Tag: Family

An Easter Sunday in Isolation…Separate But Not Alone

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This Easter is like no other we have ever experienced. I should have been singing in the choir at our 11:00 service, marking my first Easter singing with the treble choir at church. Instead I sang with my family of three as we sat on the couch in our family room streaming Zion Lutheran Church St. Charles’s worship service through our TV. While COVID 19 shuttered the doors to physical church buildings around the world it did not cancel Easter or close church. It didn’t stop us from getting out our alleluia shakers and saying He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!

Although this Easter was different in so many ways, at the same time it was oddly familiar. As we sang all of the Easter hymns I grew up with, from the opening hymn, “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” to “This Is The Feast” to the closing hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Alleluia,” I was transported back to my childhood. To an Easter where I worshiped with my parents and maternal grandmother at Zion Lutheran Church in Belleville. It could have been any Easter in the early 1980’s. I would have been in elementary school, third, fourth or fifth grade, it doesn’t matter as they would have all been the same. Me wearing a dress that I couldn’t wait to get out of, sitting uncomfortably on the hard pew daydreaming about the Easter eggs, candy and toys that would occupy the rest of my day. But the music always drew me back in. As we sang from the blue LCMS hymnals I hung onto every note. My mother’s beautiful voice, the organ and occasional trumpet, brought me comfort and embraced me with loving arms. God didn’t bless my grandmother with an angelic voice but as a life long Lutheran she belted out each note with Lutheran pride. I admired her tenacity and unwavering love for her church. Although she has been with Jesus for thirty-three years, I felt her presence today as we sang “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds.” As my daughter fell asleep in my lap I was transported back to the present, the first Easter in my daughter’s young life that she won’t be able to celebrate with all four of her grandparents. Although we took an Easter meal to both sets of grandparents this weekend and each one had a surprise Easter egg hunt for her in their yard, we weren’t able to be together and that bothered my daughter. It felt weird to be so close to our loved ones, yet so far a part. In keeping with proper social distancing there was no physical contact on our short family visits and no comforting hugs due to COVID 19. This historic time of isolation will change us all. And as a result my five year old daughter will grow up with a greater appreciation for worship and devotion, family dinners and comforting hugs.

50 Years of Magic… Cheers to a Golden Couple!

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Freeman 50 invite
My parents on their wedding day, June 29, 1968.

My mom and dad met in 1961 during their junior year of high school. My mom told me she had her eye on dad from the start and got his attention by first becoming friends with his cousin. (You have to be careful with the quiet ones, you never know what they might be orchestrating) Once they were formally introduced they hit it off and they have been together ever since.

Together As One- It occurred to me that besides mom’s older brother and a few of dad’s grade school friends, the majority of the people at their 50th wedding anniversary party have never known Keith without his Janet or Janet without her Keith. Throughout their 50 years of marriage they have spent only a handful of nights a part from one another. Besides a few nights away for work related conferences and the work trips dad accompanied me on during the early part of my pregnancy, my mom and dad have spent a mere dozen or so days without seeing each other. That’s 18,250 days minus a few but not including the seven years they knew each other before they got married! I guess it’s safe to say they like being together!

My mom and dad celebrating 50 yers of marriage, June 2018.

What Makes a Successful Marriage? Two people can have a successful marriage when they have a strong faith and similar tastes and interests. Mom and dad are active members in their church, they are both educators, they enjoy attending live theatre and they are Beatles fans. In 1965 they went on a date to see the Beatles in concert at Busch Stadium! But a couple can only happily celebrate 50 years of marriage when they compliment each other and that is one area where my mom and dad have excelled. In fact, neither of them would have graduated from college without teamwork, dad completing all of moms art for the elementary teacher projects and mom editing (well, let’s be honest, rewriting) most of dad’s papers for him. Mom is the quiet reserved part of their duo while dad is the outgoing one! They both collaborated in raising me, worked together to care for aging family members and over the years have created some fabulous holiday traditions and celebrations that they enjoy sharing with others.

The Engagement- On a humid evening in the middle of July 1967, my parents went to The Muny in Forest Park to see a production of Funny Girl. They both enjoy musical theatre and were fellow thespians in high school (dad behind the scenes painting the sets and mom supporting the production as a member of the chorus) Before the show began dad proposed to mom in front of the magnificent Muny with the picturesque pond and gazebo as a backdrop. Mom said yes and the show Funny Girl with the popular song People quickly became “their” show. A year later on June 29, 1968, the two were married in front of family and friends and today they are celebrating 50 years of marriage!

A Marriage With a Strong Foundation- What do you give a couple who has everything they could possibly want? Well, my husband and I thought about it and decided to get them a brick to commemorate their 50 years of marriage. A brick is strong, just like their marriage. Life would be easy if it was simply filled with celebration but during mom and dad’s 50 years of marriage the two have been faced with loss and have experienced some struggles. But even through times of uncertainty they have supported each other, loved each other and their marriage remained as strong as this brick. But this isn’t any ordinary brick just as their marriage is anything but ordinary. This brick is a commemorative brick that will be placed at The Muny in Forest Park just a few feet from where my parents got engaged 51 years ago. The Muny is celebrating 100 years this summer while mom and dad are celebrating their 50th so there is a lot to celebrate! And the inscription reads…

50 Years of Magic

1968-2018

Mr & Mrs K. Freeman

A picture taken at The Muny during their 40th wedding anniversary.

Let’s raise a glass to Janet and Keith in celebration of 50 magical years of marriage. Blessings for many more! You are truly golden together.

Portions of this article were part of a speech/toast I read to my parents at their 50th wedding anniversary party.

An Extraordinary Boy, a Remarkable Book and an Unique Brain

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I know a fourteen year old boy who is funny and lovable. He plays soccer and video games. He loves game shows, animated movies, bridges, nature and his family. He dislikes loud noises (especially fireworks), large crowds and changes to his schedule. He loves to explore new places (through the safety of the family mini van) and enjoys leisurely car rides with his mother. He is smart. He can name every exit between my house and my in-laws and knows the name of every bridge in the county! He has a smile that will light up the room and melt your heart. He is void of any sensors and simply says what is on his mind. And as you can imagine this often gets him into trouble. He has one speed which is best described as…supercharged. He has an incredible older brother who is both patient and kind and two loving parents who work hard to help him navigate the world. He is extraordinary! I love him. He is my nephew. His name is Derrick. He is on the autism spectrum.

Statistics show that at least someone you know has autism or is on the autistic spectrum. It might be a neighbor or a friend, a classmate or a family member or a little boy or girl you occasionally see at church. And chances are, at first glance, you don’t even know he or she has autism.

I want my daughter to grow up celebrating and accepting differences. So what’s the best way to help your preschooler understand family members and friends who are extra sensitive because their brains interpret things differently? In our house we use picture books to introduce our daughter to new topics. Picture books are a terrific way to initiate conversations and to build awareness and I am always on the lookout for new titles.

I was recently sent the most amazing picture book, “Stewie Boom! and Princess Penelope: Handprints, Snowflakes and Play-dates,” a new book by author Christine Bronstein with illustrations by Karen L. Young. In the book the teacher explains that like snowflakes and handprints, “No two minds are the same.” Our brains are one-of-a-kind and that is what makes us unique. After the teacher encourages the class to play with someone new, Penelope gets to know Eric who is “on the spectrum.” Eric doesn’t like loud noises so before he comes over for a play-date, Penelope and her brothers practice being quiet and flexible. They also learn how to read body language with their eyes as a way to understand how someone is feeling.

Reading “Stewie Boom! and Princess Penelope: Handprints, Snowflakes and Play-dates.

My daughter and I enjoyed reading the book together. The illustrations are colorful and inviting and the message of inclusion is an important lesson for all ages. The author reminds us, “It’s very important to play with people who may seem different at first because they can teach us new ways of looking at the world.” In the back of the book there are helpful tips for special need families as well as tips to welcome special needs families to a play-date. I really liked the friendship goal chart along with the friendship award as they are useful tools to educate children about inclusion.

People, like snowflakes and hand-prints, are individual and unique. And the way our brains interpret the world is just as distinctive. By embracing neuro-diversity and teaching our children techniques to help everyone feel comfortable and accepted; we can provide our children with a gift that will last a lifetime!

Buy the book here. https://www.amazon.com/Stewie-BOOM-Princess-Penelope-Handprints/dp/0997296275

Why I Cried During Paw Patrol Live

Published on by noteworthymommy15 Comments

My three year old daughter loves puppies and like many children her age she is obsessed with anything and everything Paw Patrol. If you have a preschooler in your life you probably know Ryder and his team of search and rescue pups that protect the residents of Adventure Bay. What started out as an animated series has grown into a franchise filled with a collection of toys and merchandise from books and games to plastic plates and underwear! And to bring the pups from Paw Patrol directly to boys and girls in cities across the world there are currently two touring live stage shows.

Now why did I cry at the show? Well, you might think I cried because spending two hours in a theater filled with preschoolers on a Saturday night isn’t exactly on my bucket list. Or that I cried because my family paid $376.50 for five center aisle seats to see Paw Patrol Live! (this included a discount my friend got us from Citi Bank) My husband felt like crying when he found out he was going to spend a Saturday night seeing Paw Patrol Live while the St. Louis Blues were playing in the arena right next to the theater! But the tickets were a Christmas gift from Nana and we all piled into the mini van and willingly went to the show because it was a dream come true for our sweet little Lillian.

I shed a few tears when the curtain opened and the music started playing and a huge smile appeared on my daughter’s face. Imagine her excitement seeing the beloved characters she reads about in books, sees animated on the screen and loves on toys and puzzles, magically come to life on the stage right in front of her! When Ryder introduced each of the pups on the Paw Patrol team she clapped her hands and sang along to the theme song. I enjoyed watching my daughter more than the show! I delighted in seeing my parents smile sweetly at their little granddaughter, knowing they had made a little girl’s dream come true! And the enthusiasm continued until the actors took their final curtain call and the lights came on.

Seeing the joy on my daughter’s face and experiencing this event with my husband and my parents certainly brought me joy. But what truly brought tears to my eyes is when I suddenly realized that my parents, my husband and I wouldn’t be sitting in this theater, at this particular moment, seeing this specific show, if there was no Lillian. My mind rushed through all of the wonderful things we have done together and all of the experiences we will enjoy in the future because of the little girl sitting next to me. I looked around the theater and every adult was accompanied by at least one little person between the ages of 2-6! I felt honored to be a member of this elite group. Membership I feel privileged to have received and that I will never take for granted.

For a brief moment I went to a dark place and I thought about a life without Lillian. It isn’t something I can ever imagine now but at one time prepared for. During our final IVF cycle (our fourth and final cycle) my husband and I had to accept the statistics and come to peace with the fact that we may never have a child of our own. I thought of the women who continue the fertility struggle and those who may be dreaming of sitting in my seat at the theater at this very moment. My husband and I would have had a blessed life no matter what the outcome but it wouldn’t have been this life. We may have adopted a child or fostered a child but we wouldn’t have this child. We wouldn’t have Lillian and we wouldn’t be sitting together as a family at the Peabody Opera House on this January evening enjoying a performance of Paw Patrol Live.