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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Alec makes headlines...

Alec is in the news...again!

This time the Kennebunk Post did a (front page) story on the ice fishing derby which is on going and although the ice is a little on the thin side latly, the fish are a plentiful!

Find the story at...

http://mainelymediallc.com/pdf/post_pgs.pdf

Great pics and great story...one mistake, the writer said we hiked Katahdin 2 months before Alec died, while I know he could have done this, we did not. What I had said was Alec hiked Mt. Katahdin 2 months before he was diagnosed...I also mentioned we went hiking in Acadia 2 months before he died, you can see how she may have been confused. Either way Alec was awesome and if he had the chance (of if we didnt have Chase to take with us on vacay, he probably would have wanted to hike Katahdin, which is an 11 mile hike up a one mile mountain, the highest peak in Maine)

Now, lets go FISHING! Oh wait, we need ice.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

3 Months...




I can't believe it has been three months. I must ask myself a hundred times a day...did that really happen? Is Alec really gone? Am I really a widow?

It is something I struggle with every day. But some how, some way, life keeps moving forward. I just finished reading a book that a friend from church gave me. I have had it for 3 months and just read it in 2 days. It is called "Messages" and is by a women who lost her husband in 9/11. The book tells stories of "signs" from those who had passed away in 9/11 and I found it to be very therapeutic, it also validated my feelings that Alec is still here, and those "Alec Winks" I witness on a daily basis are in fact him.

Today at church, Jan told me that she thinks Alec visited her a few days ago. She was in her office, sitting in her chair, (a chair that use to be Alec's office chair). All of a sudden the lamp that was a few feet away moved over to her and bumped her in her back! Then, the lights flickered. She moved the lamp back and the next day the exact same thing happened. That is just too weird...I know it had to have been Alec. Last week I saw another bald eagle, this time on 93 North as I was headed out of Boston. It flew above my car and landed in a tree over to my right. (I know, a bald eagle in Boston!? But it is true, I had a witness, a co-worker was in my car.) Then one night, on my way home from the airport after a bad travel day (my flight was delayed, I got in at 1:30 am, car covered in a foot of snow, no scraper, and I was wearing ballet flats, in 10 degrees). I was exhausted and crying really hard on my way home. All of a sudden, a song came on,

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

When your lonely (when you're lonely)
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Hearing this song made me feel better and I thought that maybe Alec played it for me. (It is by Third Day, a favorite Christian rock group of mine, but I had never heard this song before.) There always seems to be some little sign for me, right when I need it most. Some could call it coincidence...but I know better.

It does not make it easier or OK, but it helps get through a day. And then there is Chase. He is amazing. He is so curious, so happy, he eats everything and is standing up now, all by himself. I see so much of Alec in him...never sitting still, making everyone smile, giving big bear hugs. I love him so much.

I miss my Alec more and more every day. I just want to make him proud, and that gives me reason to keep going.

Thank you for the love, prayers and continued support.

Love,

Heather

PS...thanks for the snow Alec, finally I could go xcountry skiing this weekend!



OK...these pictures would not make Alec proud, but I couldn't resist...Chase and Millie are so cute together, they even share toys. (Please do not call DSS on me!)


Sunday, January 8, 2012

Stars

Today at church Jan talked about stars, and it got me thinking...

Alec always loved looking up at the sky, naming off constellations, telling me the science behind shooting stars, pointing out the North star and always testing my knowledge of the galaxy.

Auntie Tam gave Chase a very special Christmas gift, a star named after him and his Daddy. The package came with an official certificate and a chart to show exactly where "Chase and Daddy" is located. It really is so neat, to think that Chase someday will know that there is actually a star up there, with his name on it. And, it is such a nice reminder, for me, when I look up at the sky, I know Alec is out there somewhere, even at night, watching over us.

Last week there was a meteor shower and I thought of Alec. Every meteor shower he would wake me up, (most are 3:00 am or later) grab a big blanket and head outside. Because of him, I have many beautiful memories of cold winter nights and the two of us sitting in the quiet, watching the stars falling all around us. I thought about waking up and watching it last week, but didn't and now I regret it (I tried to cheat, watching it through the skylights while in bed, and at 9:30 when it wasn't supposed to start until 3). Maybe Alec was up there, wanting to show me and I missed it. Next time, I promise to wake up.

I miss Alec. He never let a moment pass him by, no matter how late or cold or any other hundred excuses one could come up with, he literally never took a moment for granted. And, he could make me do anything, (ME, get up at 3:00am to go sit in the cold!?) But for Alec I would do it, and I would love every second, taking it all in, hoping I would always have these special moments to look forward to. Now, looking back, I don't have to wonder why I did it, or why he lived the way he did. I chose to be with him, every second I possibly could, and I cherished it all. I wonder if something in my heart told me never to let those moments pass because they would be cut short. I wonder if he did the same. Tuesday, before Alec passed away, we had one last campfire, just the two of us. We sat outside for about an hour, I asked him what his proudest moment was, he said becoming a Dad. We saw one last shooting star together that night.

Chase has a new favorite video that I found on YouTube, every time I watch it with him I shed a tear and think of Alec.


I guess it's just funny, the way the universe works. All of a sudden, stars are every where. Chase gets one for Christmas, a meteor shower, a YouTube video, a church service. Maybe Alec is up there, reminding me to always keep my head up, and showing me that although night falls, and it is dark and sometimes scary, he is up there, lighting the way...always.