Our new neice and the passing of a dear friend

I have a rare moment of use from my right arm, so I am using it to write to all of you :-) For those of you who read it... Don't you feel special now?



This is our new niece, Madison Lee Golding. Born December 30, 2008 some time around 3 PM. She belongs to my brother Travis and his wife Jessica. She holds the place of probably the last grandchild for my parents. They now have 23, so it's all good. So the torch as far as I know will now be passed on to the great grand children. I do have a reason for going on about this, I promise. I haven't been out a lot to be around for many of these happenings lately, but I got to go see them pretty soon after Madison was born.


A few weeks ago I was on Facebook, as I spend a lot of time there, looking through and updating, when I got in the middle of a conversation between my brother, who is a Respiratory Therapist, and a family friend who works as a PCT at UVRMC(the hospital). They were talking somewhat in those medical jargon so I butted in and asked what was going on. I was informed by the family friend that her dad was in the hospital and was pretty sick. From this point, not being able to go see him because of my own issues at home, I checked in with our friends almost every day. This man's(Paul Thomas) son Steve and family have been friends of ours for years. For Dan, since childhood. Steve was actually the person who brought Dan and I together. As well as Dan and I returning the favor and introduced Steve and Shannon. Anyway, I have had Paul(Steve's dad) on my mind A LOT during this time. The last week or so as the information about him started getting worse, I had a lot of time to ponder. I have had to sit here with my own trials to think about, but I just kept thinking that at least I wasn't having to deal with what Sharlene, and Steve, and the rest of their family was dealing with. It made me really think about my dad and how I might react. I couldn't get this off of my mind. On Tuesday, December 30th my brother and sister in law headed toward the hospital and I spoke to Shannon and it dawned on me that there would be a roller coaster of emotions during that day. I instantly asked her how Steve and everyone else was doing. She said as well as could be expected. So I waited, for the text that I would get from Shannon and the call about the baby being born.


People say that when there is death, there is always a new birth. As I experienced on Tuesday December 30th the actuality of this, I was taken over with emotion. Did one really have something to do with another? I have to believe that death is a rebirth of sorts, at least in to the next life. These 2 events were within minutes of each other. One person did not know the other, but is it possible that one could have helped the other go through their given journey? I can't believe that it is a coincidence.


Anyway, I have since almost put my emotions in check, and visited my brother and sister in law and Madison, and hope that Paul's family knows that I have been thinking about them and praying for them as this is all I can do right now.


OK, I had better stop before I push it and my arm decides to revolt. I hope that whoever reads this blog finds what I have to say interesting. It is good for me to write some of this down as well, and hopefully it is a little glimpse into who I am.


-Christy