Loose Strife

Hi, this is Laura’s little sister, Elena, writing. Many times in the last (almost) six months, I have wanted to write here to tell everyone “thank you” for their generous support and love for David, the girls and our family. We were all so blessed to have many friends and family at Laura’s funeral Mass in October and many others at the memorial Mass in November. It was truly inspiring to all of us to see the many people that cared so much about Laura.
The fall was a blur for me and it shows in my garden. I left so much unattended. Now, as the plants are popping up, I realized that I need to get back to digging in the dirt. I have hopes of putting in a pink garden in memory of Laura throughout the year. I have complied a short list of flowers I’d like to have, so that something pink is blooming in at least three of the four seasons. I hope to have it under construction soon.
You may remember back in August, that I wrote a little about the little escapade Laura and I had at The Ritz Carlton. She had really wanted to have tea, but we ended up doing other things like talking and crying and Laura slept a good bit. We ended up not having tea. She hoped that we might still have a chance to do so, but we never did. The day before she died, I was sitting with her, just talking, hoping that she heard me, and I promised her that I would go to tea on her birthday, to celebrate her. Well, in about three weeks my parents and siblings are going to go and have tea on Laura’s birthday.
We also have one other big family event planned for June 6, 2009. On that day, we will take part, along with some members of the Kulp family, in the Komen Global Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C. My sister Heather set up a team page and I know that my family plans to walk together (my David is even planning to run his first 5K!). If anyone would like to donate or join us, please see the Kulp-Coleman-Arbeen team page. This fulfills another promise that I made to Laura back in October.
I have shed many tears these last six months. I think I cry a little every day, some days more than others, but still every day. I know that there is nothing that I can do and that I need to accept it as God’s will, but I still grieve. Those of you who know me may be surprised by this, but, maybe not. Us Colemans love our kinfolk. It is what we do and how we live. And, ultimately, it will be what gets me through missing Laura.