Okay Heather, Quit Pushin'...

"Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That's what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will... "

~Hope Floats~

Even before Heather died I knew the most important relationship with people was the one where you make memories. Many different people for years and years have said that our family is a very different kind of family. We give, give of ourselves, give our time, give our money and give our love. Most people feel that we are after something with our kindness. I honestly do not know any other way to be than to help out. Those that are my friends will know there isn’t anything I would not do for them.

Since Heather died all I want is to make the most amount of memories that I can. Whether this is a routine trip to Disneyland, taking family with us or going to New York City and Washington, D.C. I am eager to go with friends and family just about anywhere and do anything as long as we have fun and make memories.

I know that December, 2013, was the 5^th anniversary of being without Heather, but I was in such shock the first year I do not count that year. I count this December as being the 5^th year. So, with all that I decided a couple months ago that I wanted the whole family to be together on Heather’s birthday and to take a trip. It was my plan and idea to go to Walt Disney World and then go on a short Disney cruise to the Bahamas. I knew there was one way to insure that everyone was there and that was to fund the trip so that no one could say they didn’t have the money to go. I made it an open invitation and Lynn, her mom, Linda and Rose are coming with us too.

When Heather’s piano sold last week I began to think about what I wanted to do with that money. I could recarpet the master bedroom with money left over for something else, but I was planning that regardless. I did not know exactly how much the piano sold for. I signed paperwork for a certain price range but I was not given the exact amount. I was waiting for the check to arrive in the mail.

As I was waiting, I had many ideas go through my head as to what I wanted to do with that money. I had a certain figure in my head to be the amount I needed to do something special with the money. I wanted to pay off the three cruise reservations AND buy the new setting for my Heather diamond. I wanted to do both and I thought that it would be the best way to honor Heather, her love of her piano and make some lasting memories. I think Heather, herself, would sell her piano to take the whole family on a Disney cruise. That would be something that she would be tickled to do. The ring setting is perfect because she loved jewelry, especially diamonds and sapphires.

Today, I learned that the piano sold for the EXACT amount I needed to pay off the three cruise reservations AND buy my new ring setting. THE EXACT AMOUNT!! I truly feel that Heather is smiling down on the selling of her piano and the choices I made with what to do with the money. I truly feel everything is meant to be.

(The piano was moved to North Scottsdale to a very well to do family. Their son is a a college student at Berkeley and they wanted a piano for him to play when he came home to visit. He was home recently and was able to play it and fell in love with the sound.)

At the end of the movie Hope Floats:

Bridie is processing photos when her boss asks her what in the world happened to the photos. She looks at them and sees Justin standing with flowers leaning against a truck, as she looks up and sees Justin outside with flowers leaning against a truck. Birdie looks up and says:

“Okay momma, quit pushing.”

Okay Heather, quit pushing.