Thursday...November 22nd, 2007

      Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.   It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.   It can turn a meal into a feast,   a house into a home,   a stranger into a friend.   Gratitude makes sense of our past,  brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

 

 

 

I do not think of all the misery,
but of the glory that remains.

Go outside into the fields,
nature and the sun,

go out and seek happiness

in yourself and in God.

Think of the beauty
that again and again

discharges itself 
within and without you

 
and be happy 

  

 

 

 

 

On this very day and or the rest of my life, I am more than thankful for the gift of motherhood. I will forever thank God for choosing me to be Dominic Anthony's mother. From the moment my angel was created, God allowed him my body in which to grow and the sound of my beating heart to lull him to sleep. Every kick, every squirm made him mine and although God had already chosen his path, he will remain my son until the end of time. My body was Dominic’s shelter from all unkind and selfish. I rest in knowing I protected him each day with my undying love, alone. He gave unto me the discoverance of such a timeless and unconditional love that no person shall ever take away. Every tear that falls and every moment that overtakes the last is for my angel. I live my life without him tangible, but I feel him in all of Mother Earth’s ways. The breeze that cools a rich summer day and the song the bluebirds resonate, allows me to feel him close. Life will never return to normal. It is a long, strenuous road to just get back to joy, but one day I know that instead of imagining the sun upon my baby’s face, I will see it. I know that rather than straining to hear his cries, I will hold him close and comfort him until his smile appears. God is so good and my child is perfect. Thank you Dominic for giving Mommy such light. You are everything I was missing in life and you are everything I will continue to strive for. Never rest your head on your pillow of clouds without knowing Mommy loves you. I dedicate this life of mine, to you. My whole heart is with you. If ever you feel alone, just look into the many colors of sun and my love will always be there to warm you. I LOVE YOU Forever & Always, more than anything in this world and for all eternity. Until we meet again…

 

 

Mom- I love you so very much. After I delivered Dominic, it was you that I looked for to comfort me. I wanted you to tell me you will always be there and to hold me when I felt like giving up. You came that night and gave me that and so much more. I don’t know what’s like to lose your first grandchild and to see your daughter endure the pain that seems to be never ending, but I want to thank you for being strong for me and trying to help me cope. I wish I had the chance to see you tell Dominic you love him “more than all the stars in all the universes” as you do with me, but one day we will all hold him and spend eternity in his presence. I love you.

 

Ryan- My big brother, I know I get angry with you easily, but I want you to know that I love you and couldn’t have chosen a better man to be Dominic’s Godfather. It was you from the very start. I hadn’t questioned it once. When I was pregnant you called all the time asking how he was and if everything was okay. I thank you for that. I know you love him with all of your heart and I called you first when I hadn’t felt him move. I just want you to know that I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. I’m not better yet and I may never be, but thank you for accepting me when many others turn me away.

 

Erin- Mommy of Micah...Who would’ve thought it would be us? You are so very important to me. It’s strange to think that as I was delivering Dominic, you were still happily pregnant with Micah only to come to the same hopeless ending as me three months later. Our boys have brought us together. When I don’t talk to you I feel alone. I don’t know what I would do without you. I thought no one would ever understand me, but you do. You get my pain as I do yours. We’ll make it through for our boys and for your new beautiful baby on the way. I miss you when you aren’t around and I always look forward to when we see eachother again. I am forever thankful for you and love you. .:*Sisters*:.

 

Corey- Daddy of Micah… I want to thank you for staying so strong for Erin and for giving us both hope for tomorrow. I know you hurt, though, and I know you cry just like we do. Society wants you to be “the man” and “move forward”, but you don’t have to until you’re ready. That day may never come and that’s okay, too, because your beautiful Erin is there along with all of your family. “Tay… you’re family!” Remember that? Good, because I’m here, too. Thank you for helping give the world and heaven your beautiful son.

 

Michele- Oma to Micah… I think about you daily. Ya know, if it wasn’t for your first e-mail to me who knows what would’ve happened. Thank you for sitting with me and talking about Micah and Dominic. You welcomed me into your home as a complete stranger and when I left, I knew I had family to come back to. Tell Opa it was great to meet him. I even got a HUG!! Aunt Karen, Aunt Deb, Uncle Bill, Nana, GGma… EVERYONE…you are wonderful. I love you!

 

Kirst and Meg- you guys always check up on me to see how I am. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and Dominic. You’ve included him in everything. It means so much. From mentioning him on myspace to making his pumpkin and sharing his life with so many people, I truly can’t thank you enough. Also, I must say you two are wonderful aunts to Micah, too. I’m sorry you never had the chance to hear him cry or to see him grow. He knows he has you guys forever. Don’t forget that you always have a New Yorker to talk to about everything, too. Love you ladies!!

 

Micah- Baby angel of Erin and Corey… I find myself wondering where to start as I write this. I’ve only known you through pictures, but I see your face when I look at your Mommy and Daddy. I feel your playful spirit when Kirsten and Meg are near and I pray that your new baby brother or sister brings with them a piece of you. When I first saw your picture on the missing angels page, I was taken back by how beautiful you were (and certainly still are). You were the only one I looked at that day and since then I have gained a whole new family. I think of you every day and each morning when I kiss Dominic’s picture, I always do the same to yours. We won’t know why you and Dominic were taken from us until the day God calls us home, but until that moment, promise you will stay near and watch over your Mommy and Daddy especially the new little one. I know Dominic will help you, but even if you and him don’t always get along, true friends come a dime a dozen and you two are like brothers. You have given me so much just through seeing your handsome face. Thank you, Micah, for all of your glory. Though your time here was short, you still have graced so many lives. Stay strong up there. I can’t wait to meet you one day. I love you little guy. Happy ThanksGiving!

 

 

 

What was happening in the world on this day?

Broadway Stage Hands on Strike:

As you've probably heard by now, many Broadway shows have been on indefinite hiatus since November 10th due to a strike action by the stagecraft workers. (latest news) The affected productions have announced that performances will not occur before November 26th, at the earliest.

 Students collect Penny Harvest:

Sacred Heart School in Troy plans to gather 125,000 coins to give to charity. Sacred Heart School's 174 students want to help local not-for-profits by collecting the pennies. All those unrolled pennies will weigh 750 pounds and will add up to $1,250. All profits will be donated to different charities.

Democrats plan would leave troops in Iraq for Years:

The Democrats' flagship proposal on Iraq is aimed at bringing most troops home. Yet if enacted, the law would still allow for tens of thousands of U.S. troops to stay deployed for years to come.

This reality — readily acknowledged by Democrats who say it's still their best shot at curbing the nearly five-year war — has drawn the ire of anti-war groups and bolstered President Bush's prediction that the United States will most likely wind up maintaining a hefty long-term presence in Iraq, much like in South Korea.