Rest in Peace Sweet Girl

"People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive.  It is as though they were traveling abroad."  ~Marcel Proust


For one year of my life I was a cheerleader.  Yes, a cheerleader.  The rest have been filled with multiple team sports but for one season in the 7th grade I was a cheerleader.  This is where I met one of my best friends, Courtney and also where I came to know a little girl by the name of Kaitlin Brown.  

Kaitlin was the little mascot for this squad.  She was a tiny little girl, very petite and maybe 35 pounds soaking wet.  She was around 7 years old at the time and was a very lively, bubbly little thing.  Always happy and always smiling.  


Over the years I came to know her family better.  They were very close with the family of my best friend, Kaitlins brother Cameron was in my class and her parents and my parents sometimes ran in the same circle.  


After I left for college I saw Kaitlin here and there.  Always smiling and still so very petite.  


Sadly, Kaitlin was killed in a motorcycle crash late last week.  She was 29.  Her family had to lay their only daughter, only sister to rest today.  Way too young.


My father said the other night, "I wish your generation would just stop all this and let us go first."  You aren't really supposed to have to bury your children.  It goes to show you how quickly ANYTHING can change and how fleeting life on this earth can be.  


My heart goes out to the Brown Family.  They are wonderful people.  Kind people.  And they surely do not deserve the heart break of something so tragic as losing a loved one so early.  I am also thinking of the Herron Family right now.  They were so close with the Browns that although they are not blood, they are family, and they too have lost a daughter, a sister.

The song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry comes to mind right now.  It seems very fitting for this very sad day.

"Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh well
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby"

I know Kaitlin will shine down on everyone and I will always remember her as a smiling little bubbly seven year old girl that loved being a cheerleader with the big kids.  

Rest in peace, Kaitlin.  You will be missed.

Catching Up

"I give thanks everyday that I've been able to take my craziness and make it work for me. "  -Fritz Scholder

With springtime comes craziness.  The kind of craziness that throws you immediately into survival or "go" mode as I like to refer to it.  You have so much going on that you literally flip an "on" switch and don't turn it off until mid summer if you are lucky.  Recently we have been in super go mode.  

After our wonderful weekend in New Orleans I had a girls night over in Point Clear on the bay.  Back over the bay we go.  My dear friend Cathryn was celebrating a milestone birthday.  Any birthday I can find some kind of milestone for is a celebration.  We went over to Fairhope for a lovely dinner at the Camellia Cafe and then ended our evening with an overnight at The Grand Hotel.  You know you are not 21 anymore when you order dessert from room service and get in bed early.  It was a tremendously relaxing evening among girlfriends and our guest of honor was given a lovely birthday surprise in that she was able to sleep past 9 am.  In mommy world this rarely, if ever happens.  

The in- between has been full of tennis matches, carpool, easter parades, and rainy day activities.  

Hunter had Spring Break last week.  The first day was kicked off with a BANG.  We went over to Dog River for a play date with a friend and her two older brothers.  The kids were able to fish, swim and even take a boat ride to get a little treat.  The weather was beautiful...............and then the bottom fell out of the sky and did not stop pouring until Thursday.  Late afternoon.  So, we ran lots of errands, went to lunch and took a much needed trip to the exploreum.  

We concluded spring break with a nice weekend trip to Destin, FL.  My sister, "Aunt Randi" came over from New Orleans and we drove over Friday morning.  It was such a laid back weekend.  Much needed and much deserved.  We stayed in a dear friends condo that was perfect for a family.  We spent some time on the beach, went for a sunset walk (and what a sunset it was!), cooked dinner in, watched movies- and that was just the first night.  Our second day was filled with lots of fun as Hunter made fast friends with a brother and sister from Wisconsin on the beach.  They played ALL DAY.  He was in heaven.  And, so was I.  I got to read almost an entire book.  That never happens when I am with my child, but, on this day, it sure  did!  After our day of fun in the sun we ran up the road to see a good friends new house then drove down 30-A through Seaside and Watercolor on a little sight seeing tour until we stopped for dinner at the always wonderful Stinky's Fish Camp.  They did not disappoint!  The food was amazing and although it was rather chilly outside, it was well worth it for the food :-)

We ended our weekend with a nice Easter Dinner at Casa Dabbs with Grandpa Mark and today resumed our busy regular daily schedule consisting of many errands, carpool and more craziness.  

I love my crazy life.