I discovered my angel child, Nathan, has a wicked streak. A couple of months ago, he came home from school and confessed he had gotten into a bit of trouble. The Vice-Principal at Bayou View Elementary (Gulfport, Mississippi) is a super nice guy named Mr. Allen. Nathan thinks the world of him; he happily reports to me whenever Mr. Allen sits with his class at lunch or talks to him on the playground.
Still, Nathan couldn’t resist referring to Mr. Allen as “Mr. Alien” to classmates one day for a laugh. When his teacher got wind of it, she required him to write a note of apology that night for homework. I could tell he was mortified at the prospect of confessing this dastardly deed to his vice-principal. Plus, he hates writing anything–usually requires a lot of coaching to get an original paragraph out of him.
“I can’t do this!” he kept protesting. “Sure you can,” I insisted. I began to ask him questions: “What would you *tell* Mr. Allen if you had to explain yourself in person?” As he began to explain himself, I could see that the apology was more like a series of excuses (and aren’t we all a little guilty of that from time to time?); I let it ride. The letter he came up with is below. Somehow, I think Mr. Allen would be pretty forgiving…
As if Hurricane Katrina were not enough, it looks like our beautiful Gulf Coast will take another terrible blow due to the BP oil spill. Everywhere you go on the coast–from restaurants, businesses, beaches–people are talking about the possibility that our way of life, our livelihoods, our futures may be irreparably harmed by this ecological disaster.
On Sunday, June 6, 2010, there will be a 26 Mile Prayer Chain on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Hundreds are signing up to participate on facebook. If you live nearby, consider joining this group from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the following locations:
Gulfport, Mississippi:
Courthouse Pier
HWY 90 Marriot Courtyard under the oaks
Between Courthouse and Teagarden Rd across from White Cap
Long Beach:
Mason Ave
Jeff Davis
Ocean Springs:
Under the bridge next to the yacht club
Pascagoula:
Beach Park
Bay St Louis:
Bay Bridge
Biloxi:
White Ave
Here is an opportunity to remember the eleven men who lost their lives and to pray for the success of efforts to stop the leak and clean our sea and shoreline.
Tags: 26 Mile Prayer Chain, BP Oil Spill, Gulfport Mississippi, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi Gulf Coast
Nathan made the trip to Birmingham for big brother Adam’s graduation from UAB. For nine years old, I thought he was a pretty good sport, sitting patiently as hundreds of names were called out. We took a few pictures–Adam decked out in a beautiful emerald green robe poses with little bro, Nathan (future grad?); Adam poses at the Hampton Inn before dashing over to line up (oops!–forgot the honors cords); and finally Nathan gives his best imitation of Blaze, the UAB mascot.
Tags: Adam Blakeney, Nathan
Mother’s Day is coming up. The evening before my first Mother’s Day last year I discovered a terrible secret that changed the course of my life. My first Mother’s Day was spent alone in the NICU with my baby, crying uncontrollably, in shock. My heart was broken. But I had my sweet 2 month old baby, God by my side and sympathetic nurses and doctors around me that didn’t know what to say.
How did I keep my faith during the last year after all I’ve experienced? This is what I know to be true: I had to keep my faith. Without faith in these kinds of situations, people die. Spiritually, mentally or physically, there is grief powerful enough to kill, to transform negatively and permanently. Grief can harden a soul forever, it can cripple a mind, it can stop a beating heart. Faith not only helps us survive, it helps us to live, which is different than merely existing.
But I continue to process the death of my daughter. This is pain that just won’t go away! I can still function. I can control my emotions and crying in public. I can keep a conversation about Sydney flowing, talk about everything she endured with a sense of pride. I am the mother of a strong and brave child. I can keep a smile and an even tone. And it’s not about masking what I feel. This is just the way it is. This is how I live now. But when I am alone and feel appropriate to let the tears flow, they do. And I ache, I physically ache, to hold her, to kiss her. The miracle is, that despite the hurt, my heart remains open to accept God’s healing, prayer from friends, and the unconditional love that is continuously supplied to me by my Sydney, even now that she is no longer physically with me. She is the love of my life!
But Mother’s Day is still on my mind. Not as the anniversary of a terrible discovery, but as a pending, unanswered question of my status as a mother. I am still a mother, after all. But what will my Mother’s Day be like without a child? I have no idea. But I celebrated Sydney’s birthday with joy in my heart, and I have a feeling Mother’s Day for me will have the same tone.
Tags: Sydney, Sylvie Stephens
Remember to pray for little Sarah Berry who will have surgery to correct PAPVR (Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return) tomorrow at Dupont Hospital for Children.
Update (May 4): Sarah came through surgery! Mom Kimberly writes that surgery went well. In fact, they “said it went perfectly!”
Continued prayers to Sarah for a speedy recovery!
