A Remembrance Video of Mattie

Thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive!

Dear Mattie Blog Readers,

It means a great deal to me that you take the time to write and to share your thoughts, feelings, and reflections on Mattie's battle and death. Your messages are very meaningful and help support me through very challenging times. I am forever grateful. As my readers know, I promised to write the blog for a year after Mattie's death, which would mean that I could technically have stopped writing on September 9, 2010. However, like my journey with grief there is so much that still needs to be processed and fortunately I have a willing support network still committed to reading. Therefore, the blog continues on. If I should find the need to stop writing, I assure you I will give you advanced notice. In the mean time, thank you for reading, thank you for having the courage to share this journey with me, and most importantly thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive.


As Mattie would say, Ooga Booga (meaning, I LOVE YOU)! Vicki



April 27, 2019

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2008, Mattie's last birthday before he was diagnosed with cancer. I grew up on Carvel ice cream cakes, and I passed that tradition along to Mattie. Well actually Mattie always had two birthday cakes.... the ice cream cake was typically just among the three of us. Mattie would get a piece of ice cream cake probably for a week, until the cake was gone. As you can see he loved it. Well at least the vanilla part of it. Typically what I would do was cut out the chocolate part, and I would eat it, and I would give Mattie my vanilla part. It worked out perfectly for each of us. 


Quote of the day: One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. William Shakespeare



This is memorial tree #4

Between doing donor acknowledgment letters and working on research items for the Foundation, we went to visit Mattie's trees and walk Sunny. I am happy we got outside. I am sorry we missed seeing the blossoms on the flowers around Mattie's trees. We plant bulbs every Fall, and I know the children at school love seeing these signs of spring around the tree.  
A close up of Mattie's White Swamp Oak. Can you see the cupcake ornaments on the tree from his birthday? There are all sorts of wonderful ornaments on the tree..... butterflies, cars, legos, and hearts. 
This is memorial tree #3

This was Mattie's third tree that was planted, as the previous two did not seem to make it. Or so we thought! This Yellowwood tree is right next to the oak tree. So we are decorating two trees now. I love the donut ornaments I found for this tree, and today I tied a ribbon around the tree. Mattie LOVED donuts and practically lived on them when he was in the hospital. So it makes a perfect symbol and reminder on his tree. 
I took this photo because it shows Mattie's grove. The two trees you see closest to the pavement are Mattie's. Then the original memorial tree location is behind the red roof. Currently tree #2 (tree #1 died completely) is there and appears to be thriving. So Mattie's grove is basically in a vertical line and the trees surround the playground, a place Mattie loved.
On our way out of Mattie's school, Peter stopped the car. I couldn't get over this site. Apparently the school has eco-goats now living on campus. They naturally eat invasive plants and other problem vegetation. That was a new one for me, and I can only imagine Mattie's reaction if he saw them!


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