I know this is a little deep for this message board but I wanted to share with the many of you I consider to be my friends how life changed so drastically in one week for us. Marlee Celeste was born on June 27th via a very complicated surgery. The complications luckily only effected me and she was perfect from the first second she came out. She was 7 lbs. 12 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. She has dark hair and is the spitting image of her daddy. She even has his big hands and big feet. The only thing which she claims as all her own is her hazel eyes. Oddly enough her brother predicted this the morning before she was born, even though no one in our family has hazel eyes. Here is a beautiful picture that captures exactly what a wonderful big brother Jackson is.
Now the other side of the changes. On Sunday July 1st, our niece was killed in a car accident. She was going to be 18 next week and had just graduated high school. She was planning to go away to college and had such a bright future ahead of her. In an instant she was taken from us and to make matters worse her boyfriend of the last 2 years was also killed in the car accident. They were buried together this past Saturday. In the process of one week we have had to deal with so much change. Life and death and the effects of both have been very eye opening. Scott and I were extremely close to our niece as for years we did not have children of our own and we would drop everything and anything to be there for her and her brother.
Live each day to the fullest for you never know what the future holds.
Whenever I start to get blue, I just breathe!
My favortie line from the Simpsons:
Flanders: "Looks like someone is having a pre-rapture party!"
Homer: "No Flanders, it's a meeting of gay witches for abortion , you wouldn't be interested!"
Boy, what a mixed bag! First, congratulations, albeit belated, on your new addition to the family! I remember my children's early childhoods, and rediscovering so many things that I had taken for granted for so long, and how they suddenly became new again, as I saw my daughters experiencing them for the first time! May you have many such memories with your children.
Second, my sincerest condolences on the loss of your niece. Nothing that I, or anyone else, can say could possibly ease the pain of such a sudden and tragic loss, but know that I will be thinking of you and I will say a prayer for your neice and her parents.
R.I.P. Andrew McDonough 9/3/92 - 7/14/07. Love & miss you, #20.
Niki, what a beautiful picture of your little ones. You and Scott must be very proud!
Please accept my sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved niece. I am sure she loved you all very much also. I pray the hurt will diminish and love and laughter fills all you hearts again.
People may not remember exactly what you did
or what you said....
~BUT~
they will ALWAYS remember how you made them feel.
Hoss wrote:Niki, what a beautiful picture of your little ones. You and Scott must be very proud!
Please accept my sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved niece. I am sure she loved you all very much also. I pray the hurt will diminish and love and laughter fills all you hearts again.
NikiH wrote:Live each day to the fullest for you never know what the future holds.
So, so true!
I have 2 daughters ages 3 and 5. Every day I hug them before I leave the house and sometimes I find it extremely difficult to let them go. Life IS very precious and in retrospect, I see all the times I have taken life for granted. Before having children, life was all about me, from my perspective, anyway. After having children, you realize "you" don't much matter anymore because it's now all about them. Children do change your life, for the better, in my opinion.
Your new daughter is beautiful. I'm sure she will bring much joy to your lives. So sorry to hear about your niece. Truly sad and I'm sure she will be missed by many. Our prayers are with you and your family.
Congrats on the beautiful daughter Niki and Scott.
I'm sorry her birth was so close to the timing of the death of your niece and her boyfriend. That's such a horrible tragedy.
I think Hoss put it best.
To quote Marcus Washington: "Tough times don't last. Tough people do." Having met you and Scott many times, I know you both will make it through this stronger than ever.
RIP Sean Taylor 1983-2007
RIP Kevin Mitchell 1971-2007
RIP Justin Skaggs 1979-2007
RIP Sammy Baugh 1914-2008
RIP JPFair
RIP VetSkinsFan
#60 Chris Samuels: 6-time 6-time 6-time 6-time 6-time 6-time Pro Bowl left tackle!
A crusher. I'm deeply sorry to hear. Nobody can imagine the depths of pain you must feel, mixed with the joy of your baby.
Only time, time, and then it will still hurt when you remember. Of course, once the baby comes out of the birth "shock" and starts demanding to be fed every two hours, you may not have a minute to think about anything but sleep!
Congratulations on the newest addition to your family. I love the picture of my main man Jackson and his gorgeous baby sister.
I'll definitely keep you all in my thoughts in prayers during your time of remorse. I sincerely send my condolences to all who were effected by such a tragic event.
I wish to take this opportunity to welcome Marlee Celeste as our newest Redskins fan. Congratulations to the proud parents! The inner dynamic in the family has changed for sure.
Niki, you have a lot to look forward to in your family. Congratulations. These are the events that get us through life.
Daniel Snyder has defined incompetence, failure and greed to true Washington Redskins fans for over a decade and a half. Stay away from football operations !!!
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter. Hope you both experience continued good health and great happiness. Children are great, which probably explains why I have four!
Sorry to hear about your neice. 18 is just too young.
