Remembering Thomas...3 months on...

Yesterday we held a memorial for Thomas at school.  A plaque was unveiled and a beautiful Chinese Maple tree was planted in his memory.  Today I want to share the photos with you.  The quality of the photos aren't that great, because I forgot to take my camera and had to use my phone, but here they are:

Alanah and Darlene watch while Ray finishes planting Thomas's tree

Thomas's tree and plaque with his candles:

The candles I made are identical to the ones I made to sit on his casket during his funeral:

All of Thomas's class mates were given a balloon to send up to heaven for him to play with again, as they did at Thomas's funeral.  My son Dylan is on the far left holding the blue balloon:

The kids loved watching the balloons making their way up to Thomas in heaven, and watched until they were tiny specs in the sky: 

And last, but not least, a close up of the plaque:

It will be lovely to watch Thomas's tree grow strong and tall.  I know that each time I see it I am going to remember his cheeky smile and send some more love his way :)

Sleep well beautiful boy.  We love you xxxx

Thanks for letting me share.

Candles for my Uncle Alan

Two weeks ago my Dad's brother, Alan, passed away.  He fought a courageous fight with Parkinson's Disease for the last 15 years, and while there is relief at his passing and knowing that he doesn't have to suffer anymore, we all miss him terribly, and find it hard to believe he is no longer with us.

The photo on this first candle was taken 27 years ago, at his surprise 50th birthday party.  That explains why the quality isn't real great, but it is still a beautiful photo of Uncle Alan.

The photo on this next candle is my favourite photo, and shows Uncle Alan as I will always remember him.  It was taken at my debutante ball 16 years ago (*gasp*.....was it really that long ago?????)

This last candle has a photo of Uncle Alan at a social event, but I am not sure where it was or even when it was.  It must be around 15 years ago, because he was still well, and still looked like the Uncle Alan I know and remember.

The sentiment on the bottom of each candle comes from the now retired A Rose Is A Rose stamp set, and says:

Thank you for touching our lives

I don't think there are better words to use to send Uncle Alan off.

At the funeral service the candles were lit by my Dad, and his brother and sister.  The service was beautiful, and I am sure he enjoyed it!

Rest in peace Unk.....you certainly earned it.

Remembering Thomas

So I know that it has been months since my last post, and I am not even going to try to explain what has been happening.  Life has been crazy, and my mojo has been on some sort of holiday......sure hope it had a good time, because I really missed it.

It's not a happy time for us at the moment.  On Sunday one of the boys in my son's class passed away.  Thomas was 10 years old, and a real fighter.  I think we are all drawing on his strength now to get through this time.  The world certainly seems a dimmer place already without his cheeky personality and beautiful smile.

How do you tell your friend how much your heart hurts that she has lost her son?  I don't know where I would ever find the words to tell her, so I made her a special candle.

I printed the words as well as the photo on the computer.  The sentiment was taken from "A Rose is a Rose" stamp set, and reads:  

Thank you for touching our lives

I am working with the kids and teachers in Dylan's class to make a special card for Thomas's parents, and will get that finished tomorrow.  All of the children in the class are disabled and unable to write, or even understand that Thomas isn't coming to play anymore, so we had them all pick their colour paint today and put their hand print inside the card.  I am hoping to get some photos before we give it to Thomas's parents on Friday at the funeral.  I know his Mum is going to love it.

Happy Stampin'

Introducing Zachary Mackinlay Fraser

Isn't he gorgeous?  I finally got to meet and have cuddles with my new nephew yesterday!  So exciting!  Zac arrived on Thursday afternoon by c-section.  Mum and Zac are both doing well now, and are almost ready to come home.  Zac slept the whole time I was visiting (and stealing ALL the cuddles!!  Poor Uncle Mick hasn't even had one yet!) and of course he already knows that if he is going to sleep like that he can come home with Aunty Mel any time he wants!  He also knows that as soon as he starts to bitch he has to go home to Mummy!

Dylan has the day off school AGAIN today (why didn't my mum let me have so much time off school when I was growing up???), and we are heading into Rod Laver Arena to see The Wiggles with Zac's older brother, Ryan.  I am sure the boys will have a ball, and hopefully they will both be buggered by the time we get home and will sleep well tonight!

Have a great day,
Mel

Missing in Action!

If you have been wondering where I have been and why I havent posted for such a long time, here's your answer! I have been in the Royal Children's Hospital with Dylan to get his PEG feeding tube put in. This is soooooo much easier than the nasogastric tube! With this one it is directly in the stomach, so there is no worries that it has moved......and he hasn't managed to pull it out yet! (should I be touching wood just in case?????)

This will stay in for at least 3 months, then he will have surgery again to remove it and put the "delux" model in. The new one will sit fairly flat on his stomach, and the tube will be removable, so we will only need to attach it at feeding and medication times, which will be great! For now, though, we are just covering this one up with a netting type bandage, which we call his "boob tube" because it comes up to his armpits!

Just in case you were wondering.....no, our bath isnt that small! These photos were taken at the Children's hospital the day after the PEG was inserted.

Dylan is still on 4 hourly feeds, and I am still heading into school at 10am and 2pm each day to complete the feeds until the teachers are trained to do it (they already know, but legally have to be trained again for each child), so not much stamping has been happening here at all. I really cant wait to get back into it, and cant wait to catch up with you all again too.

Happy Stampin',

Mel