Peace begins with a smile.
Mother Teresa
Smiling! A great topic for a Monday morning. I have some sooper doooper quilting news but I will share this NON quilting topic with my blog today because, because...... well just because.
I never knew how one little smile could melt me into contentment so quickly. Here it is.
We (Russ,Emily, Andy and I) were invited to a wedding on Saturday. The wedding was for a dear friend, sorority sister, college roommate of Emily's. Lauren and her fiance Zach. This wedding was to be our sweet Jackson's first trip out to meet the world. The plan was to take Jackson to the wedding. The wedding was held at the Taylor Grady House in Athens (Emily and Lauren went to the University of Georgia together...Go Dawgs!). The Taylor Grady House is a beautiful antebellum mansion..so terrific!
My assignment would have been to proudly hold my Grandson (Emily & Russ had the little monogrammed outfit all picked out for him to wear for his debut) and keep germy people way from too much lets grab the new baby and pass him around, I was going to be the official Georgia Bulldog for the evening. There was a room upstairs in the mansion where we could set up Jackson's travel set so he could sleep and keep the visitations down to a minimum while his mamma and daddy had some fun with their friends.
We know now how this story is going. right???
So, last week Emily, Russ, Andy and I were pretty much dreading this event. It would be their first time to see an army of their friends in a public way. We were all just dragging around last week in anticipation of Saturday.
Apparently the bride and her team send out some smoke signals for everyone to back off and not have anybody mope around and make it easy on Emily and Russ and family. This comes as no surprise because Lauren and friends are sensitive and caring young women who know to pay attention to details! As it turned out, it was fabulous. The best part was this...
See my girl back there in the middle. Smiling with her UGA friends. SMILING...SMILING and meaning it! (FINALLY a smile on that beautiful face.
I'm typing with tears of joy right now.) Russ was having fun and doing plenty of smiling too! There was dancing as well!
Then the evening went on. We left for home and those young people kept going. And there was this photo...
After wedding party...I may have enjoyed this one as well but me thinks I'm well past this kind of celebration. I want a pair of those awful sunglasses to wear late into the night how about you?
Emily said to me during the days just after Jackson died. "Mom, will we ever laugh again and mean it?" My answer was then, and still is.. "Yes sweet darling we will...and here is some proof!"
Side note these young women are all 28-29 years old. Most married with young families all making their way in a fabulously wonderful way. I enjoyed talking with them and hearing about their lives. They are enjoying being reunited with their friends to celebrate the marriage of another dear friend and remember when they were college students in a fantastic college town in Georgia. I love them and the way they have supported Emily and Russ! These women could run the world.
NOTHING BETTER THAN A SMILE right?
Back to quilting. Smile at someone today. It means sooooo much!!! GO ON NOW....SMILE!
8 comments:
Pat, as usual, I love this story and have discovered it's okay to smile (and laugh again) when you lose a child, at least that's what I keep telling myself.
I've shared with many of my blogging friends that after Kelly passed away, a ladybug landed on our car windshield and just sat there, starring at me while my husband and son-in-law was in the mortuary taking care of details. Anyway, this past Christmas, a dear friend sent me a ladybug charm that I attached to my key chain to keep close. After my husband used my car, shortly thereafter, I discovered the charm was gone! With tears, I literally went over every inch of my car to see if it dropped off, but no luck.
Last Thursday, when I was having a really bad day, mostly work related, I decided to get out of the house and do some errands--nursery and grocery store. Because I had put plants in the back of my SUV, I placed 2 bags of groceries on the floor behind my seat. When I returned home, I unloaded the plants first and when I reached in the retrieve the bags of groceries, something silver caught my eye on the back seat. Yes, it was the ladybug charm! I know this sounds eerie, but it brought a smile on my face like you wouldn't believe. Yes, we smile and laugh again.
Much love to you and your family. XOXO
Pat, what a great post. There's just no understanding, though, why Jackson was taken when there was such abundant love waiting for him from your whole family. Really heartbreaking.
A smile is a gift for the person smiled at, but also a gift for yourself. I hope you feel the smile I am sending your way.
Ahhh, just love this post! And love seeing all the beautiful smiles on these women's faces--wonderful!
Oh, yes...so nice for them to smile again (and for you to SEE them smile). As the grandmother, your heart broke twice...once for the loss of Jackson and again for the hurt Emily and Russ suffered that you couldn't take away from them. (You know we moms always want to make things better and you couldn't). BUT.......Jackson would want them to smile again...and I'm glad their friends were able to make that happen. Thanks for sharing this story with us.
So glad to hear that the wedding went well. You were in my prayers, still are.
So glad to hear that the wedding went well. You were in my prayers, still are.
Pat, glad to "hear your voice" again, and to see the hope in the smiles of your daughter.
Her blog is just beautiful too!
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