Memorial Garden

From Aunt Marty and Uncle Jeffy:We finished the memorial garden today. It's shaped like a dog bone. Wouldn't Christi have loved that? The Christi apple tree is at one end of the dog bone, with my lilac tree on the other end of the dog bone. In the center is a butterfly bush which is how I think of Christi...like a butterfly who flew into our lives, then flew out again. Be sure to tell Shayla thanksfor picking out the angel statue for the memorial garden. Next spring there will be nine varieties of flowers blooming from bulbs I'll be planting this fall. Nine for her nine young years she was with us.Where the Memorial Garden is now located, Christi sat and sketched, May 2006.

From Shayne:
I was doing pretty well with my grieving this entire week. Until...Shayla and I were hanging out in the den Sunday afternoon watching the Suite Life with Zach and Cody. A short video came on in between shows. It was the song Breaking Free From High School Musical sang in Spanish. My kids know I enjoy show tunes, so when Christi and I were in Philadelphia the last time she could not wait to watch that DVD with me. We layed on the bed at the Ronald McDonald house and watched it together eating popcorn-a very nice memory. THEN when she became semi-unconscious at the hospital I put it in and watched again with her this time in her hospital bed-not so great of a memory. (I was hoping with all my heart that she was still listening and we could share this once again). By now you can probably guess where I am going with this. Shayla comes over and stands by my chair and starts singing the song in English to the Spanish version that is on TV. Her singing brought a rush of emotion that totally took me by surprise. I had no idea that a single song sung by a little girl could trigger such an enormous range of emotion. As a result I have not been worth a shit since. Day by day.....

Breaking Free

We're soarin'
Flyin'
There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach

If we're trying
So were breaking free
You know the world can see us
In a way that's different than who we are

Creating space between us
'Till we're seperate hearts

But your faith, it gives me strength
Strength to believe

Oh, we're breakin' free

Can you feel it building
Like a wave the ocean just can't control

Connected by a feeling
Ohhh, in our very souls

Very souls, Ooohhh

Rising 'til it lifts us up
So every one can see

We're breakin free
We're soarin'

Flyin'

To get to that place

To be all that we can be

Now's the time

So were breaking free

We're breaking free

Ohhh , yeah

More than hope
More than faith

This is truth
This is fate
And together

We see it comin'

More than you
More than me

Ohhhh, climbin'

To get to the place
To be all that we can be
Now's the time