Brennah Turns Three... The Party

A week of posting on Brennah's third birthday has been so much fun... I'm a proud and thankful mommy... I lost a dear friend this year... And after saying good-bye to Emilee, I realized something... We need to celebrate birthdays... We don't know what the Lord has for us in life... And I have resolved to celebrate birthdays to the fullest... It might seem silly to some... But I love Brennah... We prayed for her for nearly three years... And now she's been with us for three years (And I pray, many more to come)... So I love to celebrate her and the life the Lord has given her! We will celebrate B's birthday again tomorrow with family and a few close friends... And then I'll pack away the birthday decorations until next October when, Lord willing, Leah will turn two! I hope you have a lovely weekend... And that you too, have something special to celebrate!

Emilee...

Two years ago, my dear friend Emilee was diagnosed with a brain tumor... On Sunday morning, at 5 am, surrounded by her parents and her husband of less than three years, Nick, Emilee lost her battle... She will be greatly missed...

Em and I were instant friends... We met during our Frosh Week at Conrad Grebel College back in September of 1998... I was naturally drawn to Emilee... She was full of life, wit and joy... Our busy lives (she was an architecture student) often kept us apart... In our first year, we kept in touch through a series of notes left in one another's rooms... As we moved apart, we scheduled regular coffee and dessert dates... Em and I could go months without seeing one another and when the time finally arrived, we could pick up our quick banter like no time at all had passed... She was one of my constants in the midst of a rather transient life...

Emilee and I at the Conrad Grebel End of Term Banquet, December 1998

When Jay and I got married in May 2003, Emilee graciously took the candid pictures at our wedding... She did an incredible job and the memories that she recorded for us will be something we will treasure for the rest of our lives...

Emilee at my Wedding, May 2003

Emilee and I at my Wedding, May 2003

Emilee and I spent hours talking about who we would marry someday... I was thrilled when she finally found the man of her dreams, Nick, who she married in July 2007... He was just perfect for her in every way... It was a joy to see the love they had for one another...

Emilee and I at her Wedding, July 2007

I have spent hours thinking of Emilee this week... Remembering her voice... Her laughter... Her curly black hair... Her smile... She was generous... She was vibrant... She was thoughtful... She was loved... My prayers are with her friends and family today as we all say good-bye...

Her death has reminded me of the brevity of life... Of our need, ALL of us, for Christ...

I am thankful for Emilee's life... Thankful that I got to be a small part of it... And thankful that I knew her... When Emilee held Brennah for the first time, I said to her, "If Brennah turns out anything like you, I will be more than happy." Good-bye Em... I will always love and miss you...

** Sorry about the quality of the first three photos... They were all taken in the days before digital (Remember those days) and therefore had to be scanned! **

Emilee...

For those of you (the small number!) who read my blog, you may remember a post I made last week about my friend Emilee... A few weeks ago, Em was diagnosed with a brain tumour... When I last mentioned her, she was waiting for the results of the biopsy... The results are in and as Em put it, "They were the results we didn't want to hear, but we got them anyway..." It's not good news... But I am still confident that the Lord is working in all this...

Please pray for Emilee... Pray for hope and healing... Pray that the Lord will be close to them in this difficult time... And pray for her husband... They haven't even yet celebrated their first wedding anniversary... I'm sure that this is more difficult for him than anyone else...

It's a sad thing to think of your vibrant, energetic friend suffering... But I am looking forward to seeing how all of us who love Emilee will be changed by this...

Emilee...

Last night (Well... actually very early this morning... I had coffee way too late last night!) I sat down to compose an email to my good friend, Emilee... Our friendship dates back to our first year of University (Way back to 1998) I adored her from the moment we met... She was full of life and energy... And despite being a busy Architecture student, she always had time to grab a coffee and a chat! When Jay and I got married, Emilee took hundreds of wonderful candid shots of our wedding... They are some of our most treasured possessions... Last July we had the pleasure of witnessing Em marry the love of her life... And she couldn't have picked better! Not only is Nick a teacher (Yeah teachers!)... He is intelligent, caring and he has enough energy to keep up with Em!

Early last week I got an email... The email filled me in on all the details of what had been going on in Emilee's life... Two weeks ago today Em visited the ER because she was having very bad headaches... After an MRI she found out she has a brain tumour... Poof... Just like that, her whole life, and the lives of all those that love her, were changed! In an instant... Emilee has currently undergone surgery to relieve the swelling in her brain and she's now awaiting the results of the biopsy... It's hard for me to imagine such a vivacious and intellegent person, sitting in bed, and waiting... But that's her life... For the moment...

Em has been very much in my thoughts and prayers... And what she has undergone thus far has reminded me that there are no guarantees... We must be ready at any time to walk through the "frowning providences"... It has also reminded me that we serve a loving and faithful God...

In the email I sent to Emilee, I send along the words of William Cowper's hymn (1774)

"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain."