A few thoughts. One, there have been few people who have asked my mom if she thought I would mind getting an email from them. I don't mind at all. I haven't had what it takes to post many of my thoughts, or to reply to most of the emails I have received, but I certaintly do like reading them.
Two. I miss Paige sitting on my lap, and how her silky new hair felt on my chin. And I can't remember what she smells like. I hope I stumble across something in her room that still smells like her.
I have been thinking about donating platelets before Christmas. It's more involved than donating blood, and takes a couple of hours. They take blood out of one arm, spin it in a machine to get the platelets, and send the remaining (still useful) red blood back into the other arm. I'm hoping to have a "Platelet Party" with some of my family, and all go together to keep each other company.
I can get more details later, but lets see how many units of platelets we can donate between now and Paige's birthday, which is March 26. I believe you can donate up to once a week. I know that the need for platelets outweighs the supply.
And finally, if you have a Paige story, or memory or picture, that you want to post, I (and many more people also!) would love to hear/see it. I'm so sad that the pictures and stories of her life are completed, but if we share each other's stories, it brings her back to life for just a moment.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
December morning
To everyone who sent us cards, or who contributed to Samaritan's Purse, thank you. And to everyone who prays for us, a huge thank you. Someone wrote to me that every night they and their three year old pray for our family, and it made me cry.
Overall, we are plodding along, our grief an ember that gets fanned, as we see things that remind us of Paige, or find ourselves in a situation that she would enjoy - like today's snowstorm. She was a big fan of throwing snowballs at Grandpa M, and I know that she would want to be outside today.
The service was beautiful, and seeing those who came for us and for Paige was a pretty amazing experience.
When I feel really sad, I remind myself that if I just wait around long enough, I'll see her again. 60 more years, based on my family's blasted genes, and I wonder things like, Did she arrive in heaven a 2 1/2 year old? Will she be little when I see her, or will she be a grown-up? I'm banking on the former. I think her days in heaven are filled with playing, and with welcoming new babies and children, and helping them feel loved and at home. There's no one better for the job.
Overall, we are plodding along, our grief an ember that gets fanned, as we see things that remind us of Paige, or find ourselves in a situation that she would enjoy - like today's snowstorm. She was a big fan of throwing snowballs at Grandpa M, and I know that she would want to be outside today.
The service was beautiful, and seeing those who came for us and for Paige was a pretty amazing experience.
When I feel really sad, I remind myself that if I just wait around long enough, I'll see her again. 60 more years, based on my family's blasted genes, and I wonder things like, Did she arrive in heaven a 2 1/2 year old? Will she be little when I see her, or will she be a grown-up? I'm banking on the former. I think her days in heaven are filled with playing, and with welcoming new babies and children, and helping them feel loved and at home. There's no one better for the job.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Directions to the Memorial Service
The church is located in Dublin, NH off Old Marlborough Road.
You can get directions from Google maps, Mapquest or Yahoo maps. The ending address should be entered as 495 Old Marlborough Rd, Dublin NH 03444. Please note that if you are coming from the east, these mapping services will give you directions that include East Lake Road. The bridge has been washed out, so please continue approximately 2.8 miles around the lake (past West Lake Road) to a left turn onto Charcoal Road. Follow Charcoal Road one mile until it dead ends, then take a right onto Old Marlborough Road.
Once you reach Old Marlborough Road, in approximately two tenths of a mile you will see the sign for Fairwood Bible Chapel on your right. Once on the driveway, the church will be ahead of you on the left. Take the left just before it to the parking lot.
You can get directions from Google maps, Mapquest or Yahoo maps. The ending address should be entered as 495 Old Marlborough Rd, Dublin NH 03444. Please note that if you are coming from the east, these mapping services will give you directions that include East Lake Road. The bridge has been washed out, so please continue approximately 2.8 miles around the lake (past West Lake Road) to a left turn onto Charcoal Road. Follow Charcoal Road one mile until it dead ends, then take a right onto Old Marlborough Road.
Once you reach Old Marlborough Road, in approximately two tenths of a mile you will see the sign for Fairwood Bible Chapel on your right. Once on the driveway, the church will be ahead of you on the left. Take the left just before it to the parking lot.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Planning Time
Hello all, it's Kerri's sister-in-law Anna, passing on a few details:
Warren Aldrich is coordinating the reception on Saturday after the service. We're specializing in warm cozy foods and things Paige loved. Since so many of you have asked what you can do to help, Warren wants you to know that he'd welcome any food contributions people would enjoy making, specifically:
hot comfort food (casseroles, entrees)
green leafy salads
French or Italian bread
If anyone is interested in contributing something, please contact Warren so he can coordinate and make sure we don't get 50 lasagnas. You can reach him at: warrenaldrich@hotmail.com or 603-562-7731.
If anyone is available to be on the setup or cleanup crews, let Warren know that too.
Childcare will be provided during the service and there will be kids' activities at the reception. If you know you are bringing your children, it would help to have you post that on here, so we know roughly how many to plan for.
As mentioned, in lieu of flowers Ben and Kerri would love donations in Paige's name to Samaritan's Purse. To donate, visit www.samaritanspurse.org and select “gift catalog” for Christmas 07. Then scroll to the bottom of that page and select “gift catalog index.” You will then be able to choose either number 2 (help save the lives of mothers and babies) or number 5 (feed a hungry baby for a week). Either of those gifts, in Paige Hansen's name, would be wonderful. Thank you.
Directions to Fairwood will be posted in the next few days.
Thank you all so much for the support you have shown. Ben and Kerri are hanging in there-- they're back at home in Peterborough, doing a lot of busywork in preparation for this weekend and a lot of resting. They really appreciate all the love, and the great comments you've left on here!
Warren Aldrich is coordinating the reception on Saturday after the service. We're specializing in warm cozy foods and things Paige loved. Since so many of you have asked what you can do to help, Warren wants you to know that he'd welcome any food contributions people would enjoy making, specifically:
hot comfort food (casseroles, entrees)
green leafy salads
French or Italian bread
If anyone is interested in contributing something, please contact Warren so he can coordinate and make sure we don't get 50 lasagnas. You can reach him at: warrenaldrich@hotmail.com or 603-562-7731.
If anyone is available to be on the setup or cleanup crews, let Warren know that too.
Childcare will be provided during the service and there will be kids' activities at the reception. If you know you are bringing your children, it would help to have you post that on here, so we know roughly how many to plan for.
As mentioned, in lieu of flowers Ben and Kerri would love donations in Paige's name to Samaritan's Purse. To donate, visit www.samaritanspurse.org and select “gift catalog” for Christmas 07. Then scroll to the bottom of that page and select “gift catalog index.” You will then be able to choose either number 2 (help save the lives of mothers and babies) or number 5 (feed a hungry baby for a week). Either of those gifts, in Paige Hansen's name, would be wonderful. Thank you.
Directions to Fairwood will be posted in the next few days.
Thank you all so much for the support you have shown. Ben and Kerri are hanging in there-- they're back at home in Peterborough, doing a lot of busywork in preparation for this weekend and a lot of resting. They really appreciate all the love, and the great comments you've left on here!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Memorial Service
The memorial service for Paige will be held next Saturday the 17th at 1pm at Fairwood Bible Chapel in Dublin, NH. There will be childcare provided, and we are hoping to have a child-friendly service.
In lieu of flowers, we will be selecting a specific Samaritan's Purse charity to have donations made in Paige's name. (I'll let you know once we have settled on one.) I am going to wear my cowboy boots to the service, and a pretty dress (when Paige saw me in it a few weeks ago, she said, "Mama, you're pretty!") and I hope people will wear their favorite clothes, instead of dark serious ones.
We're doing ok for now, and we really appreciate the outpouring of love and support that have come our way.
In lieu of flowers, we will be selecting a specific Samaritan's Purse charity to have donations made in Paige's name. (I'll let you know once we have settled on one.) I am going to wear my cowboy boots to the service, and a pretty dress (when Paige saw me in it a few weeks ago, she said, "Mama, you're pretty!") and I hope people will wear their favorite clothes, instead of dark serious ones.
We're doing ok for now, and we really appreciate the outpouring of love and support that have come our way.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
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