2007 Family Christmas

I hope that you guys had a great Christmas! We had a wonderful one. We spent the weekend with my parents in Manchester and I got to see Heather and her family, which was great. They cooked a huge breakfast for us and I got to see her baby neice, that looks just like her brother. We had our traditional family Christmas dinner with Ma, Mama, and Mom's side of the family. It's always fun to get together with them...it's never boring, I can honestly say!

We went to our Christmas Eve service at church, which was wonderful. There's just something about taking the Lord's Supper before Christmas...it just reminds you that Christmas isn't all about presents...it's about Jesus and his birth and all that He's done and will continue to do for us. I love our church and all of the wonderful people and mentors that are there.

Mom, Dad, and John came up on Christmas Eve and we invited Raun's parents over to eat dinner. We made a Thai stir-fry, complete with egg rolls. It was really good and filling. To top it off, we had dessert of caramel popcorn, cheesecake, and gingerbread men. We played games well into the night and we learned that Mom would make it well in Vegas.

It was great to wake up with my family still here. It made it more fun to have other people here, instead of just me and Raun. We made a big breakfast and then opened presents. John did the honor of reading the Christmas story this year, which is always enjoyable. And yes, we even watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...a yearly tradition.

Raun and I left to go in the afternoon to go spend Christmas dinner with Raun's family. It was great to see everyone and to play the family games. I realized that I'm not so good at games when I'm tired, though. I have a very small window of opportunity after 7:00 p.m. We got to see all of the nephews and our neice, which was fun because they liked to make fun of their great-grandma's....until we reminded them that they are going to be like that one day! They are so much fun to be with!

I think New Year's will be spent at our house and we're going to have our New Year's Eve party here. Everyon's supposed to be coming back and I think that we're going to meet my parents in Atlanta on Saturday to spend the day shopping and visiting. I also have to see John's new television, since we haven't seen it yet! Happy New Year!

8 days until Christmas!

I can't believe that it's only 8 days left until Christmas. I'm still not ready. Maybe it will be better this week....we'll see! We had our Christmas concert at church yesterday and it was wonderful. My parents and Raun's mom both came with us. It's meant so much to me that they came. Dad even stepped foot in the mall afterwards and we got some Christmas shopping done. It was just like the old days....but we missed John. Dad even treated us to our favorite place...Baskin Robbins. They have a new Heath bar Shake now and it was very good.

Our Christmas destination has been decided. Mom, Dad, and John are having it at our house for Christmas Eve and Christmas and possibly even New Year's Eve and New Year's. I'm very excited about that! I love having my family here with us. I get to cook some new and even healthy recipes....it's gonna be great!

I absolutely love my job. As I mentioned in the post earlier, I am teaching children with special needs, as well as typical kids, through the School of Music at our church. I love it! After our concert, one of my piano boys (with Down Syndrome) came up to me and gave me a hug and a kiss! He's 6 1/2 and had battled a rare form of leukemia. He reminds me so much of Shannon because he is a fighter as well. He had chemo until he was 2 years old. He's now in remission, and they're just hoping it doesn't come back. He's so precious and smart. He loved my bassoon and told me he wanted to learn to play "Jingle Bells!" So we shall learn that for him. His grandpa is a classical pianist and is thrilled that he and his grandson can share this love of music together. I am so thankful that I have a job where I can make a difference in people's lives and where I can help what seems like the impossible become possible!

If you would like to check out my work website, feel free! It's http://www.musictherapynetworkoftn.com/.

Happy Christmas shopping!

Ahhhh!!!!

It was definitely a rough day today. One of my boys punched his therapist in the nose and broke it. I really and honestly hope that he gets transfered to jail because he would be someone that would both reoffend and hurt others. He has absolutely no remorse for what he's done but the system thinks that he is too MR to stand trial. He so knows what he did and he also knows the difference between right and wrong. He also knows that he can get away with it in the system. How are you supposed to work with them if they are constantly endangering myself and others? I love working with my boys and girls, but at times it's so hard to remember why we do what we do and why we constantly keep going back after being disrespected so much.

John called me during my lunch break just to talk and I told him to make sure to pray for me this afternoon because I just knew it was going to be bad. Sure enough, during my last session the principal came in and told me that one of their case managers (who is in her 20's, early 30's and is sweet) died today after a kidney problem. She had had surgery and it was okay and was sent home, but was admitted to ICU today and died around noon. The case managers and therapists were standing outside the school doors to talk with each of them after the news was told to the boys. I just pray that this helps them to change. We actually talked about our dreams during our session and it was neat to show them that many dreams can be attained if they really want it.

My little boy with autism regressed a little today. Hopefully he will have a wonderful week next week. He did say 4 colors for the first time, so it wasn't a bad session!

It's been almost two weeks since Shannon passed away and let me just say that it has been the longest 2 weeks ever. I am not really feeling in the Christmas spirit. I thought that if our Christmas tree was up then I would feel in the spirit....but it only serves to remind me why I'm celebrating (which is good) and that Shannon should be here to enjoy this holiday and to make a Christmas list. I think I'm slowly coming out of the denial stage and am waking up to reality. I don't like reality, so I may choose to stay in denial a little while longer! I see her in all my kids....I'm now working with special needs children and teaching them piano and guitar lessons at church and there's a girl who always looks like Shannon from the back....so I like to look at her!

Anyway, that's life in a nutshell over the past week.....

This is Shannon's favorite team of all time! Raun and I got to take her to the Vandy vs. Florida game (she made fun of Raun the entire time!) for her birthday. Isn't she so beautiful? I miss her....

Thanks for the support

Our family greatly appreciates the support that has been offered to us through this time of Shannon leaving us. It was definitely a Thanksgiving that I will never forget. I miss her so incredibly much and it's hard to talk about her without crying. The night time is worse because I am able to think. I like the daylight because I can stay so busy that I can pretend everything is normal, even though it is not.

Here's the newspaper clipping about Shannon:
O'CONNOR, Shannon Lee, age 17, of Manchester, Tennessee, entered into Eternal Rest on Wednes-day, November 21, 2007 at the Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. She was born on February 27, 1990 in Nashville, Tennessee and was a student at the Coffee County Central High School in Manchester. Shannon was a loving daughter, granddaughter and special friend to so many people. She enjoyed horses, all kinds of pets, but her family, friends and Vanderbilt foot-ball were especially impor-tant to her. She was a member of the New Union Baptist Church in Manches-ter. Shannon is survived by her parents, Ray and Patricia O'Connor of Manchester; maternal grandpar-ents, Bob and Betty Nettles of Manchester; paternal grandparents, John and Ruby O'Connor of Titusville, Florida; sisters, Bethany and Anna O'Connor of Man-chester; brother, David O'Connor of Manchester; aunts and uncles, John and Debbie O'Connor of Manchester; Janet and Doug Baker of LaPlace, Louisiana; Lee and Laura Nettles of Manchester; cousins, John O'Connor of Atlanta, Georgia; Megan and Raun Taylor of Ooltewah, Tennessee; Ashley and Josh Brumfeld of New Orleans, Louisiana; Amber Baker of Shreveport. Louisiana; Jakes Nettles, Ashley Nettles, Emily Nettles, Clint Pica and Holly Fowler, all of Manchester; and a host of friends and loved ones. The Family received friends at the Visitation on Friday evening, November 23, 2007 from 5 - 8:00 P.M. at the Central Funeral Home in Manchester, Tennessee. The Funeral service was conducted on Saturday afternoon, November 24, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. from the Chapel of Central Funeral Home with her grandfather, Bob Nettles Pastor Mike Owen and Brother Randy Robertson officiating. Burial followed at the Welker Cemetery in the New Union Community. CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME of Manchester in Charge of Arrangements. http://www.centralfuneralhome.com/

On a positive note, I was not able to see my little boy with autism the week I went to conference or last week because I felt I needed to go get the kids from Manchester. When I saw him yesterday, his mom told me that he wouldn't let her sing the entire time I was gone because he missed me. He hadn't been responding to many people while I was away and when I came back he had started to respond. She was so amazed at how music therapy works when nothing else seems to do so.

We're thinking about going to visit John this weekend in Atlanta. I am really wanting some good food and to see his new television! Our kids choir is singing this Sunday for the Hanging of the Green which begins Advent. We have a rehearsal Saturday, as well as the one tonight. It will be wonderful and I'm very excited!

Prayer Requests: Please pray for our entire family through this holiday season. It's definitely going to be tough because I just don't feel in the mood to celebrate this year. Pray for Aunt Patricia and Uncle Ray as they are constantly reminded of what is no longer there. Pray for us to remember she's in safe hands and pray for us to be able to use Shannon's story and legacy to make a difference in so many people's lives.

She's in heaven.....

My dearest cousin entered heaven the day before Thanksgiving. It was an extremely hard thing to see, but I am very glad that I was able to be there to tell her that I love her so very much. For anyone needing arrangement information, the visitation is tomorrow from 5-8, and the funeral is Saturday at 1 at Central Funeral Home. Thanks for the prayers and all.

Prayer for Shannon...

Please pray for my cousin and best friend, Shannon, as well as her family. She's in ICU and not doing so well. My heart has been broken and I'm not for sure how to deal with all of this. Please pray for a miracle....a wonderful, powerful, beautiful miracle. Please pray for strength and for love. Pray for peace and for God to wrap His ever-loving arms around us and hold us, especially Shannon. Pray for us to place this in God's hand and to know that it's God's will. Pray for acceptance and guidance...

Before I leave for conference....

These are the views from our house. The leaves were so breathtakingly beautiful this week, that I had to snap lots of pictures. I'm heading to Louisville, KY to learn the latest on music therapy. I'm very excited to hear the newest advancements and to hear where we stand in the medical field now. Pray for me in my travels!

I don't have my Mom's gardening thumb....

These are the pictures of my very own rose bush. It was planted this spring and I am very happy with how it has flourished. I think I may add a few more rose bushes. They are very hardy, I'm learning. I absolutely love gardening. I used to hate it when I was growing up because I hated to weed the flower bed, but now it's so much fun. Raun makes fun of me and says that I make flower beds only where the grass is growing....but I can't help it!

Our first freeze of the year!

So, we've finally hit our first freeze. It's been really cold in the morning, but not too bad during the day. It's struggled to get out of the low 60's, but I think it's supposed to warm up again soon. We've actually had the heater on at night...and the electric blanket! I love the cold weather!

My choir is singing for the first time on Sunday morning for both services. I'm a little nervous. They sang wonderful for the Pumpkin Patch, but there's gonna be lots more people on Sunday. I was so proud of my boy from Sudan...he sang both songs for the first time last night! I smiled the entire time and tried to make it look like I was wasn't looking at him so he'd keep singing. I love working with them. It's definitely a challenge, but it's fun.

We've hit the time of year where we're going to be incredibly busy. I love this time of year, since it's my favorite, but I miss my time that I get to spend at home. This weekend, my roommates from college are coming here and we're going to have our girl's weekend. We usually go on a big trip, but because of circumstances, we're going to do our big trip in the spring. I'm so excited. I have been blessed to still be such wonderful friends with them. I think we're going shopping, cooking some healthy meals, and of course, making coffee!

Then, on Tuesday, I leave for Louisville to attend the Music Therapy conference. I'm going with another college friend and staying with her family there. This will be a weird conference for both of us because this is the first time we haven't had to fly somewhere. I can actually bring back lots of instruments...which is good because I'm gonna have to! I love conferences because it is a great encouragement to continue what we're doing, as well as keeping us up-to-date on the newest practices and research. It's so great to be with so many music therapists from around the world. One year, I'll attend the music therapy conference in another country!

I return from conference on next Sunday....only to unpack, wash clothes, and catch up on all the work I missed. Then, it's repacking and heading to Atlanta on Wednesday to pick up my brother and head on to Florida for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. It'll be lots of fun, but definitely weird! It'll be our first Thanksgiving away from Tennessee in a long time. And we're not actually cooking the dinner....which yes, has it's benefits! No turkey sandwiches for weeks! I'm excited to see everyone, but I just know it's going to fly by. But when we return home, we're having our turkey Thanksgiving with Raun's family...so I guess I'm not completely home free from turkey sandwiches! But it's a good thing that I love turkey and mustard sandwiches!

That ends November and the next weekend is our kid's choir rehearsal for the Hanging of the Green and the beginning of Advent. I love this service. I'm thinking of using the West African drums during this service. It'll be so neat, if we can pull it off!

Following that, we're going to Dollywood and staying in Gatlinburg with one of our friends and their baby. We love hanging out with them because we have so much in common. I'm really excited to see the Christmas lights in Dollywood and to see all of the beautiful shows. There's nothing like being in the mountains at Christmas time. I absolutely love it! Well, there's nothing like being in the mountains period.

Then right before Christmas is our choir performance at church, which is awesome! They fill out the rest of the orchestra with strings and whatever other instruments we don't have playing already. I love playing for this. The choir is so beautiful and it's one of my favorite services.

That brings us to Christmas and who knows what else is to come during that week! I'll stay posted with pictures and all for sure.