COUNTING DOWN!!!!
That is the theme of the week.
Carrie here-
Five days left... This Saturday May 19th,2007 will be a day of finality. Both of us Marcou girls will be graduating from school. I already had my turn on that stage in cap and gown, so this weekend the family will be in Indiana to celebrate Laura. Part of me will be at the Xavier University Cintas Center in spirit though.
I asked Dad if he would float between our ceremonies to REALLY be there "in spirit". Sorry, bad joke. Dad would be proud!
Laura will be graduating from Franklin College of Indiana (GO GRIZZLIES!) with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. She got the highest grade in the department on her Comps tests. I am so proud of her! Having gone through this, I know what she must be feeling this week: panic to be finishing final projects and tie up loose ends, sadness to be wrapping up this part of your life and saying goodbye, excitement to put on the cap and gown and have your name called, and questions like "How am I going to fit all this STUFF in my car?" Lot's of emotions.
And yes, I am going to brag a little. I am proud of myself too. All that stands between me and my Masters of Education in Special Ed. is my Research paper. I will be turning it in this week. Part of me wanted to postpone its completion because of what's happened the last few weeks. But many close family and friends convinced me that I should finish....for him. He would have wanted me to. So that's what I will do.
So lets talk about feelings. I have felt over the last few days that sense of slight guilt over this weekend's celebrations. How can we celebrate when there is going to be an empty seat. Why should we be happy when there will be someone missing? We will all surely feel a void in our hearts during this joyous time. This will be our first major event without him.
But guess what? He loved parties, he loved to celebrate, and he would have wanted the party to go on. That's why there were over 500 people present to celebrate his life. That's why I know there will be a great turnout next week for his CELEBRATION of LIFE (are we noticing a theme?) That's why we'll all eat a little more in his honor. Not that we need to, though.
We know he will be there to celebrate with us.
posted by Marcou Family @ 8:47 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Congratulations to both you and Laura! It's so hard to believe that it's been 3 years since we walked across WC's stage for our graduation! Just wanted to let you know that Mom, Dad and I will all be there next Wednesday. Have a great weekend and tell Laura I said congrats!
Melissa
I love you sissy.
Can't wait to see you Saturday!
Hi Carrie,
Congratulations to you and Laura....Good Job, but how could we expect less...You are Miike and Cindy's daughters....I know it will be hard without your Dad but, believe me, he will be there with a BIG Smile on his face and feeling very Proud.
See you on the 23rd...would not miss it!!!!!
Best and Hugs,
Cathy
Let me confirm what you already know. Your dad was so very proud of both you girls (and Mike and Steve) and your accomplishments--he told me so! Congrats on both graduations, you are talented young women with great futures ahead. I was thinking of something today. He has perfect vision, now. How great is that?
Love,
Carmella
Congrats to both of you! Sorry I can't make it up your way for the festivities and all, so take lots of pictures too. You all have been on my mind alot lately, just wanted to say I love you all! Hopefully we'll be seeing each other soon. Have fun and be safe...
Cat ^-^
Let me just tell two beautiful daughters a story about how far and wide the love in a family reaches out across miles and years. Carrie, it's not a bad joke to say he will be at both graduation ceremonies in spirit. That's his perfect essence to us and the reality for him. As his last days ticked by, I was jealous of some friends who had the chance to sit by his bedside and spend some short minutes with him. But in my deepest moments of grief, quite shallow by comparison to yours...I had the picture of a field of black-eyed Susans floating around in my mind. You see, 23 years ago, I had to say goodbye to my Mom, Laura Fricke. Then a very special lady who shared some precious time on retreat with her at OLR, gave birth to a daughter and named her Laura. Imagine this daughter growing up and sharing the stage at Winton Woods High School with Laura's grandaughter, Christina Laura Black. Are you beginning to see a circle forming? It gets bigger! The first time I had the picture of a field of black-eyed Susans floating in my mind was upon waking from a beautiful dream. I had seen my daughter Katie running through a huge field of them. This was when she was a toddler and what made this dream so perfect for me was that Katie has never walked on this earth. Now watch as PappaCou guides and directs the Crew members to build an extended ramp for a wheelchair backstage so Katie doesn't miss a single moment of her time on the stage. If you ride in my VW van, you may hear some of the one liner jokes still rolling around. You see, PappaCou made sure we didn't miss out on making room in our hearts for a student from Germany. On the occasions when we gave Pappa a ride home from musical rehearsals, he never missed a beat to tell us one more thing about this precious young lady coming to the Cou'l group...I'm sure I could ramble on for hours but one last thing. Not only does Mike have perfect vision now, Carmella, he has perfect everything! How can we NOT celebrate!?! So, Carrie, as you join my grandfather and Dad as Alumni of Xavier (Christina joins that group next year!!!) and Laura, when your beautiful blue eyes shine as they always do, CELEBRATE!!! I'm sure your Dad and mine will never run out of jokes to tell each other. But we never know how many days we have the chance to open our arms a little wider and bring someone else into our circle of influence. We are fortunate to have had PappaCou to be such a fine example for us. Once again, CELEBRATE!!!
Love, Mama Black
AKA Mrs. Donut
AKA Dona
School's Out For Summer!!! School's Out Forever!
"This is Why I'm Hot, This is why I'm Hot, I'm hot 'cause I'm fly, you ain't 'cause you're not, this is why, this is why, this is why I'm hot!"
Your Old Aunty Karen is proud of all of you too.
I loved being there with all of you during that most difficult time.
Keep in touch with me, OK?
Can someone send me Elizabeth's address or email address? Thanks!
Love
Aunt Karen
Congratulations to both of you! I've posted some more in my blog. Now we look forward to meet Elisabeth and Simon on Monday or Tusday!
Love from Inger
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU TWO!!! I am so very proud of both of you!
Laura - can you believe we've made it through college???? :)
I can't wait to see all of you this week - I'll be coming home for his celebration.
OH - and if it would be appropriate, I would love to sing something for the celebration... Did Mr. Marcou have a favorite hymn or song you think he'd like to hear from above? Let me know...
I love you all.
I pray for you a bit extra today. I'll be at WW in my mind. Elisabeth has come home safely . Thank you for what you did for her, and for Cindy's letter. I'll answer later.
God bless you all.
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