Hallmark...

Today I went to the Hallmark store to pick up some cards. By the way this is Mom's favorite store. I could literally set her free in there and she would stay for hours...LOL. I found it to be so much harder than I thought it would be. I was really having a difficult time in there. Christmas decorations were everywhere and their boxed holiday cards were on display. Oh, how I wish I could go the the Hallmark store with her just one more time. How I could tell her that she has enough cards and that she didn't need any more stickers.

Hallmark has out this year's Singing Snowman and friends. We have the whole collection so how could I pass it up? I couldn't and Mom wouldn't want me to....so here's to our new Christmas decoration!

~Christine

"Where Are You Christmas"

FAITH HILL LYRICS

"Where Are You Christmas"

Where are you Christmas

Why can't I find you

Why have you gone away

Where is the laughter

You used to bring me

Why can't I hear music play

My world is changing

I'm rearranging

Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas

Do you remember

The one you used to know

I'm not the same one

See what the time's done

Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here

Everywhere, oh

Christmas is here

If you care, oh

If there is love in your heart and your mind

You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas

I know I've found you

You never fade away

The joy of Christmas

Stays here inside us

Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas

Fill your heart with love

The stockings were hung...

So the decorating is in full swing at the Rojas/Heredia household and that means it was time to hang the stockings. Did we hang Mom's stocking you ask? Of course we did. It wouldn't be Christmas with out it...

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;"

~Christine

Just because I decorate doesn't mean I don't care...

I was a little unsure if I should decorate for Christmas. It was Mom's favorite holiday. She loved everything about it...the cold weather (snow), the music, the decorations, the lights and most of all the cards. She LOVED writing Christmas cards. Every year we would go to the Hallmark store and she would convince us that she needed just one more box of cards...oh, and the stickers. If you were one of the lucky ones to get one of her cards you know what I am talking about. She would put stickers all over the envelope. She also signed the cards with everyones name on it...that includes all of our cats and dogs. So as I started to sort out the decorations I decided that decorating is just what was in order. I also found Mom's card box...a huge storage bin with all types of Holiday cards, pens and of course stickers. Will I send out cards?... I guess I have to ... Have to carry on the traditions ... Have to decorate just like she would have wanted... Have to celebrate even though it breaks my heart to do it without her. But it's what needs to be done and I accept the challange but oh what a challenge it will be...

~Christine

Let Us Pray...

Please Pray for Our Family on this Thanksgiving Eve...That we will be comforted by the memerios of loss who have passed and those who can not be will us.

Please pray for our Father/Step Father that he be healed in mind and body.

That while he spends the holiday in the hospital,

that he too be comforted by the memories of his family.

Please pray that while we may not be all together on this holiday

that our hearts will be together as we gather to celebrate.

~Amen~

The tears keep flowing...

Well for the last two days John & I have had our moments. Sudden and unexplained sadness comes over us and we break down. Our dear friend Irene says that it's the anticipation of the upcoming holiday and she is so right. Right now John is making a list of things that we need to buy for tomorrow, Thanksgiving. If my Mom knew that we waited less than 24 hours to make a list, let alone shop she would hang us. Oh, and if she knew that we waited till last night to get the turkey she would scream. We took out Mom's pink book (she used this to make all of her holiday shopping lists and menus) and what do we find...the Easter menu. Sad...but glad to have and a list that we will never throw away.

What we have learned over the past week...We can not listen to Christmas music...the slow stuff...not yet...makes us cry.

I know that we will get through tomorrow...we may have our moments...but it's okay. Okay to miss her...okay to laugh....and, okay to cry.

~Christine

As Thanksgiving approaches...

As Thanksgiving Day approaches
Our blessings we recall;

The things we are most thankful for,

We recollect them all.
You are so very special, In all you said and did.

You’ve made a difference in our lives;

We’re so thankful for all you did.

Five Months Today...

It's been five months today that you have been gone.

The seasons are changing the weather turned cold.

Our lives are so different knowing your not here.

It doesn't seem fair that you can't be here.

But God has his reasons we all must trust

He knows what he is doing even though its so tough.

Each day we go on as our pain starts to heal

We miss you so dearly and wish you were still here....

~Christine

Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

That's right tonight on TNT @ 8:00 p.m. they are airing Mom's all time favorite movie The Wizard of Oz (her second most favorite would be Lord of the Rings). She LOVED this movie and she even had the privilege of meeting one of the Munchkins and got her autograph. That day she was on cloud nine. I can remember as a child when The Wizard of Oz was on we would all gather around the television to watch. It made for a very exciting evening. Do you think Mom had anything to do with this being on the night before her five month anniversary of her passing?? Could it be that she was thinking ... there's no place like home...

~Christine

A Tribute to Mom...

Steven got this tattoo in honour of Mom. It reads:

In Loving Memory

Judith Heredia

The tattoo is of a Rose...which was her favorite flower and middle name. It has a rosary bead around it with a cross at the end however, if you look closely the end of the link is broken.

"Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same; but as God calls us one by one the chain will link again"...

~Christine

All Souls Day...

Friday evening, November 2, 2007, we attended Mass for All Souls Day. I have not been to church since Mom passed. I walked in, was handed the pamphlet, opened it, saw her name in black and white and walked right out. I had lost it. It was so much harder than I thought it would be. Once I regained my composure I went back in and sat with the family. It was a beautiful Mass and the Priest had some very comforting words…"You can sit around and cry or you can live the life they would want you to live”… Sure is easier said than done...

~Christine