Gather around the dining room table...

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, journals, diaries and more filled the shelves in my grandmother’s dining room.  I loved that bookshelf!  The shelf directlyl behined and level with my sister’s head in this photo always held some activity we could do – word games, coloring sheets and review sheets.  My Aunt Nancy’s recyclable pile from her 4th grade classroom.  We could play school or simply take one and relax.  Behind me is the buffet holding Gram’s linens, party supplies, decks of cards, dice, candles and more.  To the other side, a view to take your breath away.  Hay fields with the creek at the bottom.  Today the view would be one of the new County Route 1 zooming through this same vision…causing it to get squiggly before vanishing.  The county may take the property but the memories will remain with me.

Our family gathered EVERY Sunday at Gram’s house and for all our party celebrations.  Today’s photo is from one of Heidi’s birthday parties.  She is the cutie-pa-tootie in the marroon.  I’m that stylish chic in the blue and white – notice my wrists.  Have you seen them before?  Why yes you have, they are rubber bracelets.  Ours were a simple circle.  Our generation must have been pleased easier since ours didn’t have shapes to attract us.  How much fun!

Life is a gift from God.  He doesn’t have to create us yet he chooses too.  My Gram loved life and lived it to the fullest.  She hosted each and every party she could at her house, birthdays were no exception.  Sitting around the table, we were reminded to be thankful for all the family gathered there with us.  We don’t know what tomorrow holds so we need to enjoy the now.

As Heidi unwrapped her gifts she was surrounded both my family and friends.  Everyone around the table was smiling or laughing, Heidi brought this out in anyone she met.  Heidi turned eighteen years old the September prior to her kidnapping ~ celebrating this last birthday sitting at the same table as she had in the years prior. 

The following year we had a choice to make, we could sit and mourn in the silence of the dining room or we could celebrate…to live for the living.  As a family, we joined our beloved community. We laughed, smiled and celebrated her turning a year older. 

We chose to celebrate in honor of Heidi!

I pray you choose to live life and celebrate each day with your family and friends. 
No one knows what tomorrow holds…thankfully we know who holds it, God.
Cherish your loved ones, make memories and smile! 
Heidi did…a joyous example for us all.