I just had to post something to the blog. I have not visited this site for many months....and I am not sure anyone else does. A friend did not know about Bruce until earlier this month and I just gave him the blog website....thus my visit tonight. It was hard, but good, to look through it a bit.
It seems so long ago....yet, so much like yesterday....when I look at some of the pictures and read the entries. I know this blog is an amazing gift to have...it's just a bit painful to "unwrap" and experience at times.
It is coming up on 18 months since Bruce died....hard to imagine it's been that long. Life really does go on....a lot of it is a blur....most of it has been painful...God has been present through it all and all of it has been worth it!
We have lived on in Bruce's absence. His absence is felt daily but the memories of his presence and love here on earth is also felt daily. We, as a family, have so much to be grateful for and we try not to forget that.
Here is what the Alexander Family is up to..other than all of us almost over 6 feet!
SPENCER: A junior at George Fox University majoring in Cinema and Media communications and minoring in Theater. He is in a school performance this Nov and stays very busy with his academics and theater work. He will be 21 on January 24th (how did this happen?) and is a tall (6ft 5in) handsome, kind and considerate young man.
MIKAELA: A freshman at George Fox University (sticking close to her brother) majoring in Christian Ministries and loving college life! She is involved in middle school ministry and outreach to the homeless and enjoys inter-mural volleyball for fun. She is 19 and is a tall (6ft 4in) beautiful, compassionate young lady.
ISAAC: A sophomore at Corvallis High School. He is playing JV football as a tight end and outside linebacker (I think) and will compete in track again this spring in high jump, hurdles and javelin (I think)....hard to keep up with this kid! He is 15 and is a tall (6ft 4in and still growing) friendly, funny young man-in-the-making!
PEARCE: An 8th grader at Linus Pauling Middle School. This is his first year as a full time student-he was previously home schooled-and he is doing great! He loves anything and everything related to sports. He took a break from football this fall and is gearing up for basketball this winter....his true love! He is 13 and is a tall (5ft 11in and just starting his growth spurt) tender, cheerful teenager!
MB: The fog of "disbelief'" has lifted these past few months for me and the fog of "reality" has settled in pretty heavy. I am learning what it means to live as a widow and a single mom....and as a precious daughter of the KING! I love God and my children and that is the reason I continue to live and to love every day. Cancer killed my Bruce and I am determined to not let his cancer kill me or my children! I am choosing to live this year and not just survive....and in Christ...ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
Thanks to all of you who have loved us and prayed us on to keep living!
LOVE ALWAYS WINS!!
MBA FOR THE A TEAM!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Tuesday Marks One Year...
This is NOT Mary Beth writing. I contemplated hacking into this blog to leave a message about April 21st coming upon us. However, MBA gave me permission to post a note about the upcoming date of Bruce's passing. Divinely, MBA and I got to soak in the rays today, while watching the OSU softball game together. We caught up a bit, and as a result, I get to share with you some ways in which you can bless the Alexanders.
**All of you are invited to join Mary Beth and the Band of Brothers in the weight room at Corvallis High School Tuesday, April 21st, at 1 p.m.
**As we remember Bruce, what can you share about this past year with Mary Beth, Spencer, Mikaela, Isaac and Pearce, that will bless them and honor him? Feel free to reply on this blog, or email MaryBeth (mb.alexander@comcast.net), or send/drop off a note to the family (5938 SW Amberwood Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97333).
Loving the Alexanders with you,
Melinda
**All of you are invited to join Mary Beth and the Band of Brothers in the weight room at Corvallis High School Tuesday, April 21st, at 1 p.m.
**As we remember Bruce, what can you share about this past year with Mary Beth, Spencer, Mikaela, Isaac and Pearce, that will bless them and honor him? Feel free to reply on this blog, or email MaryBeth (mb.alexander@comcast.net), or send/drop off a note to the family (5938 SW Amberwood Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97333).
Loving the Alexanders with you,
Melinda
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
HEADING TO MEXICO!
Well, it's been awhile since my last post-it's been a busy couple months. I don't have much time-which is probably good-so here is a quick update:
**MB, Isaac and Pearce leave tomorrow, March 5th, to go visit Mikaela in Mexico..WOO-HOO! It is Family Weekend and we are soooo excited to see her. Here is her blog, again, for those of you interested in following her on her adventure:
http://www.mikaelaalexander.blogspot.com/
**Spencer is unable to join us in Mexico (frown) because he is "starring" in a play at George Fox (smile, clap, cheer). It is an 18-century romantic comedy, The Triumph of Love, and he is THE love interest! (questionable brow furrow) Check out the website, tickets are still available, come have a night of fun, I'm sure you will not be disappointed....I don't know that for sure, but Spencer is performing....it should be fantabulous!!
http://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/theatre/current.html
**We have been hit hard this winter with all the flus and viruses going around. Isaac had influenza last month and Pearce currently has bronchitis, (thankfully he is well enough to travel) and we all shared a few other bugs in between these. The boys missed alot of their basketball season due to illness and that was a definite bummer for all of us. They didn't mind missing all those days of school, but their sports is another story!
**Isaac's freshman basketball team went UNDEFEATED this season: 20-0....AMAZING!!
**Pearce's 7th grade team finished 3rd and has their 1st playoff game tonight. Pearce is sick and their other 2 posts are out. This team always gives it their all and never gives up, so we will see!
**MB is back teaching at Timberhill Athletic Club and I am loving it. I'm hoping this will help me fit into some of my summer clothes....THIS summer! I am attending and helping with the Grief Share Workshop (www.griefshare.org) at my church, NWHills Community. I took this class last summer and it has been very helpful and encouraging to take it again. Some days-one breath at a time....most days-one moment at a time...all days-one day at a time!
Well, that's it for now. I'm off to do another load of laundry, run some errands, hoping not to yell at my kids too much as I'm frantically packing and trying to remember everything! May God Bless each one of you in whatever season of life you are in right now. Remember this always:
LIFE IS HARD....GOD IS GOOD...DON'T GET THE TWO MIXED UP!!
Trusting in a Good God,
MBA
**MB, Isaac and Pearce leave tomorrow, March 5th, to go visit Mikaela in Mexico..WOO-HOO! It is Family Weekend and we are soooo excited to see her. Here is her blog, again, for those of you interested in following her on her adventure:
http://www.mikaelaalexander.blogspot.com/
**Spencer is unable to join us in Mexico (frown) because he is "starring" in a play at George Fox (smile, clap, cheer). It is an 18-century romantic comedy, The Triumph of Love, and he is THE love interest! (questionable brow furrow) Check out the website, tickets are still available, come have a night of fun, I'm sure you will not be disappointed....I don't know that for sure, but Spencer is performing....it should be fantabulous!!
http://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/theatre/current.html
**We have been hit hard this winter with all the flus and viruses going around. Isaac had influenza last month and Pearce currently has bronchitis, (thankfully he is well enough to travel) and we all shared a few other bugs in between these. The boys missed alot of their basketball season due to illness and that was a definite bummer for all of us. They didn't mind missing all those days of school, but their sports is another story!
**Isaac's freshman basketball team went UNDEFEATED this season: 20-0....AMAZING!!
**Pearce's 7th grade team finished 3rd and has their 1st playoff game tonight. Pearce is sick and their other 2 posts are out. This team always gives it their all and never gives up, so we will see!
**MB is back teaching at Timberhill Athletic Club and I am loving it. I'm hoping this will help me fit into some of my summer clothes....THIS summer! I am attending and helping with the Grief Share Workshop (www.griefshare.org) at my church, NWHills Community. I took this class last summer and it has been very helpful and encouraging to take it again. Some days-one breath at a time....most days-one moment at a time...all days-one day at a time!
Well, that's it for now. I'm off to do another load of laundry, run some errands, hoping not to yell at my kids too much as I'm frantically packing and trying to remember everything! May God Bless each one of you in whatever season of life you are in right now. Remember this always:
LIFE IS HARD....GOD IS GOOD...DON'T GET THE TWO MIXED UP!!
Trusting in a Good God,
MBA
Monday, January 12, 2009
A NEW YEAR
It has been very difficult for me to update the blog this last month. Just the thought of celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas without Bruce was very hard for me and everything surrounding those holidays reminded me of him....it made the void so much bigger and the loss of him very painful. It took everything I had (and didn't have) to focus on the children and making it special for them during this Christmas break...the first without their Daddy....the first without my husband. This has been the toughest, most draining thing I have ever had to do and wasn't sure how-or if-I was going to make it. Not only did I make it, but WE made it....the Alexander Family....the A TEAM!
We were able to go to Palm Desert, CA for 11 days, Dec 23-Jan 3. Thankfully our flight was out of Eugene so the ice, snow and cancelled flights in Portland did not affect us! It was the best thing for us to get away and do something totally different over the Christmas/New Year Holiday....making new memories as our new "family of five". We stayed in a friend's vacation condo and much to our surprise, they had put up a tree, stocking hooks, a manger scene, mantle greenery, presents under the tree and numerous other things to help us feel warm, welcome and at home during this very unanticipated and unpredictable season. We were indeed blessed!
Our main agenda while there was.....to not have an agenda! We stayed up late, slept in (Pearce not so much), read tons of great books, played games, watched lots of football and old movies, went on golf cart rides, chased hot air balloons, swam in the pool, played sand volleyball, played hoops, threw the football around, hit a few tennis balls, the boys golfed, the girls got manicures and pedicures...basically, we all just hung out together and had plenty of down time in sunny and warm California. There were some tears, some laughs, alot of reminiscing and special opportunities for "new memory making" during our first Christmas without Bruce. The kids all verbalized on New Year's Day that it really made a difference to be away from home-it helped them to not miss Bruce so much....but, at the same time, they kinda felt bad for not being as sad as they thought they should/would be. They all thanked me for a fun vacation and a great Christmas.....just hearing those words was the best Christmas gift I could have asked for!
2008 is behind us and 2009 lies wide open before us. A few thoughts cross my mind as I ponder this:
~No matter what year it is, I can only live one day at a time, really one moment at a time...and that is exactly what I plan on doing.
~My pain did not suddenly disappear with the close of 2008, but I can hope for peace, joy and healing to replace some of it in 2009.
~2008 was a year of "survival". I want 2009 to be a year of "living".
~Bruce was with us in 2008 and even though he cannot be physically present with us in 2009, he will always be loved and NEVER forgotten!
~JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER!
Looking forward and upward with hope,
MBA
We were able to go to Palm Desert, CA for 11 days, Dec 23-Jan 3. Thankfully our flight was out of Eugene so the ice, snow and cancelled flights in Portland did not affect us! It was the best thing for us to get away and do something totally different over the Christmas/New Year Holiday....making new memories as our new "family of five". We stayed in a friend's vacation condo and much to our surprise, they had put up a tree, stocking hooks, a manger scene, mantle greenery, presents under the tree and numerous other things to help us feel warm, welcome and at home during this very unanticipated and unpredictable season. We were indeed blessed!
Our main agenda while there was.....to not have an agenda! We stayed up late, slept in (Pearce not so much), read tons of great books, played games, watched lots of football and old movies, went on golf cart rides, chased hot air balloons, swam in the pool, played sand volleyball, played hoops, threw the football around, hit a few tennis balls, the boys golfed, the girls got manicures and pedicures...basically, we all just hung out together and had plenty of down time in sunny and warm California. There were some tears, some laughs, alot of reminiscing and special opportunities for "new memory making" during our first Christmas without Bruce. The kids all verbalized on New Year's Day that it really made a difference to be away from home-it helped them to not miss Bruce so much....but, at the same time, they kinda felt bad for not being as sad as they thought they should/would be. They all thanked me for a fun vacation and a great Christmas.....just hearing those words was the best Christmas gift I could have asked for!
2008 is behind us and 2009 lies wide open before us. A few thoughts cross my mind as I ponder this:
~No matter what year it is, I can only live one day at a time, really one moment at a time...and that is exactly what I plan on doing.
~My pain did not suddenly disappear with the close of 2008, but I can hope for peace, joy and healing to replace some of it in 2009.
~2008 was a year of "survival". I want 2009 to be a year of "living".
~Bruce was with us in 2008 and even though he cannot be physically present with us in 2009, he will always be loved and NEVER forgotten!
~JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER!
Looking forward and upward with hope,
MBA
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