172 days in Heaven.........
I hope you guys out there had a wonderful Father's day!!! Not much going on here at the Branch. We FINALLY finished homeschooling last week. THANK GOODNESS!!! Shawn and Hannah are GLAD to be done with school.... Shawn will be a sophmore and Hannah a big 3rd gradder!! Boy do they grow up fast. Shawn is turning 16 on July 22, so I am trying to figure out what type of Big Party to have for him. He really doesn't want a "theme" party so I guess I will just pick a color. Brooklyn has always been my "Party Planner" she could come up with anything! If you would like to send Shawn a birthday greeting you can send it to :
Shawn Durham
153 Hog Branch Rd
Mckee Ky 40447
Im sure it would make him smile and make him feel "special"
Today, Harrison's Monument is placing Brooklyn's headstone. It is quite unique, or I think it is. It stands 3 1/2 foot tall, its black, it has a 5/7 portrait of Brooklyn on the right hand side. PRINCESS written at the top. Her name and birthdate and departure date is written in her own handwriting. The guy BRAD, used some of her journels and went through and picked out letters and used them for the dates. It looks amazing. There is also a beautiful castle etched in with a pumpkin carriage going toward the castle. There is the letter B on the carriage door. There is a huge weeping willow tree beside the river , flowing under the bridge of the castle or I guess Moat with a swan on the water. It is absoultely Beautiful. On the back of the stone we had her poem put on it about what she thought HEaven was going to be like. I think that she would have liked the stone, if you can like such a thing. I am glad to get it placed, but at the same time, I am a little overwhelmed. Does that make sense? I guess in some way it makes things even MORE final. Not that they weren't before, but NOW what else can I plan for her??? I don't know. I miss her so much. I can tell you that THE LORD is helping us, but the pain is still there, the emptiness is still there. I LOVE MY PRINCESS BROOKLYN AND MISS HER VERY MUCH!
If you live in or near JACKSON COUNTY and if you should find yourself in a place that you need to get a headstone, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND for you to go to HARRISON"S MONUMENT in Mckee across from Rite AId. When we were deciding on a stone we wanted the BEST......and I can honestly say that They have done an outstanding job!!!!!!!! Thank you guys so much!!!
So Hannah has been wanting a new puppy. As some of you may know, our dog Jack has not been seen since the day that we took Brooklyn back to the hospital just a few days before she left. Kevin got Jack for Brooklyn when she finished her chemo treatments in 2002. We don't know what happened to him. He always stayed very close to home. But maybe he sensed that Brooklyn wasn't coming back, I don't really know. So last weekend Hannah and I went to Pet smart to try to 'adopt" a dog. We drove almost 2 hours....... we found one that Hannah fell in love with, to only have her heart shattered by the Humane society that was there that day. I told them that i was interested in adopting the dog named Beau, she asked me if I had a fenced in yard, i told her NO, that we lived in a rural area and that there was not alot of traffic and there really is NO need for me to have a fence. So then firmly told me that she absoultely would not allow me to adopt the dog or any dog that they had. Hannah turned around and said, Mommy, we can't get this dog? the lady then said, No Honey you don't have a fence so We can not allow you to have it. Hannah just about started to cry. I told that lady thank you and We left. Hannah kept saying But I want that puppy. Now, I am ALL for animal rights,,,,BUT had I not been able to care for the dog I would not have driven all that way for one. Kevin told me that I should have told her that yes we have a fence we are fenced in by the DANIEL BOONE NATIONAL FOREST! anywho...won't be going back there to get a dog. But we did get Hannah a puppy this weekend at the flea market. He is a little white jack russell with brown spotting on his face. He has the shortest legs I have ever seen. Kevin said it reminded him of himself......hahha So Hannah is happy and trying to figure out a name...I think she likes Scooby.
Thank you guys for all your prayers, without them we could not continue on.
The BROOKLYN FAITH TABERNACLE should be completed in the next few weeks. This is located on HWY 290 next to our fellowship Hall. It will be an OUTDOOR tabernacle, for us to use for our youth camp and campmeetings. Brooklyn got saved in July 2007 at our youth camp. Our Pastor Bro. John Gabbard told Brooklyn last fall, that the church was going to put up a tabernacle and that it was going to be called the BROOKLYN FAITH TABERNACLE in honor of her. She was really excited about that. I know that she would have loved to have seen it, I am sure that we will be having a dedication service to this tabernacle at some point, and I would love for everyone to come out, I will keep you updated on that in the future.
Again thank you guys who still follow this site..... The Branch is not the same without the Princess.... and this site isn't either.
God Bless,
Tonya
BD~ I love you princess angel girl. You never leave my mind. Enjoy the peace and happiness that you have been given. See you soon! pinky promise!
