About Me

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Kirkland, Washington, United States
I am a child of God. I am a follower of Jesus. I am a wife, momma, daughter, sister and friend. I love good conversation and hearty laughter. A good cup of coffee is always appreciated. Most of all, I desire to bring others into an experience with Jesus. One that will shape their lives and rock their souls for Him. Geoff is my best friend and amazing husband. Parker is my handsome boy who lives in Heaven. Norah is my bright star and bringer of joy. Tori is my overcomer and peaceful warrior. I live to show Jesus' love to each person He places in my path. I pray this blog strengthens you, comforts you and encourages you and that it MOST OF ALL causes you to want to get to know Jesus in a deeper level.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

A Hard Day

I am overcome with emotion today. It's one of those weird days. The sun is not exactly shining outside and I'm not totally unhappy. It's just...limbo-ie weirdness. I have cried twice today already. But I've also laughed this morning. It's classic really.

I miss Parker. I miss him dearly and I'm finding that this birthday is harder then last year for some reason. Not sure what that reason is, but it's just harder this year.

So today, we'll take flowers to his grave and educate his little sister on her big brother Parker who is in heaven.

We miss you Parker Geofferson and love you so very much.

Monday, September 12, 2011

The moment I knew what love was.

Parker Geofferson Harmon would have been three Thursday, the 15th of September. He entered this world and left it in one breath. I miss him deeply with every fiber of my being even still, three years later. Every time I see his picture, or look at his little hand mold, I ache with an intense desire to hold him once more.

I remember that Sunday afternoon, when we walked into Mercy's Labor and Delivery, like it was yesterday. I remember the sights, sounds and smells of that part of hospital. I remember the silence of the Doppler as it moved around my large nine month pregnant belly. I remember each individual thud of my heart as I waited and prayed for something miraculous to take place. I remember the walk from triage to the delivery room and the feeling of complete peace and calm of the Holy Spirits presence that came over me. I remember the deathly silence of the ultrasound machine as Dr. Rudeen delivered the devastating news that he was "over all four chambers of the heart and they are not moving". I remember it all, every bit of it. Every second of every moment of our time there...

I remember the pain of each contraction. I remember the relief of the epidural. I remember the moments of light heartedness when I experienced some of the more...embarrassing moments of delivery. I remember the strength that Geoff's mom and my mom provided during the delivery. I remember the silence of Parker's arrival into the world...

I remember the sound as the cameras clicked furiously to capture Parker. I remember passing him around and watching each person's face as they held him and quietly said their goodbyes. I remember the feeling of being squeezed by my parents and my in-laws and feeling so much love. I remember when Geoff, with Parker in his arms, left our room with dad Russell, dad Harmon and Grady and walked the long walk to the waiting car that would take Parker's body to the funeral home…

I remember it all, but what I remember most was all the love. I know it sounds hippie-ish, but it's true. There was so much love there. I remember being overwhelmed by all the love that was poured on us when we were in the hospital waiting to meet with the doctor. I remember Jim Rotz coming into our hospital room and praying with us that God would be near and feeling God's love pouring out of Mr. Rotz while he prayed. I remember my mother-in-law holding my left foot and my mom holding my right foot while I was in delivery and feeling so overwhelmed by the motherly love that was pouring out of them as they literally held me up through Parker's delivery and gave me the courage to press on and push through. I remember our dads, who are both pastors, praying over us and showering us with a love that only a father's strength can give.

I also remember, the moment I looked at Parker and saw his sweet little face and his sweet little body, being filled with love like I had never felt before. This was not the same love that I felt towards my family or towards my husband Geoff. This was a new love. A love that made me want to switch places with my son. A love that made me want, so badly, to turn back the hands of time and try and save him (even though I knew that would be impossible). It was a love that I could only equate to that of a mother. I had heard about this love. I had even had talks with my mom about how my priorities would change after Parker's birth because of this love. But to experience it at that moment was, simply put...unreal. My heart wanted to explode when I looked at his little face, so still and so quiet. I remember feeling strange that I couldn't cry at that moment, but I believe now it was because of the intense amount of love I was feeling. I did not want to let my son go and say goodbye.

Now, three years later I find that love has not changed. Five months after Parker died, we found out we were pregnant with our daughter Norah. I remember being overwhelmed and wondering if I was truly ready to ride this roller coaster again, but unfortunately, the wheels were already set in motion. Nine months later, on November 18th, our sweet Norah Joan was brought into this world screaming and my heart was filled once again with even more love.

It did not replace our love for Parker, but rather strengthened it. I learned, this time, that a mother's love simply grows. One child is not loved or cherished more then another, it simply grows and grows and grows.

Parker Geofferson will always be my first born. He will always be Norah's big brother and I will always love him with the love that only a mother knows. The love that is overwhelming at times. That makes your throat feel tight with emotion, and your heart feel like it has hit it's makes fill. It is a love like none other. It's truly an unshakable, indescribable love. A love that I cherish knowing and a moment that I will never forget, the moment I fell in love with my son.


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A Few New Fun Pictures (say that 3 times fast)

Hitchin' a ride with daddy. Best way to travel.
Such a sweet picture of the two of them. They're best buds.
Is it ever too soon to teach your daughter how to drive? This is daddy and Norah at Trinity Pines this past weekend.

Pin-Obsessed

Uh Oh, it has happened. I have joined the Pinterest world and have been infected with the obsession.

IT's SO ADDICTING!!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Nothing Profound, Just Wanted to Write

I have found that the reason why I stink at posting is because the bar has been set to high...by no one other than me.

I have placed myself in a bit of a pickle. If I don't feel I have anything of any kind of value to add to the blogging world, then I simply won't post.

Well that's stupid. After all, I didn't start this blog to be this inspired writer. I started it simply because I wanted to share about my life and the ramblings that build up in my brain. I wanted to vent my rantings, to shout out my victories and to share a funny anecdote.

So here it is. A rambling...

I am an avid reader of Real Simple magazine (can I get a "what what" from my fellow readers out there!). I have been subscribing to their magazine since 2007. I love them for their recipes (that I've never cooked, but love to dream about cooking), for their organizing tips and for their stories of daily life. For the past four years Real Simple has been hosting a contest for readers to enter. Each year (for the last four) they have submitted a question to be answered in essay form from a reader. The winner receives $3,000, a trip to New York and their story published in an issue of Real Simple. This years question is "When did you first understand the meaning of love?"

Not sure what I'll write about. I've tossed around several ideas, hopefully I'll find something worthy. We'll see. I'll post it here once I've sent it to Real Simple.



Thursday, March 24, 2011

Things Change...Stuff Happens

As you all can see, by the lack of posts on my cupcake blog and the lack of updates regarding the cupcake venture...it ain't happenin. Things change, stuff happens and life rolls.

So no cupcakes. No side business regarding cupcakes. No catering cupcakes for weddings. No, up-to-my-elbows-in-batter moments. Things change, stuff happens and life rolls.

Now I'm focusing on other things. Like being a wife, a mommy and a volunteer.

I'm volunteering with Lifeline still. We had our first official meeting of Solace, a wonderful support group for us grieving moms. We had 5 women total there and it was a blessing!

I have also begun to volunteer with downtown Nampa and so far that has been a delight and growing experience as well.

So cupcakes may not happen this month, or even in the year, but that's ok because, things change, stuff happens and life rolls.

HAPPY SPRING!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Oh my word…

I wish I knew how to get motivated to share on here again. I do find that it’s difficult to continue about my son, simply because it’s been so long and the Lord has really healed us well. We still miss him and still find it hard to believe that he’s gone, but we are moving forward.

So I guess the only decision to make here is to move the blog forward.

Tomorrow evening will be the first meeting of a support group that I have started called Solace. It’s a group for women who have lost a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth or SIDS. I’m so excited to get this group going. I do understand that the chances of a lot of women coming are slim. I understand that not everyone out there finds it therapeutic to talk to perfect strangers about their grief, but I am hoping that I am wrong. I would love for the group to be HUGE! I would love for women of all walks of life and in all stages of grief to show up. So that may be what I’ll be talking about on here. Not the women and their personal stories, but rather my journey from grieving on my own, to helping others heal.

I have found that my life purpose has changed. Before, when I was pregnant with Parker, I found myself to be rather turned in. It was all about me, and what was going on in the present time. Now I find that I desire, more than ever before, to help other mommies and daddies who have lost and help hold their hand through that pain and offer them hope that life will turn around. I am so excited, through this support group, to get that journey under way.

So this blog will still, to some degree, be about Parker and about our journey, but it will also start to be about general updates in this Harmon house regarding Geoff’s life, my life and Norah’s life.

For instance, one update is that I have started to volunteer with downtown Nampa, specifically with their promotions committee. This is so exciting for me because I will finally be able to utilize my skills in marketing!! I can’t wait!!

So thanks for sticking with me and stay tuned!!