Mattie's Blog and his Fight Against Osteosarcoma

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

December 20, 2018

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2003. This was Mattie's second Christmas. Taking a photo of him for our Christmas card that year was a bit more challenging. Mattie was a whirling dervish and rarely sat still. So I came up with the idea of dressing him in a Christmas sweater and taking him to Lowe's. Mattie liked three stores ONLY... Target, Lowe's and Home Depot. When we put Mattie in the cart, he was intrigued by the decorations and lights, so we tried to capture the moment. A moment that went on the cover of Christmas card 2003.

Quote of the day: Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind. ~ Valentine Davies

Peter took this photo of us during our first formal night. The ship is all decked out for Christmas. I truly believe that the movies have glamorized Christmas to be about snow and the cold. When in all reality, that has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas.

On our formal night, we went to the ship's specialty restaurant, the Crown Grill. It was highly over rated and I can see why the restaurant was practically empty!

We arrived in St. Thomas this morning. St. Thomas is the gateway isle of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It's known for its beaches and snorkeling spots. The capital is Charlotte Amalie, which was founded by the Danish in the 1600's. It is quite a busy cruise-ship port.

I can't tell you how many sailboats dotted the waters. It is an unforgettable sight. As many of the other Caribbean islands have great poverty, it is clear that there is a great deal of wealth within St. Thomas.

The island is lush and mountainous.

The view as we were pulling into port this morning. We have visited St. Thomas numerous times. The Island is known for its shopping and thousands of tourists disembark cruise ships daily to venture to the main street of Charlotte Amalie.

All the stores on the main street are super expensive. In addition, the sales people are aggressive, as they have no problem coming out and coaxing you to come inside. We tried going into one store, but the whole experience was tiring. Fortunately, we know of Jackson's jewelry. Which is located just off the main street. The store is owned by Sheila and Nick Jackson. We have visited their shop for at least three years now. You can always fine something lovely there without breaking the bank! Not to mention that this family owned business is lovely to support. Ironically Sheila's two sons live in Virginia! Peter captured my mom and I talking to Sheila.

Sheila gave me this wonderful butterfly plaque that was made on the Island. She doesn't know the significance of butterflies to me, nor does she know Mattie's story. Which is why I feel that Mattie was sending me a sign today.