As many of you may know, for several months we have been experiencing trouble with the email notification when Grace's CarePage is updated. We have contacted CarePages numerous times and they have stated that they cannot solve the problem as a whole unless no one is being notified of our updates. Since the update notification has been random, they said that they are not able to fix the problem. Many other CarePage parents have been having the same issues, and recently CarePage managers have stated that the notifications will go out to the entire guestbook if the update is marked urgent. So, I have marked this update as urgent for that reason. I am sorry if this caused any of you unnecessary alarm, but we felt that it was the only way to try and reach everyone in our guestbook. If you have not received email notification of the last few updates, please go back and read the previous posts. In addition, we are urging ALL of you to register on the new Reflectionsofgrace.org so that we can send our own notifications and not have to rely on CarePages.

It is that time of year again to begin preparations for the 3rd Annual Race For Grace, benefiting the Reflections Of Grace Foundation. Mark your calendars --- the race will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010 (one week earlier) at Norwin High School.

For those willing and able to contribute, the first planning meeting will be held on Sunday, November 15, 2009 from 2:00-4:00pm at the Norwin Public Library, 100 Caruthers Lane in Irwin. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend this kickoff meeting to learn more about joining committees and getting involved. Volunteers from previous Reflections Of Grace events, as well as brand new volunteers are both welcome to participate. The tremendous success of the 1st and 2nd Annual Race For Grace would not have been possible without the support from many committed volunteers. So, feel free to bring a friend, recruit new volunteers, and spread the word about helping to plan this upcoming event.

We are also getting closer to the upcoming Breakfast With Santa on November 28 and spots are filling quickly. At this point, the 9:00am session is getting close to maximum. If you have an interest in attending either session, please do not delay in reserving your space...visit www.reflectionsofgrace.org for details.

"And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased..."
Hebrews 13:16

As November begins and we enter the upcoming holiday season, we wanted to announce that the foundation will be hosting a “Breakfast with Santa” on Saturday, November 28 at Banquets Unlimited in North Huntingdon. There will be two seatings, one at 9:00am and one at 11:30am. Prices are $8.00 for children and $10.00 for adults and the menu consists of pancakes, sausage and coffee, tea or milk. We are limiting each seating to 50 children, so if you are interested, please do not delay in purchasing your tickets. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

In early October, we traveled north to Grove City College's Homecoming celebration. Although this had traditionally been a time when we took all three kids for the annual trip to visit our alma mater, we had not been there since Homecoming 2006. This year, we finally found the strength to return to the place we had so willingly shared with the kids in the past. I had been eager to locate the specially engraved brick dedicated in Grace’s name by a group of my younger sorority sisters and placed in a new courtyard on campus. So, with a pink rose in hand, we set off to find her brick amongst the many. It took Colin a short 2 minutes to find his sister's name. We placed the rose carefully and I traced her name with my fingers...although it will never be easy to see her name in this way, the brick is a lovely tribute to Grace in a special place for both Brian and me.

We've seen her reflection many times recently; in the bright pink line that stretched across the otherwise dark sky one cool autumn morning, on the sleeves of the Norwin girls’ soccer team t-shirts, spelled out on the wall of a store, in the lyrics of a new song introduced on a talk show, in the excited eyes of the trick or treaters knocking at our door. So, although we continue our journey with unanswered questions of why we walk without Grace’s physical presence, we embrace the ways she continues to be in our lives, even from above…

This photo was taken in August 2007.  At that time Grace had already mapped out her Halloween costumes for the next several years.  That year she would be Gabriella from High School Musical (while "she was still popular" was Grace's reasoning), then a beautiful bride the following year, Sleeping Beauty in 2009, and a butterfly in 2010.  This Sleeping Beauty dress hung proudly in the entryway of our home this Halloween.... 

One final note...our fellow DIPG warrior Andrew Smith is facing more challenges in his journey. Please keep him in your prayers and visit his website to post an encouraging message:
www.caringbridge.org/visit/aws

“…And we desire that each one of you show diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end….This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…”
Hebrews 6: 11,19