Sunday, June 5, 2016

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Tonight's picture was taken on June 17, 2007, which happened to be Father's Day. That day we walked around DC and even took our first and last Duck Tour. Mattie loved the Duck Tour experience because the bus drives on land and also drives right into the Potomac River and operates like a boat. Mattie thought that was absolutely incredible, not to mention the duck like whistles they give each passenger. It was a Father's Day we reflect on often. I am sure most people do not look at activities they do with their children and think.... this could be my first and last time doing this with my child? Unfortunately for us, we had many firsts and lasts with Mattie. 



Quote of the day: It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up. ~ Vince Lombardi


I feel that Vince Lombardi's quote truly applies to Peter and me. We were invited to several high school graduation events and parties this week. Starting today, in which we attended two parties. Back to back! It would be a lot easier naturally to say we are NOT GOING! We face quandaries like this often.... do we go and support our friends or do we play it safer and not go? After all, at some point during happy events, I always land up feeling sad and depressed. I try to move through these feelings because if I don't, I would shut out the world and with that all the things my friend's experience. 

The second graduation party we attended this afternoon was at our friend Heidi's home. Heidi's daughter, Isabel, has done a lot of volunteer work with Mattie Miracle. In fact, she started when she was in middle school. 

Heidi had set up several creative tables that truly caught my attention. The first one was this candy table. On one of the chalk boards it says... Nerd, Dum Dum, Smartie, Air Head or book worm.... which one were you in high school? The reason this is SO adorable, is the fact that these descriptors are also the names of candies! So Heidi asked us to guess..... Peter classified himself as a Nerd and myself a Smartie! Ironically I guessed Peter was a smartie and he guessed I was a book worm. I don't view Peter as a nerd and though I may have gone to school forever, I am anything but a book worm. To me this was the perfect party favor table, because kids and adults alike gravitate to candy. 

This was the second table that caught my attention. There were three things Heidi asked people to do here..... one was to take a puzzle piece and write your name on it. This will serve almost like a guest book documenting who attended once Isabel assembles the puzzle. The other two ideas.... first, to write a favorite memory we had of Isabel and the second was to write some words of wisdom for Isabel. 

This was the beautiful cake!

There was a "Big Cheese" truck that visited Heidi's home. This fellow made grill cheese sandwiches to order for all of us! There had to be close to 70 people, but he did not miss a beat. 

At the party was also a photo booth. I remember these things at carnivals as a kid. But haven't done one since. Peter encouraged me, so we went inside!