September 23
I went to the cemetery after school today, always hard but perhaps today even more so as it was on this day two years ago I last saw her beautiful face.
Throughout the day I tried not to remember today's date. Any time a student would ask, or I had to fill out a form I said to myself, "Just a day in September, don't think about it!" and that helped me a lot.
What brought me great comfort tonight was learning that Matt's mom will let me get a thumbprint necklace made for her. I know I treasure my Christi necklace and really wanted to do that for her. She has Matt's baby thumb print and I pray she loves her necklace as much as I love mine! One wouldn't even know what comfort this gives me, but it's huge! We simply could not go to Matt's visitation, nor his funeral due to our own emotions. I feel terrible about that, but just knew - especially at this time of year - watching parents suffer over the loss of their child would not be something we could endure. Learning tonight's news makes me feel a bit better. I've imagined many times in my mind since Matt's death that he is carrying back to Christi's little spot in Heaven all of the library books she checked out, but couldn't carry - just like I saw Matt do for Bryce so many times at school. What a guy! In front of our school it says, "We Miss You Matt, RIP", so true, so true, so true!
(PIC: Sept. 2004 Heidelberg's Christi & Alex Lemonade Stand. Christi with class.) If you're interested: STOP BY CHRISTI & ALEX'S LEMONADE STAND IN FRONT OF THE EDUCATION BUILDING AT HEIDELBERG COLLEGE ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th from 11-1. Shayla will be on hand with Dr. Arnold-Grine's Early Childhood Education Students, raising money for pediatric cancer research. (I wasn't with Christi during the 2004 Lemonade Stand at Heidelberg so I have absolutely no idea what this picture all about, but it looks like a special group of some kind and the look on Christi's picture shows she's having a grand time. If anyone knows anything about this, please share!)
Shayla wanted to return to the Heritage Village on Sunday so that she could show me what she did with her class on Friday. I really wasn't feeling the best, but wanted to go and watch her having a good time on a gorgeous day. I couldn't help but reminisce about past festivals where we were able to take both of our daughters. Despite coming home and having to take a two hour nap, it was a wonderful afternoon. Now I'm feeling great! I think by tomorrow I'll be 100%. Shayla at the Heritage Festival, 2008
Christi at the Heritage Festival, 2005
REMINDER: Lemonade Stand at Heidelberg, in front of the Education Building (across from the dining hall on Greenfield Street) Friday, September 26th from 11-1. Come get some lemonade and donate to a great cause "Alex's Lemonade Fund". Thank You!
posted by the Thomas team @ 9:51 PM
6 Comments:
My heart goes out to Matt's family. This beautiful man certainly made a great impact during his short time on earth. He certainly is with Christi reading and playing.
I'm sure his family understands why you both didn't attend his services, I hope that the thumbprint necklace brings his mom some small comfort.
Christi's face on the 2004 lemonade picture made me laugh.
We called the 19th "Christi Thomas Day" at my work, and wrote it on every form and document that we had to date. We had one rule: nobody could eat macaroni salad--Christi's "getting to know you" school survey listed macaroni salad as her least favourite food.
The Heriage Festival looks like fun!
I'm glad you are feeling better.
Matt's family will continue to be in my prayers.
With Love,
Heatehr
Angela, I know how passionate you are about finding a cure for NB patients. I just wanted to let you know that this is a little boy in my community who was diagnosed with stage 4 NB 1 1/2 years ago and his las 2 scans have shown NED!! So, what you guys are doing to raise money for research is helping. Just thought you might want to know. Here is the link to his sight if you are interested.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ryanwitt
Angela, I know how passionate you are about finding a cure for NB patients. I just wanted to let you know that this is a little boy in my community who was diagnosed with stage 4 NB 1 1/2 years ago and his las 2 scans have shown NED!! So, what you guys are doing to raise money for research is helping. Just thought you might want to know. Here is the link to his sight if you are interested.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ryanwitt
Angela, I know your heart still aches for Christi. I wrote this in her guestbook right after she died, and I'm posting it again to maybe bring you some comfort. If Christi could talk to you, I'm sure she would be saying this.
Hi Mom! Hi Dad!
I’m so sorry I had to leave you because you and daddy looked so sad. But Jesus came up and took my hand, and took me to a better place. I didn’t want to go at first, but it’s so beautiful here! I was in so much pain, and now I don’t hurt anymore! PawPaw came and met me, and I even got to meet my great grandparents for the very first time! I saw Jay, Chris and Alex, and even Tori and Olivia! Big Kristy has such gorgeous angel wings, and she even promised to teach me how to make a rainbow!
The streets ARE paved in gold, and guess what? Rainbow Bridge is right next door! I can go there and play with the kitties and puppies all day long! Tell Shayla that they even have bunnies here! Oh, and tell Webby that I saw Dutch too! I promise to take good care of him!
I know you are going to miss me, but Jesus promised that I would get to see you again someday. He came and took my hand while you and daddy were holding it. He said he needed my help in Heaven, and promised me some angel wings to get there. He said when you start to miss me, he will make it so that you always know I’m there. So next time it rains, that’s me pouring the rain out of the clouds! When you see a rainbow afterwards, hopefully that’s one I made. When you feel the cold wind on you, that’s me giving you a hug. When you feel the warm air, that’s my breath. Did you know that I can even make the birds sing for you?
Tell Shayla that I will miss her, but promise to always be there for her. She can brag to all her friends that she has her own guardian angel protecting her! If she needs help remembering the passwords on the computer, just tell her to stop and think really, really hard. I will make sure that the answer pops in her head! If she gets lonely and doesn’t have anyone to play with, tell her to go outside, lie down, and look at the clouds. I will play games with her and put them into funny shapes! She can talk to me every night in her prayers and I will be listening. Tell her to take good care of all my stuffed animals and toys. And no peeking at my diary! Ha! Ha! She can send me messages every now in then on a balloon. I promise to catch them all when they come up to the clouds, and to take them all into account. If she needs me to show them to God, I will. Tell her I will see her again one day, but until then she has to be strong and make it on her own. Tell her to take good care of you and daddy, because now she is the big sister!
Love and kisses!
Christi
FROM Wendy in Georgia
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