The Bedspread

Shayne was to compete in the Arnold Schwarzenegger “Pump & Run” competition over the weekend in Columbus, so Shayla and I left straight from school on Friday for my sister and brother-in-law’s home. We had a great weekend and it was a wonderful way to end Shaylauary. It continues to break my heart that she no longer has a sister to play with and I am so grateful she has awesome cousins who bring her so much joy! Shayne did a fabulous job in the competition and it is wonderful he takes such great care of his health! It was great to all be back together again on Sunday!

Gil treated us all to the circus in Cincinnati on Saturday night and we had a great time. Of course the last time I attended a Ringling Brothers circus, mom was sitting with me too. We went with the Ronald House families in NYC when she flew in to help out. We both remembered how five year old Christi kept saying, “It’s not THE greatest show on earth. Who decided it was THE greatest show on earth?” She liked it, but disagreed with that title – what a hoot she was!Christi (in pink hat), Grandma Nonee and Shayla at the Circus in NYC (March 2003) Christi is eating popcorn and sitting beside a little sweetie named Emma. Emma died of NB in June of 2003. Christi named one of her Build-a-Bear bears "Emma". I hope the girls are playing with their Build-a-Bears in Heaven and not looking back on the painful times they lived!

On Sunday evening, I set up Shayla’s new bedspread and removed Christi’s old one, fighting back tears all the way. Christi’s bedspread was ten years old and really needed to go, yet it was hard. I remember in the hospital in Philly in the winter of 2006, looking on-line to pick out a new bedspread for her room, but we couldn’t find anything we really liked. Things changed so quickly and then I didn’t want to touch anything in her room. Well, now that Shayla’s sleeping in there (and I think making it much easier on us to deal with “Christi’s room”) it was time to get her a pretty new bedspread. We ordered a lovely horse themed quilt spread that would go in Christi’s room just fine.
It arrived and it looks great, yet broke my heart to take off Christi’s bedspread and sheets for the final time and put them all in a trash bag bound for the garbage. It was the only bedspread she ever had and I remember making up her room for the first time as I was pregnant and we were preparing for Shayla’s birth and transitioning Christi to her “big girl” room. After the bed was made, I placed some quits that had been lovingly stitched for Christi over the years by sweet “Angels on Earth” and I think that made me feel better for whatever reason.

Shayla continues to do very well and has not watched TV, her Lenten sacrifice. I am very proud of her.

Due to yet another horrid ice/snow storm and level 3 road conditions (only emergency vehicles can be on the roads) we do not have school again today (Day #9, summer is getting shorter and shorter, oh well I’d much rather have everyone be safe!). I do not know if there will still be musical practice tonight or not. The show is this weekend. I’ve volunteered to French braid all of the little girls’ hair so hopefully all will go well with that. Shayla’s very excited. Shayne had to fly out today, but he’ll fly back tonight and thankfully it was only from the Tiffin airport so he didn’t’ have to try to get to Detroit or Cleveland or someplace he wouldn’t have made.

We went to bed together like this on many occassions! Christi's "bed" was really just a matress on the floor because we were afraid she'd roll out and get hurt when we took her out of the crib to get ready for Shayla. She never did and eventually, she got a real bed - a hand-me-down from my college apartment. Now it's Shayla's and we still say it's the most comfortable bed in the house!