A special 13-year-old girl that I was so blessed to meet in Uganda, (when I was there less than 2 1/2 months ago), went to Heaven yesterday.  I am so sad that I will not get to see her next summer.  What a sad loss...only 13 and a whole life ahead of her.  Praise God the she is no longer sick in Heaven now!

Fresh Ideas to Engage your Children in Learning

Fresh Ideas to Engage your Children in Learning

Teachers need fresh ideas and practical solutions to engage their children in learning. Let us give you some terrific ideas so your child will enjoy learning and retain information better.  Our goal is to resource teachers so children are engaged and stay on task for the learning experience. 

            First, the teacher must realize the learning style of the child.  Many teachers are most comfortable teaching in their personal learning style but that might not be a match with the child or children being taught.  We will discover ways to identify the learning styles of the child and how we can adapt our methods to best fit and tailor to the learner.  Mr. Mark explains several practical ideas each teacher should work to employ in their classroom time.  Variety will always help make learning fun and exciting but teachers need ideas.  Mr. Mark’s Classroom is constantly buzzing with new resources and helps that assist teachers  with the variety they seek and it’s free.

            Second, the early childhood and early elementary children are most responsive to eight unique actions the teacher can always use.  By knowing how to use sensory, relationships, curiosity, imitation, play, repetition, satisfaction, and hands-on learning in the classroom, the teacher will discover greater engagement and even less behavior issues.  Mr. Mark uses these tried and true methods weekly and has created such fun experiences he will share with our teachers to use immediately.

            Check out his website at www.mrmarksclassroom.com and begin seeing the many ideas available to you already.  Join us September 28 from 7pm-8:30pm EST to hear him teach us the wonderful methods that will refresh you in your planning and presenting material to your children.  Mr. Mark offers a free book at his website filled with easy ideas you can download now. 

Mark your calendar and register now for our free webinar with Mr. Mark’s Classroom at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8702069769773313026

--
Thank you!

--
Sincerely,
Jodi Riddle

Human Resource & Operations Assistant/HwH Blog Manager

jriddle@theoldschoolhouse.com

www.theoldschoolhouse.com

Pureflix Joins Forces with Major Homeschool Publisher

"Pureflix.com Joins Forces with Major Homeschool Publisher"

 http://www.standardnewswire.com/news/9979313016.html 

PLEASE HELP US!!!

We are in need of a classroom for our oldest students, other than what we have been using!  We are truly in Urgent need so that our students, school supplies, and hanging chart do not continually become destroyed by the rains we have been having.  PLUS, it needs to be done so as to keep the entire school open as far as the government rules go.  Here is what we woke up to.

For a Tax Deductible Donation, send to:
www.dosii.org
(Reference - godshandsdaycare.blogspot.com)

Meet the new "The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Sales Representative

YES!  You heard me correctly!  I am so excited to be one of the new Sales Reps. for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!! My biggest motivation is to be able to pay off my loan so that I can go this coming May or June again, with our soon-to-be 14-year-old daughter, Sheyenne.  Yes, my trip was so amazing, that I feel that literally half of my family is half way across the world, so I am torn with my family and friends here, and my family and friends back in Uganda.  Talk about a life changing experience!!!  I plan to show you some of my month long adventure here on this site, but also, I have a blog for them started at: godshandsdaycare.blogspot.com 

Please, take a look, ask questions, leave your comments, or support.

                     My family...left to right

Marka, Haggai, Esther, Robert, Era held by Watulo

                          David in front

              (A gift from my husband and I)

                                                                                                                       Gods Hands Daycare

End of Term Break

THURSD

DESPERATELY In Need For Our School Children

In prayer..."Again I say to you, if two of you can agree on earth
about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father
in Heaven."
Matthew 18:1 9

We have many needs for our orphaned children, which includes; bedding, clothes, shoes, food for school, books, desks, teacher tables, office tables...We also don't have books for our children, we need computers to continue to help our teachers keep up-to-date with what they need to know for the children's education, and to do examinations.  Right now we are at the end of our 1st term, which will be a 4-week break, at which time they are trying to hand write files on each of the children attending at the school.  This takes many, many hours of time.  We will continue school all year round as it is important to keep the children active, learning, and taught to speak English.  During this time, is when we are praying to get the things that we need for our school so that we can continue to be able to teach the children what all life has to offer, and that there is still a big world out there to investigate, and continue learning for their entire lives.

For a non-profit charitable donation, go to:
www.dosii.org
(Reference - godshandsdaycare.blogspot.com)

Africa??

So I know a lot of you on here are my friends and strong Christians, so I just wanted to share my thinking on something that God has been dealing with me about. About four or five months ago the idea of "I should go to Africa kept popping into my mind. Well I can be completely honest with you and say that this is NOT something that has ever crossed my mind as something that I would ever do, because, well mostly the reason is that I have a fear of flying. I'll admit it, and some people probably think that's an absolutely ridiculous fear to have, but since I was a little kid and had a bad experience in a small plane, it's just not something I ever thought I would do again in my lifetime. So When the thought popped into my head, the first thing I thought of was that I must be going crazy, and the next thing that popped into my head was that song by Scott Wesley Brown that says, "Please don't send me to Africa...I don't think I got what it takes..."

Well then the first of January came around and a friend of mine whom I'd lost contact with for awhile, found me on Facebook again, and started talking to me! I was so excited because Watulo and her family, and the orphanage where she cares for the children and teaches them school, consider me their American family, and we use Messenger on FB to talk, call each other, and video chat, where I can even talk with the children and watch them dance, play, and do their schoolwork! I love being able to talk face to face with Watulo and the children!!

I have been in a quandary over this because this is NOT like me to want to go too far without my husband or one of my kids with me, the thought of flying is truly beyond even explaining, but I have even checked into shots I would need, what a passport would require, and even looked into flights! Like I said, this is NOT like me, but God continually keeps bringing it to mind over, and over. I would stay 2 - 3 weeks and work in the orphanage. I don't have a clue why God would be bringing this up or even how on earth we could afford airfare!! And on top of it, I feel I want to take Sheyenne, our 13-year-old, with me, because she has seen some of the children over Messanger, and has a penpal at the village there that she writes to. What an amazing experience that would be!! But 2 days, and 35 hours flying time?!?! Me? Go to Uganda, Africa? I wish I could just be there now with them! Just skip the flying part and all...But daily I want to go there more and more!! The airfare?? Where would we get that kind of money? If God wants us to go, then somehow, HE will have to provide, as this is a dream of a lifetime!! ME? Go to AFRICA? How Lord? It will HAVE to be through God's provision!!

As Watulo said, "I know God will provide, He is the Alpha and Omega, He knows you are traveling for a good cause and to serve Him. ...He will provide, nothing is difficult in God's presence."

But ME????  Would God really send someone like ME??

                    My sister in Africa & some of the children.

                                   I already love them all!!

For a non-profit charitable donation, go to:
www.dosii.org
(Reference - godshandsdaycare.blogspot.com)

Spiritual Gifts Inventory Test

Have you recently done a Spiritual Gifts Inventory Test? If not, you really ought to. God gives us each our own gifts, to each and everyone of us. Has yours changed, grown, developed even deeper, or do you even know what YOUR very own gift is?? If not, you really should do so? 
Go to: http://giftstest.com/test

I got my top 5 in this order - 

1) Pastor/Shepherd
2) Exhortation
3) Mercy
4) Service
5) Discernment

I know what these each are, except the exact meaning of Exhortation.  So, I got out my book, "Discover Your God-Given GIFTS," by Don & Katie Fortune.  I looked up the Characteristics of the Exhorter.  It says, "that the teacher aims for your head, while the exhorter aims for your heart.  It is not so much the content that the exhorter wants to impart as that content can be made effective in peoples' lives. 

Everyone of the gifts can teach, but the exhorter makes the most interesting and palatable teacher.  All of his gifts are geared toward edifying and encouraging other people. We could have called this person the encourager.  In fact, the Greek word paraklesis means a calling to one's side to aid denoting both exhortation and encouragement.

The exhorter wants everyone to have a full, meaningful life.  Exhorters are builders, not of buildings, but of people.  They want to help people live up to their full potential.  Their greatest joy is being an instrument to help another live victoriously."

The expressions on people's faces, listening for reactions, and analyzes body language to know that he's really communicating, and that this person is listening and valuing the input of the exhorter.  

So this is what I found out, in short, of what an Exhorter is.  I plan to keep researching it, and reading all scripture related to my five highest Spiritual gifts.  Who knows, maybe this has something to do with the New Year...2017?!      

Teaching Parents to Teach Their Children Charlotte Mason Writing

The class I wrote for parents wanting to learn about Charlotte Mason writing to, so they can now teach their children, is published!!

https://schoolhouseteachers.com/2016/07/learning-to-write-with-the-charlotte-mason-method/

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

I am so excited to see one of my articles in an actual magazine!!  Please, take time to read it, and enjoy this beautiful magazine!!

http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine-digital.com/thehomeschoolmagazine/2016x3/MobilePagedReplica.action?pg=50#pg50.

I have one of my articles on page 47 - 48!!

An Oily Adventure

I am on a new adventure!  Not new to thousands of people, but new to me.  Really, it is out of necessity for my family, as with our high deductible ($6000.00 person), starting from June 1st to June 1st, we have only met our deductible 4 times in the 28 years that my husband has been working at his job in 28 years.  At any rate, I have begun researching Essential Oils.  I have researched myself silly into confusion in fact!  There are so many Essential Oil Companies out there, and finding the ones that are legitimate, certified therapeutic, organic ones out there.  And if they don't follow those guidelines, as well as only contained in dark bottles, then they are cheap, artificial knockoffs.  There are hundreds of them out there, but if you don't find the true ones, you won't have the true beneficial benefits the "real" essential oils that God provided us through the flowers, plants and trees He provided us as natural
medicines.

Did you know that there are over 300 references in the Bible about essential oils?  Frankincense and Myrrh are two of the most popular ones that were used for many, many years.  Just think, did they open their medicine cabinets and pull out prescription medicines, or did they pull out essential oils from the plants and flowers around them?

So while on this journey, I really desire to put together as much information about essential oils as I can, and pray that God will guide me to the best, purest ones that HE would have me use for my friends and family.  So if you will, pray with me so that I am able to find and make only God's best essential medicines and creams and butters that HE would have me make.

Have You Met Charlotte Mason?

Have you met Charlotte Mason? She was a remarkable British woman who was far ahead of our time when it comes to educating our children. She was born in 1842 in England, but was orphaned at the age of 16 when both of her parents passed away. It was at this time that she came to truly love children while living with different families to help them out in their homes so as to have a place to live. So at 18, she decided to join a teacher’s training college. After a year of training, due to financial need, and her wonderful connection with children, she was offered an official teaching position there.

 Miss Mason was given a God-given gift when teaching her pupils. Her belief was this…“Children are born persons.” She treated ALL persons, no matter what age, race or class they were, with kindness, politeness and respect. Charlotte frequently said, “Always remember that people­­ matter more than things. Don’t say anything that will leave a sting.”

Her greatest desire was to teach the “whole child,” and not to just pour information in to them as though they were robots who were to spew back out what had been poured in to them. Her quote has become one that is well known amongst many homeschooling families now-a-days, and that is, “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, and a Life”

By “Atmosphere,” she meant the surroundings in which the child grows up. Is your home an organized, peaceful place for your children to enjoy and be content in? Where they have freedom to go outside and enjoy the fresh air? Or is your home cluttered, chaotic, and lacking peace so that your children are less than thrilled to come home? If this is the case, what can you do to change it?

As to “Discipline,” Charlotte meant the discipline of good habits, and especially habits of character. Good habits are not acquired simply by making good resolves, though the thought must precede the action. She believed that parents should make this a high priority while their children are young, one habit at a time, and to continue to work on as they grow older.

Lastly, “Life,” is the third area she speaks of, applies to academics with living thoughts and ideas, not just dry facts.

As a final thought…“We hold that all education is divine, that every good gift of knowledge and insight comes from above, that the Lord the Holy Spirit is the supreme of mankind, and the culmination of all education…is that personal knowledge of, and intimacy with God in which our being finds its fullest perfection.” (Charlotte Mason)

Kelly Benedict is a 24 year homeschooling veteran and mother of 9.  She and her husband are awaiting the birth of their 14th grand-baby, all under the age of 10.  She and her family, only 4 of whom are still in the nest, live in a tiny country town in Iowa.  She writes lesson plans for TOS, and specializes in Charlotte Mason’s theories and philosophies after a year of college through True North, and using CM’s methods over the years. 

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!

This has been a very interesting past 3 months...some bad, but mostly good!!!  To start off with, we sold our house in Macedonia, and moved in to a beautiful house in a tiny little country town.  Our old house sold, and we bought our new one, all in three week's time!  GOD IS SO GOOD!!  We moved in to our new house 10 days before Christmas, and yes, in the rain and snow.  Did we put up a tree?  YES!  It wasn't up long, but it was up!  Then I received the opportunity to do some writing! Yes, actually writing about one of my loves, homeschooling!  I am so blessed to say that I am now helping to write lesson plans for "Schoolhouse Teachers," then I accepted the challenge of writing an actual article that would possibly be an article monthly for the blog, "Homeschooling with Heart."  I was one of the chosen!!  Then, to add to God's favor, I was offered the chance to write an article for the magazine, "The Old Schoolhouse Magazine," and be paid for it!!  I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of all of this!!!!!

Then, my husband surprised me by us finally being able to pay off our big 15-passenger van (which is the kind of vehicle I have been driving for the past 24 years), and bought me a 2011 Ford Explorer, which is the newest vehicle I have ever driven!  That is a total God thing!!









Then, we were blessed on Monday with a healthy, strong litter of cockapoo puppies, which is the breed I am breeding now.  Only one or two litters per year, but that is fine to me as they are part of our family, and they used to all people, children of all ages, and will have their first shots and wormings.  Mama is the mini red poodle, and daddy is a chocolate & white cocker spaniel.

Tasha is a great Mama!

2 girls & 1 boy

   











Another blessing our family has been blessed with is two new Persian kittens. One of my special babies died this last fall, and we don't know why.  I was heartbroken.  Well my friend, who is a Persian cat breeder in DesMoines, had a litter of kittens and one that I might fit with perfectly.  Well I did!  Her name is Savannah.  And then, she had a baby brother who is handicapped, because his brain stem didn't grow as it should have, so his equilibrium is off.  She asked if I would want him, and work with his special needs, or she would have to put him down.  I read and also found out that he is in no pain, will have a regular life span of 15 - 18 years, still can be taught, etc.  So, I said an absolute yes!  They are two wonderful kittens!!  I love them to pieces!  And I have 2 other Persians that are now two years old.  I so love my cats!!
         (Pixel my handicapped kitten, Sasha - top, Snickers - bottom, Savannah - right)

 



Another thing happened, my computer of two years took a nose dive (or rather the internal battery did), nearly right out my living room window!  It had been frustrating me for quite some time, and I literally wanted to throw it across the room!  I kept my patience, barely, and my husband fixed up an old one of his for me, which lasted only a short time, so for my birthday, my honey bought me a new one!!!  See, God IS so good!!

And yet another wonderful thing has happened as well...Grandbaby #14 (Ashley & Perry are the proud parents) is on the way!!!!  Only a few more weeks left and he/she will be here!  And all of our grandbabies are under the age of 10! We are SO blessed and excited!!  

Changes For Us In the Past Few Months

     This past few months has been a whirlwind!  First, about 3 months ago, we decided that we wanted to move closer to our children and grandchildren, because where we are currently living is so much further away from our children where they all live now, that I was feeling very much secluded from everyone, and even to friends.  So, I explained to my husband how I was feeling, that I never could really connect with this house since we couldn't have chickens, a big garden, or our grandbabies over like they used to be able to do.  My husband liked the "city look in the country," and I wanted "country in the country."  With not having any of those things, I was staying in the city more and more, with my best friend/sister, and our kids we still have in the nest.  I just was so lonely, bummed, and wanting to be around the people I love more, other adults to talk to, and an opportunity for my children to be around more children to play with.  We didn't have the farm animals that we used to have, no garden to spend time with, and no one in the immediate surrounding area to play with.  Yes, we have bikes, dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, a basketball hoop, riding mower, and a big pool up (for the summer),   However, even those things end up boring if you have no one to do anything with.
     So, PRAISE GOD (and I do mean literally!), we put our house up for sale, sold it, found another house in a very tiny (518 people to date), but peaceful, nice town, and also bought a new, beautiful home, and in less than 3 weeks!!!  God is so good!!!  Oh my gosh!  And so faithful!!  YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE "FAITH!"  NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES LOOK LIKE!!  And TITHE!  It's really God's anyway!  So hopefully, by the middle of next month, we will be moving!  I am so excited!  It is a gorgeous home, double lot yard, heated garage that holds 4 vehicles, a shed, and we are so blessed!  For God selling ours, and Him finding this one for us, when we almost made a huge mistake and bought a different one.  :0)
     Also, officially as of today, our granddaughter we have been raising since birth, was diagnosed as having high spectrum autism, and having ADHD.  Her pediatrician felt this was the case about 6 months ago, but we had to have her professionally diagnosed by the specialists at Monroe Myer Institute in NE first.  Well it is official, so now we can get her the specific help she needs, and encourage her progression so that she will be able to function as a normal adult one day.
     ANOTHER blessing from God, is that our 3rd oldest daughter, Ashley, and her husband Perry, are having another baby!!!!!  WE ARE SO THRILLED!!!!!!   Grandbaby #14!  (And 6 more in Heaven). 

Minecraft - the Game

     Our children have been playing the game Minecraft.  I typically try to limit time on their electronics, but I was impressed when I found this article about the educational benefits of them playing this game.  Here is the review, taken from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

Why buy?

LearnToMod is the perfect way to channel your child's passion for Minecraft towards a skill that they can nurture and develop as they grow up. Professions in computer science are not only some of the highest paying jobs out there, they are also some of the highest satisfaction jobs! Because computer science isn't being taught in most schools, these jobs are ripe for the taking.

What is included?

Tutorials, videos, and puzzles guide students through basic and complex mod building; soon students will be dreaming up and creating their own mods from scratch. Today's purchase will give your student access to the LearnToMod software and their own private Minecraft for 1 year.

Modding Studio
The studio is where you bring your ideas to life with code. It's where you write your mods. You get to choose from two powerful programming languages. You can even share your code with others and remix code that others have written.

Private Server
Test your mods on a private server. Invite friends to play too. You control everything about your server: The weather, the time of day, who's banned and who's not. You can install texture packs. And, of course, you can mod it with mods you've written.

Lessons
Even if you've never coded before, you can learn to mod. We have hundreds of video lessons, puzzles, and quizzes to teach you. Unlock cool badge and start leveling-up as a coder. Soon you'll be designing and coding multi-player mini-games of your own."

NY Teen Tyler Madoff Killed While Kayaking In Hawaii; Family Blames Colorado Tour Group

Parents, beware of who, and where, your children are with.

HONOLULU (AP) — Lawyers for the family of a New York teen killed during a kayak excursion in Hawaii last year said Tuesday that the trip's organizers didn't properly vet or train its leader.

Lawyers for the family of Tyler Madoff, 15, said Tuesday in federal court in Hawaii that Bold Earth Teen Adventures ignored or didn't know about marijuana and alcohol use by trip leader Andrew Mork, and ignored safety rules for a state park on Hawaii's Big Island where Madoff died when he was swept out to sea.

"This young man never, ever, ever should have been in charge of children," said Loretta Sheehan, an attorney for Tyler's father, Michael Madoff.

Lawyers for Mork and Colorado-based Bold Earth Teen Adventures declined to comment to The Associated Press after the court hearing in Honolulu.

The details surfaced as attorneys argued whether potential punitive damages in the wrongful death lawsuit would be guided by Hawaii or Colorado laws.

U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway has already ruled twice this year that the case must move forward in Hawaii and not in the state where Bold Earth is based. She said she would likely decide by next week on whether the case would be governed by Hawaii laws on punitive damages, which are less favorable for defendants than in Colorado.

"What happens if every company that offers recreational activity in Hawaii decided to incorporate in Colorado and incorporate at least some activities in Hawaii," Mollway said.

Douglas Stevens, a lawyer for Bold Earth, said Madoff's family agreed in their contract arranging the trip that issues would be resolved under Colorado law. He said the language was clear in the contract.
Mollway previously rejected a similar argument the company made for moving the case, saying the contract's clause was not enforceable.

Sheehan said Tuesday that Bold Earth didn't perform a proper background check on Mork, which would have found three marijuana-related convictions. She said Mork was also kicked out of a bar on the Big Island while there for a previous trip for the company in 2011.

Sheehan said that while on the excursion, the group took too many people and stayed too long in the park, and didn't know about warnings of high surf.

A Letter from a Reader

A letter from our reader...

     Hi Kelly:

I love your blog -- your post about your child, Samuel, was simply beautiful. It's so brave of you to share your story with us.

As parents, our number one priority is always the safety of our children. When they're at school or camp, or anywhere outside of the home, we're forced to trust them in the care of others. I recently came across this story about a high school boy on a travel excursion with Bold Earth, who was swept out to sea and died when the tour guides ignored warnings about the area. You can read more about this tragedy here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/19/teen-killed-kayaking-hawaii_n_4305555.html

I don't have a blog of my own, but as a reader of so many parenting blogs, I think it's really important to spread awareness of incidents like this that can easily occur to any family during travel. I hope you'll share this story with your readers so they can think twice before sending their children on these types of trips.

Kindly,
Sue

Charlotte Mason Writing Course

Hello CM Writing Moms,
Whoo, hooo. I am posting to let you know the Writing the Charlotte Mason Way week-long intensive will run Feb 16-20.
IMPORTANT PART: It is the webinar which introduces moms to the course (like you did) please help me get as many people to the webinar as possible. It will mean more for this group and all that creative energy is good for you and for your children. Please help by posting this on your FB and sending by email.
...

http://charlottemasonhomeschooling.com/

See More

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling – www.CharlotteMasonHomeschooling.com

www.CharlotteMasonHomeschooling.com

charlottemasonhomeschooling.com

The Fence

No Greater Joy Ministries

"The Fence"

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a... nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

- Author Unknown

Happy 7th Birthday My Son, Samuel

                          Dedicated to Our Son...Samuel Jacob Benedict
                                             Stillborn or Miscarriage?

     Today, my beautiful son, you would be 7 years old.  How can 7 years have gone past already, if I still feel like it was just yesterday that you were born?  Do you realize that you are only 8 days older than your nephew, Kaden?  And only 27 days older than your niece, Alona.  You were supposed to be born last, but were born first.  I miss you...still today and always.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of you.  I held you in my arms, played with your tiny fingers and toes, and kissed your tiny little nose. Mommy knows that you are in Heaven with Jesus, and I am thrilled that one day I will see you again, but some days, I still feel that initial pain, the day they told me that your heart had suddenly stopped beating.  I prayed, I begged that they were wrong, but 28 hours of labor later, you were born.  I don't regret one single split second for the time  that I carried you inside of me.  It was almost like "you and me against the world."  I love you my son, Samuel Jacob Benedict, now and forever.  Happy Birthday my son!!  Mommy loves you more than you will ever possibly know!

     If you are a mom who has ever had a stillborn baby that you've held in your arms and clung to the hope that miraculously your baby would take a breath, or a mom who has had a miscarriage, after already so closely bonded that it was like your heart beat as one, and lost that baby...you are not alone.  I can feel your pain, and I empathize and sympathize with your feelings.  I have been there, and I would be so happy and blessed to take your pain away for you.  Truly I would.  That is a promise I would make you if I had even an ounce of hope of making it come true.  I hurts.  It hurts like heck!  You will never know how sorry I am for your loss, or that of my own for that matter.  But one thing I do believe, is that one day, in Heaven, I will see and hold my son again.  One day...I don't ever want to do ANYTHING that would ever stop that from happening.  I know that he is with Jesus.  He is happy, healthy, content, and that he knows who I am personally, and that Jesus will take wonderful care of him until the day I get there to see him.  He will do the same with you.  God will not let your child even be alone, sad, lonely, unhappy, hungry, or anything else bad.  Only good can come from God!  So your son, or daughter, is in a wonderfully remarkably beautiful place.  Have no doubt, not the slightest glimmer of doubt, that they are happy and waiting, just for YOU!

     If I can listen to your story, pray with you, share my story with you, support you, walk you through the rough times, or anything else you can think of...please contact me here, or feel free to email me.  I will ALWAYS be here to do whatever I can, if only just listen.  I will do the very best that I am able to do to help ease your hurt.  And please know, no matter how recent it has been, or how long it has been, I can feel the pain, and am ever so sorry for your loss.  A child should never die before their parent, in my opinion.  Please know that I will do my best to be here for you.

     God Bless you, your family, and your child/children,
Kelly