Leah Stirewalt

Out of Deep Waters

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We’re Back!

September 7, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt 4 Comments

We’re back from our weekend getaway to Disneyworld in Orlando, FL! My daughter and I had a blast and crammed a whole bunch of fun into 3 days and 3 nights! This trip was a much needed break amidst a summer of heartache and chaos. We both worked really hard to make this trip happen by selling lots of “stuff” that we simply didn’t need anymore. We’ve decided we’d rather spend our time and effort making memories together than collecting “stuff”. So, between Craigslist sales, a trip to the flea market, and two gifts…off we went to the most “magical place on earth”.

So much happened while we were away that it’s simply hard to condense into one blog post, but I’ll just highlight a few of those lighter moments today…

**Our trip began with a flight from Charlotte to Orlando. As we were just about to land, the gentleman sitting beside me struck up a conversation with me that went like this:

Man: “What was that?”

Me: Thinking he was referring to the pilot letting down the wheels, said, “The wheels of the plane.”

Man: “No. I KNOW that. What was that wet, smelly stuff that just flew all over me?”

Me: “Oh…that? The lady in front of you just misted herself.”

Man: “Great. How am I gonna explain smelling like a woman to my WIFE sitting a few rows ahead of me. Will you be my alibi?” (with all seriousness in his question)

Me: “Uh…sure.”

Later, after landing and exiting the plane. The man pulled me aside to have me “meet” his wife and proceeded to say, “If I smell like a woman…this lady here can vouch for me.”

**One evening, while having dinner at the resort food court, Anna suddenly announced, “I’m stuck!” Perplexed, I asked her what she meant by that. Apparently, she sat in a seat that hadn’t been wiped off too well from the previous patrons, and her pants were stuck in something sticky sweet. It wasn’t super glue, so she was able to get up. But, at this point…I was laughing so hysterically that I could hardly catch my breath.

**That laugh would later come back to haunt me. On our flight home, the kiddos in the seat behind me apparently spilled their soda. At some point during the flight home, my shoes didn’t want to come up off the floor. Now…I was the “stuck” one! (What goes around comes around.)

**You know how when standing in line for a ride, someone will usually come up and ask you how many are in your party? In other words, they need to place you in the correct line based on the number of people you’re riding with. Well, when this particular ride worker asked this question of Anna once during the weekend…she confidently announced “FIVE”. The worker walked away to find 5 spots and then came back to get all “five of us” only to discover only 2 of us standing there. Again, she said, “How many did you tell me?” Anna then realized her mistake and said, “Oh…I mean two. Just two.” While on the ride, I asked Anna, “Where did you come up with 5? Are we riding with some of your imaginary friends? Or – were you saving spaces for some newfound folks you met?” Giggles ensued…and so did the ride.

**One of the highlights of the many shuttles that we took to get around Disney was the bus driver that led our caravan of riders into singing the famous children’s tune, “The Wheels on the Bus (Go Round and Round)”. As I looked around, the faces on the bus represented Indians, Muslims, Caucasians, African-Americans, and Latinos. But, everybody on the vehicle knew that song! (Now if it could just be that way with “Jesus Loves Me”!)

All kidding aside, we had a great trip. There were a couple more serious moments that I’ll blog about (maybe tomorrow), but this time together was nothing less than an expressions of God’s abundant mercy and grace showered down upon us! To Him be ALL the glory!

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My Chris Tree

August 30, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt 12 Comments

I am so stinkin’ excited about an idea that’s come to me from various sources! I’ve actually been playing around with a thought along this path ever since my hubby died in May, but I just didn’t know the specifics…until now!

First…a little background information, and then I’ll spill the beans…

My sweet husband LOVED Christmas! Now, I know there are a lot of people out there (me included) that just love that “most wonderful time of the year”. But, I’ve never met anyone that loved it as much as he did. He loved it so much that on the 25th of every month, he would watch a Christmas movie just to keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long. It was never about the gifts for him…it was purely the season. But, he loved to shop for that perfect gift for that special person in his life. For me, he would search high and low to find me a new Nativity set every year, because I collect them. But, for himself, he simply wanted others to be blessed…he never wanted money spent on him. As a matter of fact, last Christmas he announced to his extended family that he would rather they “shop” out of the Samaritan’s Purse or World Vision catalog for a gift that could be used in a 3rd world nation as his Christmas gift this year. Always so giving and “others focused” that man of mine was!

(Just a little side note: a memorial fund was set up immediately following Chris’ death in his hometown in Virginia, and all of the gifts received went to purchase goats, cows, sheep, chickens, etc. for those developing nations that Chris had such a heart for. He would be so pleased!)

Anyway…I’ve been really wanting to find away to make this Christmas season one of joy and not of dread. I, too, LOVE Christmas! And, I learned to appreciate it with child-like giddiness again because of my husband. But, this year, I’ve already been feeling a sense of dread over that season. It won’t be the same without my husband. To think of the many things that will be void during this special season because of the absence of my Chris brings me immense sorrow. So, I’ve been desperately trying to find something to replace that sorrow – even now.

So, that’s where my idea for a Chris Tree comes in! I want to put up a tree strictly in Chris’ memory (in addition to our “normal” tree) this year. I envision a tree that has everything to do with Chris…his passions, his hobbies, his loves, his journeys, etc. Celebrating CHRISTmas was so much a part of his makeup – that I can’t think of a better way to celebrate him at that time of year than by having a tree of his own!

But, I could use a little help (and…wow…those are hard words for this girl to write)! I’ve had so many requests from people asking what they can do for Anna and me or how can they help out a new widow? Here’s a small but practical way. It’s a little daunting to think of trying to find enough ornaments to fill an average-sized tree when it’s now just under 4 months until Christmas. So, like so many of us, maybe you have some ornaments that no longer mean anything to you that you’d like to get rid of or run across an ornament or two in a flea market or yard sale that might fit Chris’ tree perfectly. If so, would you consider donating it to his special tree? If you’re interested in doing this, please contact me by direct message on Facebook or by email: [email protected], and I’ll be happy to send you the address to which they can be mailed.

To give you some ideas of the types of ornaments I’m looking for, anything to do with…

Hunting

Fishing

Scuba diving

Sailing

The beach – ocean

Hot sauce

Cookies

Silly hats

Baking

Cooking

Fire and rescue (Chris served on the fire dept. & life saving crew for many years!)

The song Amazing Grace

Superman (long story with that one)

Green Bay Packers

Fish fries

Australia – Great Barrier Reef (his dream scuba trip he took many years ago)

Anything w/ his name or initials (CAG)

Jesus (well, obviously all of CHRISTmas is Jesus-centered…but, something specific that might “look like” Chris)

Or anything else that God might lay on your heart

Thanks friends! I know this is a strange request, but I think it can be something utterly amazing with the help of others! And…it would absolutely “bless my heart” (one of Chris’ favorite expressions by the way…ha!).

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Meet Leah

Leah StirewaltI became "twice widowed" when my beloved prince, Joel, went to his Heavenly home after a brief and sudden illness on February 12, 2017. I’m in a place of shock and devastation, but I intend to use this format to journal my second widow journey, much like I did my first. It’s my open journal, my electronic oasis, and it’s often the place I find true healing as I allow myself to “come clean” with my feelings. Read More...

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