Catching up on past Events: Grandparents/Special Friends Day 5/8/09

The biggest day of the school year is this day!  This years theme was "I Love To Tell the Story".  We visited Stevey Joy's room first, then Shaoey's.  Mamaw had flown home to care for Aunt Jeanne, so Poppy, Emily, and Melissa were our special friends that we had there!  Last year at this time, all three little girls had the time of their lives at this event.  It is difficult again, as this is another first without Maria.  She is SO obviously not with us, but God is SO obviously present!  This journey is truly one day at a time.  Thanks again to those prayer warriors out there!  I won't meet a lot of you this side of heaven...but it will be a great day in eternity when we can all celebrate Maria together.

Hugs,

Mary Beth

Comments

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Wonderful photos & such a nice gesture of Melissa/Emily 'filling in' for Mamaw... How is Aunt Jeanne doing now?

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Love the pics. I see so many precious memories in the making. I love to see all generations getting along so well with no "gaps."

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[Donna L Horvath]

Dear Mary Beth....I listened to Steven on Focus on the Family yesterday and today and was really moved by your story....Our stories of loss are similar....Our son Mikey was tragically killed in an auto accident 16 years ago this past April....Mikey received Christ when he was five...he went home to meet his Lord at the age of 18....He,too, packed alot of living into those 18 years....God has been so merciful to us and also gave us a drawing as a sign of where Mikey is....After seeing a rainbow while praying, I later found a drawing Mikey did when he was five....you guessed it....It's a picture of a rainbow and it's titled "I am under a rainbow"....Incidently Rev 4 says there's a rainbow round about the Throne of God....Mikey's not only in Heaven...he's in the throne room!....I just want to leave this verse with you that got me through my darkest days...Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you",declares the Lord...."Plans for good and not evil to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE."....I'll be praying for you....I know what you're going through...don't despair....it gets worse before it gets better buy God is always there and you can always write to me if you need to talk or for prayer....It will be worth it all when we SEE Jesus....and our loved ones....Keep the faith....Love in Christ....Donna Horvath

[Elaine Bayer]

Dear Mary Beth,
I am a 54 year old mom to 6 precious gifts. We have three sons who are 31,23 & 20. My youngest son is a Marine and serving in Iraq. I became a Christian at 37 and the first thing I felt God call me to do was adopt. My world changed and I found my passion.
Since that day we have been blessed with 3 daughters. Two of our daughters Jordan 14 and Cameron 10 are from S.Korea. In January 2007 I traveled to Vietnam and the day before my 52nd birthday our precious Kennedy who will be 5 on the 8th of June was placed in my arms.
Last year we had just landed in S. Korea when I began receiving emails from friends back home about your precious Maria. I sat and cried. I mean I actually felt my heart break. Mary Beth because your family makes everyone else feel like they are part of your family I believe a lot of hearts were broken that day. We had seen Steven at a concert in Tulsa earlier and he had all three girls with him and they came out on stage. As he kneeled to talk to them I believe it was Maria was making bunny ears behind him! It was such a precious moment, one I will never forget. Steven and all the girls were just grinning from ear to ear.
You are so honest and real and I love that about you, Mary Beth the mom. Thank you for that. I hope you know that you are an inspiration to many.
Your family inspired me to start a foundation, and a adoption group at my church.Thank you for that.
Know that you and your family are loved very much and are prayed for often.
Thank you for being you!
Elaine

[Monika]

Dear Mary Beth,
I heard Steven share memories of Maria's going home to Jesus this morning on Focus on the Family. With the LORD Jesus Christ, our Advocate and True Witness, I share this comfort with you: The night before Maria's home-going to the LORD, I had a vision-dream of a young girl, who looked to be age 5, with silky black hair shoulder length wearing a t-shirt and shorts being held by an angel who was kneeling down and holding her lovingly across his knee. The LORD's pure and holy light was shining all around them. The little girl was being carried from this earth to the LORD. I kept this in my heart, not knowing who this child is. Then later that day I heard your story. I quickly looked on-line and found your family's picture on the web, and I knew that Maria was the little girl in the dream. I share this with you to comfort you all because the LORD knows the Way we should go even before we know it or go through it. You ALL are deeply loved and highly favored by the LORD. Yeshua-Messiah is with you ALWAYS. Our BIG BIG house is nearly ready and I truly beleive Maria will joyfully welcome you home for the BEST family reunion ever! Numbers 6:24-26
Love in Christ,
Monika (a mom from Harmony, PA)

[JulieinCa]

My grandparents were a huge part of my life. I love that school recognizes them. They are so important. Praying for your family this week harder than ever.

[Rebecca Whalen]

So proud of your feasting on all the special moments with your precious family even in the midst of great sadness. Praying for you lots and lots this coming week. May God's Love hold you very close.
Love and hugs,
Rebecca W.
SC

[Pam Stump]

I have prayed for all of you many times over the last year, and I will continue to do so.

Testifying to His mighty power and presence in your life is a testimony to who He is, and who He can be in the lives of others. Thank you for sharing with all of us.

I greet you from a little town north of Anderson, IN - who claims Taylor University and Ivanhoes Ice Cream Shoppe!!!! It really is a very small world as we meet different people along the way!

May God continue to bless you abundantly!!

[Dana]

Thank you for sharing.

We really will be able to have quite the party in heaven. I can't WAIT to meet Maria! I also have a baby brother up their waiting for me - a little one who was stillborn at 8 months.

Praying for your family always!

Dana

[Jennifer]

The 16th is my son's birthday...he and Maria are the same age. I remember last year how my heart just ached for you. We got to see Steven when he came to a local church to do a concert for a Crisis Pregnancy center. It was one of his first outings since the accident. He was all alone and gave an acoustical, up close concert. He was very raw and very real. I just cried...my heart ached for him, for you, for your other kids. That concert ministered to me in so many ways. It was hard to see Steven broken and hurting, but it was so amazing to see him giving God glory even in THIS! Thank you for continuing to give God the glory, even in your grief. I pray for you often.

[Paisley]

Continuing to pray for you and your family.

[Debbie from Ohio]

Wonderful pictures of precious people. You can continue to count on those prayers being said for you and your family...God bless

[stephiegdalyrist]

Hi,I just stumbled onto this,what a great photo,glad they enjoyed,like its rockin.Those are great photos,you have a beautiful family,look forward to getting to read,meet you all on here.Take care yall.Trying to figure out these blogs things and all.Ha,like meeting new friends.Hi,lovely!!

Jennifer Johnson
Charlotte,NC

[Kim]

Ok, Mary Beth, first of all..I want to say that I don't believe in the paranormal. I really want to state that about the whole "ghost issue," but when you resize the first picture with you, your father, and Stevey Joy, there is a little circle (also called an "orb" for those who believe in it) near your father's legs. Again, I'm not a paranormal believer, but that is very wierd! :)

Ok, now back to what I wanted to say...
Beautiful pictures! You can tell that Shaoey and Stevey Joy adore their Poppy! So much happening in the month of May for you all, and I know that through the heartache, you'll find God's amazing love holding you up! Thank you for being so honest and humble! :)

Anyways,

[MT]

Praying for you and your sweet family. These pictures are precious!

[PamperingBeki]

What a sweet event! I love when schools do special things like that.

Your girls look gorgeous.

God is holding you, day by day. :)

[Kati]

You all certainly have had your share of weather down there. I'm a little jealous of the thunder, since I love a stormy day. Had to smile as you twittered that you just needed a Starbucks! :-)

Wish I could remember the exact wording, but Beth Moore gave an illustration of life's hardships. It was about a soldier who went into battle and took many hits; his shield was full of arrows. When he came before the king, he was given an extra reward. A picture of our lives, as we take up our own shields of faith and they become embedded with the arrows of the enemy throughout this lifetime. What would we have to present to our King, if our shields were bare and we never took a single arrow? Or if we took an arrow and ran from the battle. But rather, we will one day stand before our King, with our shields full of arrows, still full of faith as He says, "Well done good and faithful servant."

Now if my husband saw me write this, I might be in a bit of trouble, because I need to do a little more practicing of this in my own life. We adopted an older child internationally, and did not find out until a year or so after he was home with us that he is moderately developmentally "handicapped". He cannot even remember what he has for lunch each day and has worked for three years just to learn his colors. (We had a dr. go over his report prior to the adoption, but were never told what those numbers in the report meant--we were sitting in the middle of a school meeting when the psychologist informed us those numbers meant our new son was "mentally retarded".) It's been my own personal ARROW (not just a little arrow, but a BIG A-R-R-O-W) attempting to grieve the loss of what I naively had planned out for my life, and wondering what on earth God sees in me that I can be this precious boy's mom. I'd say it's been a hurdle, but it's been more like a two year WALL I've been banging my head into. Nevermind the mother's guilt that goes along with figuring this all out. This was our second adoption, and we have four bio kids, as well. Not really knowing where to turn (besides our heavenly Father), I check in here often to see what God is up to in your lives...thinking maybe he'll give you a word that I can jump on, too. :-)

Big hugs from northeast Ohio. Sorry this was so long.

[Janele]

Mary Beth, I so hope we have the chance to meet this side of heaven. I can't even fathom how hard this is- our baby never came home with us so we didn't have the obvious empty seat at the dinner table. God puts you on my heart so often- this week my prayers (and I'm sure my tears) will be even more fervent than usual. Thank you so much for sharing your heart, so than I know just how to pray for you.

Much love and many prayer,
Janele

[Tanya Robinson]

So glad to see smiling faces! I'm hoping to meet you in October. I have a long overdue hug for you! :-)

Blessings always,
Tanya

[Tricia]

Such sweet pictures!! Making memories for your family in the midst of savoring memories past of little Maria. What a day that will be when we all get to celebrate together and see all of our loved ones again!

[Tori]

All of you look so wonderful even in this
time of sadness. So glad to see Melissa
and big sister Emily there to help out.
The pictures are just wonderful.
Poppy dancing with one of his Cinderellas
so sweet.
Thank yo for always sharing your life with
us and I always pray that I'm a encouragement
to you and your family. Sometimes it's hard
to put into words all I want to say.
But of all the things I could give I give
you my Prayers always to you, Steven, and
your Beautiful family.

[Vanessa Vanden Bosch]

I recently read a quote that made me think of you all and wanted to share it with you in hopes that it might encourage you as it did me: "As followers of Christ, we often suffer not because we are out of God's will but because we are in it, not because we lack faith but because we have faith. We suffer not because we need to be filled with the Spirit but because we already are. Stronger faith does not mean less suffering, but more suffering means stronger faith. Far from calling our faith into question, our afflictions result in our becoming more and more like Christ Himself." -D.R. McConnell

I was thinking about how it truly is a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ as a believer...He reflects so much glory in and through you because of it and He has counted you worthy enough to suffer for Him. Throughout the ages there have been countless martyrs and the such who have suffered for Jesus' name and they are forever remembered as pillars of faith; you too will be remembered for suffering for Christ's cause in order that His name may be professed throughout the nations!!!

Although this side of heaven we may never understand why things happen the way they do we can rest in knowing God is sovereignly orchestrating every event, even the tragedies (From the world's perspective) in order to turn them into triumphs for His glory!!

May His name forever be praised because of little Maria and your family :))

Love and prayers!!