Serge Wins Counties Again & Today is Two Years

So two weeks ago Serge won counties for a second year. He was severely cramping in his hand and legs, fell on the ground, and  when he got up his legs were so stiff from cramping that he could hardly move. He just played UNBELIEVABLE tennis!!! It was just amazing. I have never seen him play so well.

He suddenly developed a sore throat before the cramping started. I ran out and found a Rite-aid 5 minutes away. Bought him orange juice, Emergen-C, and Vit. C throat lozenges. The runner up is a solid player, and it was so nice to see them both enjoying playing with one another. When coach came around asking if I or others had anything salty, his opponent's grandparents gave him a can of almonds! The nicest, most gracious family.  What a joy to see young players who are honest and good. What a joy to see people who just wished the boys well. Now that's the way to play tennis!

So 9:16 this morning brought in the 2nd year mark for Ken's passing. Luckily there wasn't much going on at work this morning, because I welled up a few times. My students didn't see. I was so glad that it wasn't hectic. A quiet day otherwise. We watched 'The Secret' at the end of the day. It is a feel good, inspirational movie based on the book. So what started out as a possibly weepy day, turned into a beautiful day full of wonderful memories. I turned on Jim Brickman Radio for the class, and it set the tone for a peaceful and uplifting day.

Then a retired priest from our church and his wife came over. They wanted to give me something. They had no idea that it was Ken's 2 yr. anniversary of passing, but it was providencial. Fr. was upset that he hadn't checked his calendar, but I was tickled over the visit. They are an elderly couple who are two of the most wonderful people you could ever meet, placing smiles upon all faces, young and old. He said a couple of prayers for Ken in Heaven, and us here on earth.We are truly blessed.Having Fr. and his wife come over for nice conversation and special things topped off our quiet day.

We truly must find the good in every day. Sometimes it may be difficult, but I always wake up saying thank you, and fall asleep saying thank you. If I am cranky and can't find much to be thankful about I thank God for my family , cats, and tulips and lilacs, my favorite flowers.

Got a terrific fortune in my fortune cookie today. At first I thought it was the silliest thing, and then I re-read it.

                        Fear came knocking at my door. Faith answered it. There was no one there.

With faith, fear is gone. May you have a faithful and blessed day.

Love you, Ken!     xoxoxo

Serge Wins Counties!!!

A very sweet victory was had by Serge, sophmore, playing #1 Boys Singles for his HS Tennis Team. 3-6,6-0,6-3.

Serge had won a thrilling match during the season with another school, but injured his arm. So when he played this opponent the 1st time, his hand started to cramp, and he lost the match. When they met again, they had split sets, and were 4-all in the 3rd set. That's when the same hand cramped so badly that Serge could not even hold his racket, and had to retire. He felt so badly.

But this opponent's coach would cheer all of Serge's errors/faults. She was loud and constant. I said something to Serge's coaches, and at the 2nd meeting, Serge said something to another player watching in the sidelines who was doing the same 'bad cheering' as the coach. He had had enough and said something to this teammate of his opponent, who's coach was right nearby! She proceeded to say something to the effect of, "Yeah, that's , uh, not the right thing to, uh, do..."

And who was the boy's coach? His mother!!!

It was great having Jeff come and support him, although he blames Serge for not being able to get to Costco in time before they closed, because of the 3 setter!!! Hahahaha

Serge had dedicated the match to Ken.

So, next week Regionals!! Yoo Hoo!

Ken is surely smiling down from Heaven.

Palm Sunday & Pussy Willows, Poetry, my Anniversary, & the Day I was Born

"He was my North, my South, My East, My West, My working week and my Sunday Rest"

A.H. Auden (from the book-About Grief)

"Poets touch things that are difficult to touch, things like the indignities of grief, and in so doing, reteach them their loveliness ." (from -About Grief,by Ron Marasco & Brian Shriff)

Poignant words do not always attest to the facts of truth. And search for truth we must.

The everyday, the simple, ordinary moments. The space between the lines.

The silence between the notes.

For it is in these simple, ordinary moments that we create the truth in our lives.

And this truth is based upon the sacred details, that once gone, make up a life.

What is held dear, this is what translates from one person to another.

From one generation to the next.

And then the poignant moments appear, as if in an instant to clarify our emotions and values

that we hold dear.

Some people never have these moments, and isn't that a shame?

Why cannot we learn to cherish the ordinary, to be satisfied with taking out the trash,

when we share chores with family, when we share roles in life at work or amongst friends?

For after all, life is in the living, and dieing is in the details of life remembered.

Are we not all an experiment? Life to each is an experiment.

What propels someone to cherish the ordinary if their life has been full of chaos, disarray, anger, lack of love?

Please tell me that you can help another in time, in life, or perhaps with just a smile

or a word to show that one person at that exact time that there is good in the world.

Seek and ye shall find. Ask, and you shall receive.

Search for truth, no matter what in all you do,

and even the simplest among us can change the world.

I'd rather go down trying, then living without the hope of any real truth.

The world would not make sense if there was no God.

And even the least among us can find hope, faith, God in the smallest details of the day.

Would that I could elicit a wealth of care that transcends generations and cultures.

For maybe, I have something to say that you want to hear.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

I am the student, and the teacher is life.

I am the student and the teacher is God.

3/23/ll Lydia

Happy Palm Sunday. I was born on Palm Sunday. And today is my anniversary. It would have been 28 years. And did you know that in Russia, they didn't have palms, so they received pussy willows on Palm Sunday? Today my aunt and uncle brought in fresh pussy willows from their yard for all the church. What a treat. I love pussy willows. And, did you know that there is a black pussy willow? I just found that out this year at a flower and garden show in March.

Blessings to all.

Good News...

...Somehow, while checking messages at work on my cell phone, I heard my sister's message which had been deleted, since my counter went to 0. So how did it come back on along with Ken's 2 messages?

Maybe an angel had something to do with it. It was gone, and then it was there.

Have a good night.

Deleted Voice Mails

I'm Miserable. My 2 saved messages from Ken on my voice mail are no more. Wanting to delete one that I just got, I pressed clear, and it cleared all. Being tired, I pressed it before I could save it.

I actually had them saved recently to a CD from an outside source through my cell phone company. But, I liked to listen to his soothing voice at times when I got another voice mail in. So, I will try to record them back onto the phone from the CD while playing it in my computer. Of course, the quality may suffer.

Thank God I actually saved his voice messages to the CD.

It actually took immediate tears and some foot stomping- all of about 1 minute, before I called Verizon to see if I could retrieve them. But, no such luck. In the future, just press 1 before hanging up and it can be saved.

Such is life. Goodnite.

My Daughter Alex , and Relay for Life

As many of you know, my husband passed away last year. He had Stage IV Lung cancer. My oldest, Alex, has been doing Relay for a while. Please check out her pages and pass along to anyone you care. Thank you so much for your time .

Sincerely,

Lydia

My Reason to Relay

June 2011 will be my sixth Relay for Life! I relay for my father, who passed away in May 2010 from lung cancer, my friend Michael who was only 19 years old when he passed away in 2005 from brain cancer, and everyone else who has been affected by this terrible disease.

Please make a donation to the American Cancer Society to help us all live in a world with less cancer. Everyone has been affected in some way, whether you: have or had it, were a caregiver, knew someone with it, or even had a friend who knew someone with it. Your donation no matter how small can help so many people!

Won't you please donate today?!

THANK YOU!

- Alex

If you are unable to view the message below, click here to view

This year, over 1.4 million Americans will hear the words ‘You have cancer’. I know too many people who are touched by cancer, and that is why I have joined the American Cancer Society on a mission to save lives and create a world with more birthdays by participating in the Relay For Life in my community. At Relay For Life we celebrate loved ones who have won their battle against cancer, remember those who are no longer with us, and fight back against this disease that touches so many. I am determined to make a difference, and I hope you will join me. I will be walking on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Sherwood High School in Olney, Maryland. Please, support me in my efforts by using the link below to visit my personal web page and make a donation. Every dollar raised brings us one dollar closer to a cure, and to a time when the number of people who have to hear the words “you have cancer” is zero. Thank you so much for your support. Together, we ARE saving lives and creating a world with more birthdays! Thank you for your donation, no matter how small! - Alex Click here to visit my PERSONAL page. If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=5001491&pg=personal&fr_id=33333&fl=en_US&et=gGuotNsxJgsetn3f-KpnYg..&s_tafId=689784 Click here to view the TEAM page for Aspen Hill Club If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=849887&pg=team&fr_id=33333&fl=en_US&et=pTvI3mr7YRsfwnJKwbMa-w..&s_tafId=689784 This message has been sent by a friend who thought you would be interested in information about the American Cancer Society's special events. If you no longer wish to receive emails messages sent from your friends, family members or colleagues on the subject of the American Cancer Society's special events, please click here or paste this URL into your browser:http://main.acsevents.org/site/TellFriendOpt?action=optout&toe=78b9411dbc3787bfb2362da26e26a935174d5c9fa14c5eff Copyright 2010/2011 © American Cancer Society American Cancer Society | www.RelayForLife.org | 1.800.227.2345 250 Williams Street, Atlanta, GA 30303

31 Years ago today, My Dad Died...1 Year ago today, Ken came home for Hospice

31 years ago today at 5:45 am I received a phone call. I thought that it was a subbing call, but then I looked at the clock and saw how early it was. That wasn't good. My super, well loved father passed away at 52 from fibrosis of the lungs, due to too much radiation treatment for his Hodgkin's Disease.

The radiologist was an awful man. My father was a civil servant, with average pay for the day. The doctor told him,"You took a mortgage out for your home, you took a loan out for your car, I'm not waiting for Blue Cross-Blue Shield, take a loan out to pay me."

I loved my father to the ends of the earth. He made us feel as if all four of us were his favorite. I always figured that if I was 1/2 as good a parent as my Dad was, that my kids would turn out all right. *

So it did not slip my mind in the least when we found out that Ken would come home for Hospice a year ago today. It compounded the memory date, emblazoned it in my heart and soul forever.

Of course, we were hoping to heal Ken. And, after all, while home in Hospice, he got rid of his hematuria, 2 colds, and started to gain weight/eat & drink more, ever so slowly. But then he made a drastic turn for the worst, his body temperature plummeted to 88 degrees, and then the following day, his final day here on earth with us in May, to 87 degrees. He was 55.

My sister said that he had 1 foot in heaven , and three here on earth. That so described Ken. He did not want to leave. But, alas, it was not his decision to make , but it was the decision of the man upstairs.

This is the last nice photo smile that Ken gave us , Thanksgiving Day, 2009, the day before the stroke. He's holding up that smile for us. Shortly after the photo was taken, while driving back to his sister's place, I had to stop the car 3 times for him to vomit. That fall was so uncomfortable for him. His oncologist had swine flu, and he picked up a nasty virus w/the last chemo treatment that he had had.

He tried so hard to have a nice , normal Thanksgiving dinner. Poor baby.

West Side Tennis Club.
Our beautiful children at their cousin's wedding last September.
* I feel awful, but I do not have any photos of my Dad on the computer. So many to scan. He was the best Dad anyone could've had. No lie.