This week ahead is one I have been told to anticipate and plan for. Plan on doing things that will have meaning and help us absorb that it is has truly been a year since that first phone call from Kristin saying, "Laurie didn't show up for the astronomy exam."...

At first I did not think I wanted to go down to Lake Michigan but I have changed my mind. Kristin and I are going to meet after her class and be down there around 11:30 or so. The time on a receipt we found in the Jeep showed Laurie stopped and bought some orange juice at a little shop not far from where she left the Jeep at 11:32AM that day. The Jeep was parked by the Art Institute; did she visit there? We won't ever really know but I like to think that even in her confused state of mind, she chose to look at beauty in her final hours. If others choose to join us by the lake, I think that would be fine.

I wrote about maybe doing a balloon launch back on February 7th and that is what we are going to do. Since we have a helium tank and plenty of balloons and this was Laurie's home all her life, it is logical that we will release balloons from 921 Belmar Lane. 5:00 PM is the time we would like to do this since it is still light and one more piece from her note, she had waited until dark to go to the lake. In Greg's blog he wrote about Ashley taking some of Laurie's ashes to be sprinkled at Disney World at the same time. I like that idea.

The balloons will have Laurie's card attached and as we release them, I think it would be great if we could express some memory of Laurie or some way she influenced us. And it is my hope that those balloons land somewhere to be found by someone who needs to hear her story. We plan on having dinner here for whoever wants to join us. If this is something you want to do, please know you are invited. And for those who don't live close by, maybe you can print the card and do your own little ceremony.

And the last piece of that day reflects Laurie's love for reaching out to the homeless. Our recent PADS update, among many needs, said there was a need for 25 lunches on March 2nd to be given to those guests who will stay at Willow PADS site this Thursday. The lunches are given to the guests as they leave early Friday morning. The sacks can be decorated with verses, stickers etc. I think some of Laurie's written words would be perfect to add to the lunchbags.

And in the sadness, there is joy. Joy in a life well lived, a young woman who had love for her family, love for her friends, love for the Father and Son. Twenty amazing years. And it is a time to celebrate other lives, too. Our dear friend John's birthday is March 2nd and so is our new little World Vision daughter, Lizzie Kahata. (See my Jan. 18th blog) She will be four. May her life be blessed.

Okay, I'm ready, I think...