Relying on God has to begin all over again every day.
As if nothing had yet been done.
~C.S. Lewis

Happy Birthday Aaron

January is a month full of McCoy birthdays - Granddaddy, Aaron, Chandler, mine, and mother's. Don't know what was doing on 9 months prior in May but it must have been good.

Our family always made a big deal out of birthdays. My mom would cook our favorite meal, create a big collage of our pictures, hang up the "Happy Birthday" letters that she had covered in foil and make our day extra special. As kids we always looked forward to being made over on our birthday. Today we would have celebrated Aaron's 36 birthday.

Mother and Daddy, I'm so sorry that you have to feel the pain today of not having your son on a day that with such tender meaning. Those sweet recollections are scarred with sorrow now and it's so painful to know that you are hurting. You usually call on our birthdays and talk about the birth pains you were having so many years ago on that date. We always laugh knowing that you are joyfully remembering the day you brought us into the world. I cry with you today and miss him even more than ever.

Christina and kids, today is another one of those milestones that you/we must face and get through. There will be many tears and that constant reminder of his absence is even more evident when we he's not here to celebrate his birthday. We pray for your strength and comfort today. We love you all.

He will remain 35 and handsome in our minds, never to grow old.
Love & miss you birthday boy!
Your baby sister

Kids Christmas

About 7 years ago we started "Kids Christmas" in our family. Its when we get our kids together to exchange gifts and just hang out. It usually ends up the weekend of New Years but this year it was next to impossible to get this event scheduled. We have scheduled and rescheduled it so many times - Adam was gone for two weeks, Christmas programs, funerals, etc. We finally managed to get together Sunday at Adam and Carole's new house in Flintstone, MD. I think we need to rename it - maybe Valentines Day!

Thanks guys for letting us invade the new house.
Amy and Steve posed for me. Amy is VERY pregnant and we are expecting her little bundle to "drop" early. Her due date is Feb. 17 but we all know it will come in Januray. She is scheduled to see the dr. on the 16th of this month - just may end up having the little girl on my b-day the 17th! Cross your legs, Amy!
Jacob needed his diaper changed and Amy is too pregnant to get on the floor to change him so he just lays on her lap. I'm telling you he's the best baby I've ever seen.

Jess does her best to keep all the kids in line.

Adam tried to catch a cat-nap but 7 kids in the house kept him from sleeping too long.

The first round of gifts. Each family took turns giving their gifts to the other.

Jacob opening his present with Uncle Joel's help.

Emotional Weekend

We've not been home much at all and I'm struggling to type this before I need to pick Raegan up from school. I've been wanting to update the blog and even change the background. I'm tired of it, but that will have to wait.
The weekend was extremely difficult for us all. Friday was full with 2 viewings and a dinner in between them. Nana had lived a very full life and the attendance at her viewings were evidence of that. The line went on for hours! It was great to see family and friends and I know the family felt the warm and tender condolences sent by so many who came, sent flowers and food. Saturday was another viewing, the service and burial. I knew that the wound was still tender in my heart from losing Aaron but I never expected the amount of emotions that came over me. I teared up many times but I completely lost it when my mom and dad walked into the church on Saturday for the service. Not only was this Nana's funeral but it was also the 3 month anniversary of us losing Aaron. Time HAS NOT healed us!! We are still so tender, the pain is so raw! The emotions were so jumbled for me. I was able to say goodbye to Nana, have time with her, hold her hand and softly smooth her hair as she struggled to breathe and wait for the Lord's calling. She was ready and we knew it was time. I cried for the pain of separation that her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren feel after making years of memories with her. But my emotions were so different as I thought of Aaron - he was ripped away from us. I did not have that time to say goodbye, to touch his face, take in his sweet smell, and tell him "I love you" one last time. I did not have time to prepare for the pain. I was NOT ready for him to go, none of us were!!
As the soloist sang "It is Well With My Soul" I was reminded that both Aaron and Nana knew where they were going without a shadow of a doubt. They are rejoicing together with their new bodies. It is well.

Coming Together

Joel's relatives are beginning to arrive for Nana's funeral. Two of his cousins that live in Kalispell, Montana arrived very early this morning. Their parents are flying in tomorrow.

Clint and Carrie and their little girl Addison "Addy" Knotts. She is such a doll baby. Carrie teaches 1st grade and Clint owns his own construction company. Addy will be 2 on Wednesday. She is a ton of fun and Raegan is enjoying mothering her.
Clint's younger brother Ben is our "world traveler". He is a free spirit that enjoys spanning the globe with just a backpack. He recently returned from Bolivia doing research for a school project. While he was there he taught basic computers in a prison. He will have some great stories to tell his children, if we could just find him the perfect girl..and get him to plant himself somewhere.
As I'm writing this (11pm) Joel and Ben are watching West Virginia beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Ben is going to hang out with Joel at work tomorrow. How cool!
What a wonderful feeling to reconnect with family and catchup on the events that years apart have yielded. Somehow our families begin to spread out over the globe like tree roots moving farther and farther away from each other. When we are brought together again, often by tragedy, we are able to remember and reminisce of days gone by; the innocence, the fun, the mischevious days of youth. Everyone has a story to tell and the stories flow like water from a spring as each one shares their memories. It is such a shame that this happens so few times in our lives. It is such a shame that it often takes the loss of a loved one to bring a reunion.

Happy New Year

We rang in the new year with our good friends the Shrivers in Latrobe, PA. It's only two hours away so it was a great mini-trip. We packed up, grabbed the dog and headed to PA. We met Ed and Amy at our church about 2 or 3 years ago, when they had just moved to our area. We became quick friends and love them dearly. Ed and Joel both love to golf & hunt and Amy and I love to shop & talk - need I say more?! Their 3 children Hannah, Luke and Noah are great and they treat Raegan like a sibling! That's makes everyone happy!

Hannah is on the left, Raegan's in the middle of course, Noah is behind her and Luke is on the right. It was frigid outside but the dogs needed to potty and the kids were stir crazy - so they climbed a tree! Anyways, the Shrivers moved last summer and we were so sad to see them go, but they are happy to be back in Latrobe again. We spent the afternoon catching up, had dinner and then .......THE GAMES BEGAN!!


Joel playing golf on the Wii. Look at that follow through! ha ha
We all played Apples to Apples - highly recommend it! It's a great game for the whole family.
Joel boxing with Noah. I boxed Hannah and I'm still sore today! Loved it.
Joel was really serious about winning - even if it meant beating a 10 year old!
Raegan and Hannah colored for a while.
Amy and Raegan. We were all starting to get tired but the kids kept themselves jazzed on sugar, they didn't want to miss the one night they could stay up!

We made it to see the ball drop, here's the picture to prove it. Then the kids welcomed in the new year in their traditional way - banging pots and pans, lighting sparklers and setting off confettie bombs! They introduced us to "banging the pots" last year on New Years and Raegan loved it! She couldn't wait to do it again this year. They only broke 2 spoons this year. The neighborhood will never be the same!
It didn't take long for us all to hit the hay and we were out! We all slept in, enjoyed a lazy morning hanging out and then we were off to the mall! Time goes way too fast when you're having fun! We had such a great time and can't wait for another long weekend to visit Latrobe! Thanks guys, you made our New Years special.

By the way, Bailey did great on the trip despite his history of car sickness. Actually, he did great UNTIL we turned into our neighborhood. Then, well.....let's just say he couldn't keep it down anymore! Raegan has a very strong gag reflex and I thought hers was coming up any minute too, but we made it home before anyone else lost their supper on the upholstery. Thank goodness, I couldn't have cleaned up more than one of those messes! Uggghh!

Happy New Year!

New Again

Here's the link to the country music video performed by Brad Paisley and Sara Evans of their song 'New Again' depicting the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. It's very powerful and I thought you would want to see it. The words are beautiful and the message is priceless.
Brad Paisley and Sara Evans - New Again. Grab a box of tissues!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NaSROohLzs