying flowers and honoring things that…
Looking up…
Our last conversation was on October 18th, 2014 in the early afternoon. I remember it vividly as Connor was expressing to me his disappointment…in an adult. It was someone he looked up to. He was always frightfully open and honest. When I look back at that last exchange of words, I remember feeling sad that…
Did you call?
I’ve spent most of my life wondering what my calling was. When you begin college you are called to declare a field or major. Some of us declare and then realize we really just don’t know what we would like to do with our life. It is a daunting task to try and figure out…
Thankful for flies…
Odd I know. This is one of those peculiar happenings since Connor left this earth. One of those things that makes you go hmmm. Every Sunday during church Connor would do something to make us all laugh. Usually it was near the end of the service during the last hymn. He would begin singing in…
Four letter words…
Connor was 17 years old when we had a discussion about foul language. Not that we hadn’t had discussions before, but I noticed he was using them frequently. His excuse was that all teenagers did this and his good news was, that he was normal. He also informed me that he had been told profanity…
A light in the ocean…
Oceans deep, dark and vast, ever treading water and never feeling solid ground. Water is rushing by, as waves raise high and crash down over us. Bobbing up and down for air as the tides spiral us deep down into darkness. The sea salt in our open wounds painfully cleanse our souls. To open eyes…
Destiny…
Destiny is defined as “what is meant to be, what is written in the stars, your inescapable fate.” Connor left us in as much of a surprise as when he arrived into this world. I was in shock to realize we were expecting a child. Not that I wasn’t old enough, as I was 28. I…