Prayer Circles

good morning Donna,
I know there are alot of women or men who enjoy working with cildren out in this word. i just know that when i'm at work some all they do all day is complain while they are working and counnt the days for the next day off. me i love working at the school and with special needs.i have been working with children since 1989 and enjoy every momment of it. my aunt has a daughter who is special needs and out of every one in the family i'm the only one who would take her anywhere i went. every year my cousin helps me pick out my christmas tree and i would take her christmas shopping too. she is such a love to have around. she will be 22 this year. and when my aunt needs a favor she knows she can count on me. my family don't know how i do what i do. they all think i'm nuts. yesturday i had my 5 month old niece and my 3 year old niece nd my 7 year old nephew and i was watching them for a couple of hrs for my brother and my sister. no matter what i always find time for my family. god bless you and i hopeyour day is full of bear hugs and sweet memories of our love ones.

love debby

dear Verna, I hope things worked out for you at the dr.s i'm thinking and praying your doing great. lots of thoughts and prayers for you.
love debby

dear selva,
i haven't seen a post from you in acouple of days and i hope an pray your ok too. i too am having those valley days and they really can bring us down. i pray that you have the strenght and find the courage to make it through these valley days. god bless you. prayrs nd thoughts coming your way love debby

dear sandy,
i hope everything is well for you and your faily and my god shine bright on you. thoughts and prayes to you.

love debby

Good morning my dear sisters, I'm sorry I have not posted in a few days, I've been deep in the valley and to top it all with the news and media coverage about our dear Celia Cruz The Queen of Salsa, did not help, I have been glue to the TV since friday, they had a 24 hours coverage of her funeral, I e mailed you todays article from The miami herald.
I did not go to her viewing, I could not handle it, my brother went, he was on line from 10am until 4:30 pm, when he finnaly reached the Freedom Tower and was able to pay his respects, the police calculated avoer 130,000 please attended, she was loved so many people, not only cubans, there were people from all over. may she rest in Peace.
My health has been improving since I changed medicines Thank God for that and thanks for your prayers my dear sisters.
Deb that is so wonderful of you working with those children, they have so much love to give, God Bless you my sister, you have a tremendous big heart, i know that you will pass all those exams with honors, my prayers are with you. Verna, my sister, i 'm praying very hard for you to feel better, hope you went to the Dr. please keep us updated , you know that we are storming Heaven so that you will be feeling fine, please tell Chreryl to look up for that attachment, that will give your arms a great rest.
Donna my dear sister, I thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement and your love. You know Aug 15 is aproaching and I just don't know how to handle it, I don't accept the fact that Solange went to Heaven, still not ready for it, I make believe she is away somewhere.
Sandy my dear sister, thank you also for your prayers and love and thanks from the bottom of my heart for creating this Wonderful Circle of Love, I don't know what will I do without it, May God Bless you always, i love you all my sisters, and my prayers are also with all of you. God Bless. Selva

Good Sunday Morning Angel Moms,
Dear Miss V, you're always in our prayers, and yes, go to see about your arm if it's still bothering you, and that's the perfect, ideal thing for you, the voice device that types for you, it would surely give your hands and arms a much needed rest and you would still be able to post when you're having a bad day.

Hello dear Deb, you do your job because of your love for the children, not just because of the money, you're very special and no wonder the kids love you so much, they can tell your love and happiness for them is genuine, you've been 'called' to do this work, and I bet you get just as much out of it as the children do!

My dear Donna, yes, relaxing, taking it easy, my ex brother-in-law called us yesterday afternoon, he owns Race Horses and was coming up our way to race them, so we went to watch and bet just a little, :) Hope your weekend is good too!!

Hi my sister, yes, haven't heard from you in a day or so, but maybe you need some time for yourself, and yes, soon you'll be going on your trip, and our prayers and love go with you!

Lots of love & Bear Hugs,
Sandy

Dearest Selva, You are asking so much from yourself, the first is beyond words the feelings are so strong so overwhelming, I thought working hard would help me on Mikeys first until a friend of Justins Mother gave me a letter discribing her feelings about the loss of her sister and how someday it would be better I thank her and thought I could have torn the house apart of scream till God would hear me, simply I lost it, I thought how could it ever be better and I was so Angry that this nice lady in her kindness brought it all back the feelings I desperately wanted to escape were unescapable. Feel your feelings don't try to rationalize or think there is no human answer just allow yourself time and continue one moment one hour one day. Yelling at God I do not recomend but I know he understood the pain, Mikeys birthday is Aug 9th in our time he would be 30 and it still hurts but less I don't allow myself to think anymore than that for I would hurt more and now I focus on where he is I don't look back accept for precious memories and remember it's been seven years, We will hold you close and weep and ask God to keep you safe and neslte you with his Angels and all of Ours. Be Very Gentle ask no reasons, God in his Love and Wisdom will help You in His Time and don't run like I did because it than explodes and however terrible the hurting it is best to feel them acknowledge them by doing so You Honor Solange and as I say all this I'm thinking of Verna and Deb and All Our Angel Moms God Blessings on us All and Remember WRITE we are Here if it Helps. I tried so hard for a long time not to Love and I am overcome by Love for you my Sisters. Love&Hope&Angel Hugs but don't forget the Bears. Donna

Hi my sister Donna. I am into such terrible time, I am looking forward to my retreat but then I am scare, imagine if I don't find an answer?, I am into such a mess, I know that I should be strong, and that I also should have faith, but I am still scare of failure because I think it will do more harm thant good. But I am still going there and I will take all your prayers with me, I know that God will listen to you all, so I will keep it close to my heart and mind. I'm in deep valley days, for I will not accept Solange was called to Heaven, we will have a mass on Aug 15 that I have to attend, if I do, will I accept it?, I dont'n know my sisters, for the first time in my life and can not be strong, even when I came from Cuba so young, I was ready to face whatever but I was very young, now I have no energy, the only thing I have its your prayers, so please please my dear sisters, pray for me so God will give me strenght. I love you dearly. Selva

Dear Angel Moms, ~ First of all, thank you so much for praying for me. The pain is gone, and the feeling in my fingers seems much better. I have not seen the doctor yet, but will make an appointment tomorrow (Monday). I am also going to Office Depot to see about getting the voice device. I asked Cheryl about it. She said that once the device picks up my voice pattern it should work OK. Right now, I need to finish retyping a topic that I typed in all caps some time ago BEFORE I knew there was a charge to have it retyped by an editor. Only nine pages, thank God. :) Everything [my assignment] is due by tomorrow, so keep throwing those prayers my way. :) Love to all, and I will try to post again later on tonight, after I finish working on my assignment. Deb, reading your post about working with special needs children really touched my heart and brought a big smile to my face. I spent the last 17 years of my teaching career working with special needs children. I can tell you, I don't regret one-second of the time I spent teaching, loving, and spoiling my students. :) I thank God for giving me the opportunity to give and receive so much unconditional love. It really makes a difference when you love what you do. I looked forward to going to work everyday, so, it didn't seem like a job at all. :) God bless you, Deb, and I pray your exams will turn out OK. :)
Selva, keep holding on to God, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers also. Just try to remember ... Sandy, Donna, and other angel moms who have been on our grief journey a little longer can assure you, that God does hear us when we cry out to him. Right now, where you are, you're feeling very much grief and pain in an intense way. So did we at that stage of grieving. That is the part that we wish so desperately that we could take away, so that you would not have to endure it. All we can do, however, is assure you that you are not, and will never be alone in your pain. You have our prayers, our love, and compassion to help you get through this painful stage. We will always be here for you, and you, and the other angel moms can count on that. May our Lord and Savior continue to hold you in His arms and give you those precious moments of peace, for which we pray. Sandy, thanks for being here for all of us, all the time. We love your dearly. :) Donna, God bless you, your love and compassion shines so brightly for all. :) Thanks for helping with the many posts to all our moms, for the thoughtful fwd pages and messages, and just for being you! :) Eva, Lisa, Yvonne, Cin, Barb, Falicia, and SonsonsMom, you're all in my thoughts and prayers.
God's peace and blessings,
LOVE2U, ~ Verna

Dearest Selva, I do understand what you are saying about strength, my journey like everyones is different but I thought I was strong, I learned a different strength as a child a teen I had lost most of my family and the key phrase was be stong for so and so I was twelve when my Mom God Bless her took her life, if she were alive today there would have been help, my Dad when I was nine was taken on Christmas Eve to a Psycharatric Hosp I can't remember when I wasn't taking care of them or my sis {we took care of each other} but the point I'm trying to make is a new strength came into my life when I asked yes on my knees sobbing to come into my life I couldn't make a day of Mikeys journey anymore I couldn't count on me anymore so tough so strong all the decisions and knowing this precious boy than was going to die and it took a long time and with Jesus help I've learned strength does come through tears and being scared and opening my Heart and depending on God for everything. Strenght came differently not the same as we knew it my faith wasn't in me or anyone but in every promise Jesus made and everyday I still need Him so much to face everything and as time has gone by I've gotten stronger and still get scared not for me that is in Our Precious Lords Hands but for my sis whose challenges are many for my friend who is suffering emotional abuse for being there for when a friend was dying but I didn't go it alone when I came to this group of Loving Sisters, whose understanding and Love has opened my Heart so much I've written and delivered ulogies at friends funerals but there isn't anything I do that I don't go and talk to Jesus and ask Thy will Father not mine. You will make it and no, your taking risk big steps and facing the Hardest Loss a Mother can face or Father for you were both to Dear Solange yes being scared isn't fun but go to Our Heavenly Father and know He LOVES You wether you Believe that will come but you are stronger My Dear Sister why because you storm Heaven for others and not for yourself but for all of US. I never know what to expect truly but I know that not only does God Love Me but so do a Family of the Most incredible Women yuppa that includes you Dear Selva, Seek God's Answers but for now just know you will come through that to know life again is going to be in Steps but God will hold your hand and pick you up when you fall and be your blanket but we don't ask children to run before they can walk neither does God. We Love You and God Loves You so much More and You will make it keep writing keep talking to God empty your Heart out he's not asking for us to sing and you will someday but he is asking us to Come and receive His BearHugs sweetie this is how my life became something Beautiful and sometimes sad but Joy in the mourning does come. Oh Selva you are such apart of Our Hearts Its OK and We are Proud of YOU. Love Forever and a Day and BearHugs to rock you to snuggle and to carry you to the Loving Arms of God. Donna

Missing KEY WORD JESUS. LOVE TO ALL DONNA

Hello My Sweet Angelmoms...I thought I'd post...the past couple of times had me in such a state that I did'nt have the words..it hurts my heart to see "newmoms'...For I know what that means..it means another beloved child has left this world...I have no words to say to the new moms other than...I love you...this wonderful circle of friends loves you and cares..understands...we all know what we're each going through..I thank God for this circle...and the way he brought me here...Most important...Jesus loves you...we may not understand why our child/children are no longer with us...but I like to keep believing that one Glorious day I will understand...it does'nt ease the pain of missing our child/children...In time, I have been told..yes ,in time....I like the words to that song by Newsong;Titled"God and Time" what beautiful words...My new job has taken so much stress from my already stressful life...My headaches are not seeming to get any better...Ron is having emu eggs about me going to have them checked out..I just pop another tylenol pm...they seem to work...can one get addicted to those?anyway...oh!! ona cheerful note..my oldest daughter Lydia had her baby girl! she was born July 8th...She is so beautiful...Lydia crys at the thought of our Matthew hand picking her out of all the babies in Heaven...for we know she is truly from Heaven...Her name is Lindsey Brook...Well it's getting late..Ron is not feeling well today...Please continue to pray for us...Vally days seem to be more frequent...I know it ain't nobody but Satan....who comes only to steal,kill,destroy our joy..OH what a glorious day it will be when he gets his!My Lord.I thank you for this wonderful circle of love, compassionate,understanding, prayer warriors, that you have lead me to..I ask that you be with each and everyone of us..comfort those "newangelmoms" Father....For I know where they stand...I thank you Father for being here for me...I will trust that you will be with me all my life...In His Care I Continue To Press On.....Eva

Dearest Eva, Hi, its so good to hear from you and a BIG CONGRAULATIONS! a new baby and what a wonderful name I hope you get to see her often. Sweetie its ok not to know what to say Your prayers says it all and its ok not to say anything but what you do say is very touching and as many have said a comfort, but taking time out is ok too. You need to take care of you its not selfish but it is important, I'm glad your job is so much better and there is a beautiful Praise Report that you were able to get a new job with less stress, we will pray that your headaches stop or that the Drs can find a way of treating them, so please please don't feel bad or regretful remember you need to Heal too. A new baby girl thats just grand. Teddie Hugs for Lindsey Brook and Big Bear Hugs for you and let us know what the Drs say and know we can keep you in prayer. Its great to hear from you. God Bless and Please give Lindsey a Teddie Hug and Take good care Love&Bearhugs Donna

Dearest Verna, hoping your not still pounding the keys and that your fast asleep. Your kindness touches my heart and I too Thank God for this Haven of Love God's light shines so Bright through all the Love that is given here by All including you Dear Sister when I read your Post I am touched by Your Faith and your insight and your Love you have touched so many lives here including mine. Hope you get the voice device soon so you won't hurt your hands, Thank you for your creative letters and cards you are a computer whiz an artist with the computer and I'm still struggling to copy and paste I can't make it do so with e-mail cards but I know I just need to find how with this machine, you are always so patient and how Blessed the children were to have You like Deb and now a writer and warrior for so many at Madd, here, hoping tomorrow you will be able to rest. Take Good Care Love&BearHugs Donna

Dear Sandy, Hurrah Alexandre Metpatie took World Championsip in Diving in Barcelona it was a spectacular event to watch and He was so good at his sport the best I've seen in a long time Hurrah Canada! He made it look easy and his degrees of difficulty were high, the suspense was Awesome, ok fess up did you win or lose a few dollars and its great to hear you & hubby had a some fun and to us you are always a Winner, Hurrah Canada a new challenge for us Yanks and to the Chinese, he kept us at the edge of our seats till his last dive. Much Love & BearHugs Donna

Dearest Selva, I was wrong earlier about being scared thought on it a bit and everyone prayers helped me so much when I was sick and I was afraid when I first came here but look how Everyone Prayers turned out, still healing but I wasn't scared of the treatment just getting so sick and there you all were everyday sending Love and Prayers 24/7. When my Dr said I was so calm I told her I had a lot of folks praying for me and there you all were with me in Spirit and somehow I could see Jesus looking at all of us and smiling but I also know sickness robs us too and your body is mending after a long ordeal and alot of stress thats why we can't wait for you to take this trip, I think you will come home with greater insight even if the special answer doesn't come and you may meet someone walking the same journey. You have so much courage though it may seem dim right now You do. Sending Love and Hope and we can't wait to hear what you experience. Much Love & Teddie Hugs Donna

Leander72
7/19/03 01:59 Dear Verna, talking about awesome things happening, know we are thinking of you and hoping your coming up for air while working so hard, you are in Our Prayers as Well and will continue to be, miss you but at the same time knowing how hard you are working is good news, can't wait for the new arrival. Love&BearHugs Donna

Dear Donna, ~ I am sitting here smiling although I should be in bed. I just clicked on read a few posts and guess what? I just saw your post about the butterflies, and I want to thank you for sending one my way. Today, as I was about to get in my car and go visit Auntie Marie, MaDear's only sister, a beautiful yellow butterfly flew near me and then disappeared around the side of carport. I smiled and said, Hey MaDear. :) Then, I come here in the wee hours of the morning and see that your posts about butterflies. It reminded me just how awesome our God is, and how much He wants us to know that He does indeed hear our prayers! God uses us as His agents, to deliver all kinds of blessings and encouragement to each other and to reveal the power of His unconditional love. Sometimes, it takes a little time for us to begin to recognize the many blessings, but that is OK, because He knows when the time is right for each of us. Sometimes, it's the little things that touches us and blesses us the most. :) Come August 31st, I will have been on my grief journey for 7 years. If anyone had told me shortly after Diane was killed that the day would come when I would smile again and seek joy again, I would have thought they were losing their minds. :) I shared in an email with an angel Mom not too long ago that, I worry that I might have a tendency to take our new moms a little fast. I don't mean to do that ever, but it's just that I seem to have this burning desire to get them pass the deep, indescribable place. Having been there, I seem to literally feel their pain! :( I know you, Sandy, and the other angel moms who are a little further along know what I am talking about. So, I pray often, that God will keep me in check, accept my heartfelt prayers, and caution me often that I must remember to honor Him always, by praying that His will ... Not mine ... be done, and in His own perfect time, for each of us! Also, Donna, and Eva, :) (Eva, good to see a post from you!) Both of your prayer posts touched my heart and soul. :) Eva, I say to you, and our other new angel moms, and special day moms, keep holding on to God ... Even if you can't believe it, there will be brighter days ahead. :)
Much love, lots of bear hugs ... (Thanks, Donna for introducing us to the BearHugs), and God's peace and blessings to all angel moms and their families!
Verna
PS: Just finished the rewrites about an hour or so ago, so that leaves locating topics for the final chapters, [from old disks -- some, not labeled], and placing them on this one floppy disk that's due sometime tomorrow after 6:00 PM (Ha-ha)! Wish me luck, angel moms! :) At least, most of the typing for the first draft is DONE!!!! :) Again, thanks to all for your prayers and encouragement.

Sorry, Donna, I didn't mean to copy/paste your post again! :) I forgot to delete it before submitting!

Oh gosh, Eva, I forgot to congratulate you on your precious new granddaughter! What a blessing, and what a beautiful name, Lindsey. Give little Lindsey a BIG (((BEARHUG)))From me, too! :) Praying for healing of your headaches and for more and more peaceful moments.
Love & Hugs,
Verna

Ah, my dear sister, just read your two posts, and I know, we know, who are further along the Journey, the feeling of not wanting to accept our child's passing, the disbelief of it all, the little games we play with ourselves, during the early stages. I happen to think and believe that God, in His love for us, has created this phase of shock, numbness and disbelief in the beginning, He knows the enormity of our loss, and in His wisdom He lets us slowly come to terms with our precious child's passing. So it's perfectly alright to feel the way you do right now, it's a part of the Journey, and when He feels you're ready, you will slowly, ever so slowly, start glimpsing and feeling the reality of it all, there will be moments when it will 'hit' you, and I'll be very honest and tell you that those moments are very painful, but it's a gradual phasing in of the belief stage, which is also a very normal and healthy part of the Journey. I can't even imagine how it would feel if we had to accept right away that our child's passing is true, real, so I see the love and Hand of God in our lives in His Divine Wisdom, helping us oh so much in our grief and pain. He will know when it's time for you to slowly begin to accept it, not a minute before, so where you are right now in your own Journey, is where you're meant to be. Please trust in Him, He loves you oh so much, keep holding tightly onto His Hand. Donna and Verna gave you very good advice, there's not much that I can add to it, baby steps right now as dear Donna said, keep pouring out your feelings and pain, DON'T hold them in, because it's true as Donna said, eventually they will come out, I was like Donna in the beginning myself, I was brought up to 'be strong' so I wore my 'mask' well in the beginning, but inside I was dying. It came out, thanks to my dear sister Laurie, and I learned that strength doesn't come from denying our feelings, but by expressing them, taking that risk, and that's how I came to recognize God's voice and start the Circle. As dear Verna said, if someone had told us in the beginning that one day we would smile, laugh, and enjoy life (in a different way), I would have thought that they don't know what they're talking about, they have NO idea how I feel right now and probably always will, but ironically, they were right, but it's taken me 4 years to be able to say that. You are strong, you let your feelings out, you do reach out to other Moms here with your own big heart, you do have a lot of courage, and you will make it, step by step, with God leading you at your own pace.
He uses people or puts them in our path, and you my dear sister, have been put in our paths, entered into our hearts, with your love and concern for all, your prayers, your kindness shown, and I thank God for bringing you to our Circle, and in return, we try to help you, love you, pray for you and will always be here for you and every other newly bereaved Mom who is on these pages. God bless and be with you sweetie, and know that we are too.
Lots of love & Bear Hugs,
Sandy

Hello dear Eva, it is so good to see a post from you and find out how you're doing, what a blessing that your job is less stressful, it makes it so much easier for you especially right now, and I pray your headaches go away or you go to your Dr. if they don't. Speaking of blessings, what a wonderful one you've received from your daughter, a beautiful grandchild, little Lindsey Brook, yes, newly arrived from Heaven to be a treasure in her grandmother's eyes and heart! Congratulations dear Eva, I know she will bring you much joy.
Prayers and love to you,
Sandy

Our dear Miss V, what can I say, your posts are filled with such wisdom, love and understanding, and i truly hope that you do buy the device so you can talk and write and not further injure your hands and arm. I know you're busy with your book, and I hope it's all coming together for you!
Much love & Bear Hugs to you,
Love Sandy

Oh my dear Donna, how blessed we are that you came here, you too have much love and wisdom freely given in love for every hurting heart, you say the Circle helped you, but the ripple went out to all, and you know how I feel, and I love just sitting here and reading your posts to others, with your own light shining through.
Oh gosh, great cheerleader I am, I forgot about Metpatie yesterday, but double hurray that he won, (although I think I could beat him) - NOT, ha, ha!
I was cheering my man Tiger on, but he got himself in a little trouble and ended up fourth. (Could probably beat him on the course too). :)
As for the Races, the one horse of my brother-in-law's ran backwards for me, I should have known better, he's a trotter, and he broke stride coming out of the starting gate, jockey got him back in stride, but precious seconds were lost and I was out $6.00, being the big bettor that I am, :) But we had a good time, and I love horses, so went back to the stables afterwards and fed them some carrots and oats. Hurray for Alexandre again, sorry now I missed it.
Lots of love and Bear Hugs,
Sandy

Dearest Verna, I'm glad its today and this part is done for now and hopefully you will have your new device for the next editing so it will be easier{ No matter how we do its tough } but it would be good, we are all learning so much about each other and how God has annointed this Haven, for all of us in so many ways that the Heart knows but I don't think we have words, a new book a new baby a new way to look at this journey and a family as diverse and Loving as I could ever dream of and Cindy a poem for Kristinia and so many new adventures and risk {Selva} and can't wait to hear how when what was it's like and so many animal lovers and God Bless the children who have Deb and have Verna had and never truly knowing what will be next and so much Sonshine God we are so Blessed even in Our Valleys why because when I look up there you all are oh and yes Teddie Bears live here too. We are in an army of a different kind but no less formidable but certainly Loving and Understanding and it all started with a Whisper. Heavenly Father, you have Blessed this Haven and made a Family as You have Blessed Us Help Us to always send forth your Blessings and Unconditional Love for All who come Here let them find Your Peace and I pray Father that every tear every obstacle overcome is a rose lain at Your Feet and Thy Will Oh Lord be made Manifest, We lift up Our Sisters to Your Care for it is your Love who Heals the BrokenHearted and wounded Spirits In this time Father of the Heart we ask Your Blessing, Protect All from the evil one and let Your Light Shine Comfort for Our Sisters as Only You Can. In Jesus Name Dear Father Amen.