REMEMBERING ~ Laura Jennifer Miller

As this time of October approaches each year, I'm flooded with so many memories of my sweet sister Laura. Today it has been 24 years since she went HOME to be with OUR Lord! I know it is normal to remember so vividly many details surrounding that time ~ some such sweet tender memories ~ others filled with so much sadness I can't and don't usually let my mind or heart make the trek toward them. Time is such a great and natural balm of healing. I am so glad! Some years are filled with greater remembrance and emotion.  I have found this year ~ 24 years later ~ to be one of those years! I don't know what to attribute it to...maybe because I've reconnected through facebook with so many friends from all those years ago that Laura and  I went to high school with...maybe it's because this summer I was reunited with my aunt and cousins whom I haven't seen since my sisters funeral...maybe it is just returning from the most wonderful visit with friends in Florida that knew and loved my sister so deeply......maybe...maybe...don't know why and it really doesn't matter why.
I just am!!!

Each and everyday, at some point and time,  I think of dear Laura Jennifer Miller ~ sometimes it's a fleeting thought, sometimes it's a time that lingers filled with treasured memories of our growing up years and other times wondering what my life would have been with her here on earth with me the past 24 years! The sister part of my heart is a very tender part and many times a part I guard carefully.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is found in the book of Ecclesiastes and it's a gentle reminder to me that to everything there is a time and a season...I do find great comfort in that. Especially on days like today when I'm just human and  I don't understand. 

A wonderful memory I do have of God's perfect timing...

The Friday before Laura's accident (October 14th) she drove herself & the same 4 girls that were in the accident from Salem, Oregon to Tacoma, Washington to see all of their families. She dropped off Karena, Jamie, Susan and Wendy at their homes and then she came to my home in DuPont. My parents lived in Idaho at the time. Laura usually always wanted to be on the go...go...go...however this particular weekend she said she just wanted to stay home and enjoy being together. She wanted her best friend, Shannon to come spend the weekend too. We had the most precious time...she spent many hours holding our first born son Tyler who was just 3 months old. I cooked her favorite meals. We did go a concert that Saturday night at Life Center in Tacoma. That was only thing I could get her to leave the house for. I told her Jim bought us tickets so we kinda needed to use them! :) We both talked on the phone to my mom and dad for over 2 hours that Saturday. My mom, of course, wishes she could have seen Laura that weekend however she's always been so gracious to me and told me she was glad Laura was with me. She went that Sunday afternoon (October 16th) and picked up the 4 girls and they headed back to college. They were all freshman in their 3rd week of college. The next evening (October 17th)  those same 5 girls piled in my sisters car to go for pizza. The accident happened just a couple miles from the college. Karena and  Jamie were killed instantly. Laura lived until the next morning on October 18th. Wendy and  Susan suffered very serious injuries that required months & months of recovery.  It was just that ~ a car accident. It has forever changed my life and the lives of countless others.

I won't promise that I understand why these things happen.
 I don't.
I will promise that time is a great healer.
It is.
I won't promise that somedays the tears still won't stop flowing.
They don't.
I will promise that MY GOD'S GRACE IS ALWAYS SUFFICIENT.
It is. For me.

Remembering fondly {my} Connie ~

Many of you know I worked as a caregiver for over 4 years with the most phenomenal client named Connie! To say my life was changed the day I met her would be an understatement. She radiated love and gentleness like no other with the most unique balance of sheer strength and determination! I learned so many amazing things from watching her and listening to stories of her long and blessed life of nearly 90 years.

Connie LOVED and ADORED her family! I was so grateful to become part of this most amazing family and have made deep and lasting friendships with many of her loved ones. She was such an incredible wife, mom, grandma, aunt, daughter, sister and friend ~
what an example to me and countless others.

I have never known someone who LONGED to go HOME to HEAVEN and that was her prayer each night especially the last couple years! She felt she had lived such a wonderful life and was just ready! She yearned to see her Lord and be reunited with her beloved husband and her precious daughter whom she had outlived.

I held her hand that morning just one year ago today as she took her last breath here on earth and said a prayer of thanksgiving for the profound blessing and influence Connie was in my life.

Post #2 for Flashback Friday 11/11/11

On this Veterans Day 2011 I want to thank my favorite Veteran...my husband... Msgt. James C. Craft

I took this picture over 16 years ago...May 1995 one day Jim came home on a lunch break while we were stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma Wa. I just love the look of complete adoration and sweetness that these two were sharing at that very moment! I really wish someone could tell me where all the the years have gone? That same little baby is now 16 1/2 yrs. old and that military man retired after 23 years in the Air Force in 2005. 

I definitely HEART these 2!

Flashback Friday 11/11/11

Today is Veterans Day so I was looking through alot of military photos of my grandfather. He retired from the US Army...Lt. Col John D. Gillespie. He had served in both World War II and The Korean Conflict. I found some pictures of the early years and to me they just speak volumes.

So young...WW II

This is the Aircrew Of The Korea Civil Assistance

my Poppy is in the back left...Capt. John D. Gillespie

I love this photo as it has all the crews names and ranks typed on the

back of this official US Army photo.

An interesting fact about my Poppy from his time in Korea that we never knew until approx. 45 years later...he was in Madigan Army General Hospital for surgery and in his room came a female custodian and she was Korean. He began having a conversation with her in Korean. My mom was utterly amazed as we did not know he fluently spoke that language. It was the coolest thing and so amazing that it came back to him so fluently and so many years later as he would have been in his 80's then! 

Thank you to these Veterans! 2 of my great Uncles & my Poppy

Left to right...Uncle Charles, My Poppy, 

Great Grandma Gillespie & Uncle Frank

I can't imagine the heartache and fear my Great Grandma must have had while her 3 sons were all away

in WW II at the same time. Charles and Frank were also Prisoner of War at the SAME time! Frank managed to escape and walk his way to freedom. Again just a reminder to me the price my family and friends have played for me to have the freedoms I do have!

Four years ago my Poppy passed away {his brothers Charles & Frank had predeceased him} so my mom sent my Poppy's Flag to their hometown of Red Oak Iowa and the 3 brothers Flags now fly together at the cemetery in Red Oak. I think that is so moving and I would like to go see that someday. I was very close to my Poppy {my mom's dad} as I was the first grandchild and I was born on his 50th Birthday!  He was a strong quiet man who everyone respected and I wish I knew more stories behind some of the pictures I have however I am grateful to have the photo's. He didn't like to brag so through the years we've heard stories from various family members and it makes me feel so proud !

Thank you again to our Veterans who have served

and those who are continuing to serve!

With humble and grateful heart on this...

Veterans Day...11/11/11...thank you does not seem enough for the men and women who have served and continue to serve my beloved country. Fighting for and protecting my freedom {that is so easily taken for granted}. So many family and close friends have and are serving...my husband being numero uno on my list!

I will say THANK YOU and hope it conveys the gratitude and pride I feel for those in our military. The sacrifice our military men and women make is immense and just as great is the sacrifice the family members make so they're loved ones can serve and protect our great country! So that I may continue to live in this country...one nation under God with liberty and justice for all!

People that aren't in the military don't always realize much of what military life entails. The 24/7 on call status, cannot just quit your job if you want to, being sent off to war sometimes multiple times, it doesn't matter if it's Christmas or your loved ones birthday you may have to work or be gone, you always do what you're told when you're told with no questions asked... HOWEVER ask most military men and women and they wouldn't trade it for anything. Something my grandfather used to say sticks in my mind...when people would say that it's not fair that he had insurance for life he would quickly and quietly say..."I prepaid"! So profound! So true! My poppy retired from the US Army and served in both WW II and The Korean Conflict so yes I would say he prepaid for insurance for life!

My husband Jim retired from the US Air Force after 23 years of service. {I'm rather proud of my sweetheart} Jim's dad, stepdad, sister and brother in law have all retired from the Air Force. My dad was in the Air Force for 12 years and several of my uncles, cousins and dear dear friends have served in the military. My adopted dad {known to his troops as Top} retired from the US Army. I'm proud to live in the good ol' USA and I know my freedoms have come at a very high price!
 

From the bottom of my heart

THANK YOU

I Remember...10 years ago...9/11

What I remember about that dreadful morning 10 years ago...I remember Jim came in our bedroom to kiss me goodbye and he told me he didn't know what was going on but something was happening in NYC. It was about 6:30 a.m. I got up and went to turn on the news and I SAW IT! The 2nd tower was hit! MY COUNTRY WAS UNDER ATTACK!!!! I remember feeling disbelief and shock. I remember calling Jim at work and telling him what I had just witnessed. I remember getting the children up and watching the news together. I remember opening my front door and my sweet friend Shara was standing there with her big brown eyes and asking if she could come in. We couldn't even speak...we were just in shock. We lived on Fairchild Air Force Base here in Spokane and both our husbands were of course at work. Because we lived on a military base it was so surreal. The base was locked down. All signs of important buildings were covered in tarps for protection. We couldn't leave the base. There were armed tanks at the entrance to the base. I remember there was a prayer service at our church Airway Heights Baptist Church however we could not go as we were not allowed to leave the base. So we stayed at home and prayed and waited for news all the while still in disbelief. I did receive phone calls from some friends on base that were holding prayer time at their homes. I remember feeling if I felt the way I did how much more so were the people in NYC and surrounding areas feeling because their loved ones were in danger. They were waiting and wondering about their loved ones.So many precious lives lost that day and the days and years that followed.

I still cannot believe MY COUNTRY was attacked! WE WILL NEVER FORGET! It always amazes me that in my lifetime something so horrendous happened. I remember not having much feeling when my Poppy would share about Pearl Harbor and WWII and the time surrounding when OUR COUNTRY was attacked. I remember on 9/11 thinking that someday as I share with my grandchildren about September 11, 2001 they would feel disconnected just as I did when my grandparents shared time surrounding December 7, 1941! Such significant dates and events. Both part of history!

I remember being glued to the round the clock news in disbelief. I remember just praying and watching and waiting. Our lives were forever changed that day.

My COUNTRY was attacked that morning! My COUNTRY did recover!

My COUNTRY is still standing!

UNITED WE STAND!

What I want to remember today are the lives that continue to be sacrificed in the war efforts all due to the fact that MY COUNTRY was attacked 10 years ago today! 

THANK YOU TO OUR MILITARY, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE FORCE AND CIVILIANS

from the bottom of my heart for all the sacrifices made so that I may have all the freedoms I do and have the honor of living in
MY BELOVED COUNTRY!

MAY WE NEVER EVER FORGET

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001