~ The close of 2010 ~

 
Our life was thrown into a spiral on Sept.21 and it continued to travel that course for 2 months after.

My sweet sorrowful niece.

This is just one of the thousands of stories, to some it was just the daily headline, but to nine families and countless relatives and friends it is a day that will remain with them forever. My sister in law Danielle Baldwin and her four young children were one of those families effected by the horror of Tuesday September 21, 2010. That was the day a helicopter carrying her husband, LTC Robert F. Baldwin and eleven other men crashed in Afghanistan. Rob and eight others lost their lives on that day. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, there were many in attendance.....he had died a hero and we mourn the loss.

Danielle has such strength

I have tried to write many times...I had many drafts saved, but it just seemed so unimportant, I would start and never finish. When we got home from Arlington, we tried to fall back into our daily routine. I had a hard time when it was quiet, my thoughts would wonder to Rob, to Danielle, the kids and all those left behind in the wake of the tragic event. The poor men, left behind to pick up the pieces and having to continue to serve and complete their mission as if nothing had happen. I prayed Danielle would have the strength and energy to be the full time mother, as she had been before. Things would never be the same.

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In the next coming weeks we learned Tim would be laid off. What were we going to do? How would we get by? Question after question flooded my mind. I was glad Tim wasn't home when I found out...glad I had sometime to accept it, to get the tears out, so I could be there for him (if he needed) when he came home. He was only out of work for a month, maybe a little longer. We felt very blessed, in today's economy, it could have been so much worse. God was good to our family!

Hanging Ornaments

        Christmas was wonderfully simple and he worked Christmas night. The kids were sad, but at least he had the morning off. New Years was the same, but memorable. I was truly thankful for all we had.

When thinking of the unexplainable I am reminded of a quote given to me by a dear friend, after the loss of my brother..."The greatest grace God can give someone is to send him a trial he cannot bear with his own powers – and then sustain him with the grace so he may endure... to the end and be saved.

                                    ~St. Justin Martyr

Daddy making cookies with the family