A little Donnelly history

Donnelly is O'Donnghaile in Irish, from Donnghaile. The prefix "O" denotes one who is the ancestor of Donnghaile. The word Donnghaile translates to "Brown Valor" or "Brown-haired Warrior." This name was given to someone who was dark and brave. The Donnellys originally were a division of the clan Cineál Eoghain who derive their descent from Donnghal the fourth in descent from Domhnall, King of Aileach -- brother of Niall Glundubn and ancestor of the O'Neills, the chief family of ancient Ireland.An original ancestor was Donnghaile O'Neill, who died in 876, was himself a descendant of Eoghain and ancestor of the royal house O'Neill. Donnghaile O'Neill was seventeenth in descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages, the fifth-century king who supposedly kidnapped St. Patrick to Ireland.Their territory lay first in Co. Donegal and later further eastwards, centered around the place called Ballydonnelly, Co. Tyrone, which is west of Dungannon. Ballydonnelly was named from them. Ballydonnelly was recaptured later on and the settlement was renamed to Castlecaulfield, which it goes by to this day. This area is still the part of Ireland in which they are most numerous.Many of the family were hereditary bards, but their main historical fame is as soldiers, especially in the wars of the seventeenth century.Donnellys were hereditary marshals of the O’Neill military forces. One of the most famous was Donnell O’Donnelly who was “captain of one hundred men,” fought bravely until he and all his men were slain at the battle of Kinsale (1603). In 1641 Patrick O’Donnelly took the castle of Lord Caulfield near Dungannon and renamed it to Ballydonnelly. It was recaptured later on (as stated above) and the settlement was renamed to Castlecaulfield, which it goes by to this day.In modern times Donnellys are connected with the U.S.A. rather than Ireland the country of their origin. Examples of modern day Donnellys are Charles Francis Donnelly (1836-1909), the Catholic lawyer; Ignatius Donnelly (1831-1901), politician and reformer; and Sister Eleanor Cecilia Donnelly (1838-1917), author of many Catholic devotional works.

Brennan offically becomes Brennan

On the 5th of June, Alberto Donnelly became Brennan Michael Alberto Donnelly (B-MAD for short). This was an exciting moment for us as you could guess. That means everything is final and complete. Here are the photos from the day in family court. I like the one where Brennan is giving the judge a high five. The judge told us this was the only happy case he had on the docket for his day in family court.

Time is flying by and the kids are growing. The girls had their dance recital this weekend. Here are a few photo's of the event.

The Donnelly's: The Donnelly's

The Donnelly's: The Donnelly's

The Donnelly's

Valatie Donnelly's

Well it has been a few weeks since my little man has come home and joined the family. He has settled in well and has been mauled by his big sisters. He is in for more than he can handle with those two. It was a long time coming. All I can say is THANK GOD IT IS OVER!!!!!! Brennan Michael is home for good. Thanks to you all for the on going support.

Changes...

Ok... I said I would change the blogsite to black in memoriam. I have changed it back to a less dreary look. I know Mom would have kicked us for leaving it so for this long. I love you all.

Meghan's New Button

Well, Meghan had her surgery yesterday. She had her long awaited button put in and is doing just fine.

We left the house for Boston at 6:15. Traffic was light and we were making really good time...and then we ran into RUSH HOUR!! We hit the Boston line at about 8:30 am. From that point it generally takes us about 15 minutes to get into NEMC. Not this morning. Rush hour traffic saw to it that we made it to the 9:15 check in by 9:22. Not too bad, considering that the procedure was scheduled for 11:15 am.

Checked in, we sat in the waiting room until about 10:45 am. The nurse came out and had us dress Meg in her hospital gowns and her favorite "yellow" hospital socks. We had the opportunity to chat with a family from South Carolina who's son was having his "button" put in by Dr. Flores this morning too. That made us feel very confident in Dr. Flores' work...not that we didn't already...because it made us realize that people from all over the country come to NEMC to see him for this problem, which means he's gotta be good. We also realized at that point, that Meghan is not the only child in the world that has this problem.

With that brief conversation cut short by the nurse, we realized that it was now 11:15 am. Time for the procedure. The nurse led us to an area with small rooms just outside the operating rooms. The rooms were all hand painted in children's themes. Meg just happened to get the OUTER SPACE room. The nurse layed her on the stretcher and we sat and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang while she waited her turn. About half way through the movie, she decided that she'd had enough of that movie and plugged in another one....Aladdin, I think. While she watched that movie, the nurse pulled me outside and explained the effects that the anesthesia might have on Meg. She assured me that I needn't worry, and I explained that we were "old pros" at this and that we would be just fine....although deep down I was still scared to death.

The anesthesiologist arrived very shortly after and had me put on the "marshmallow suit" as Meg likes to call it. With the suit in place, I went into the room with her. The head nurse called the start time as we walked into the room...12:23 pm. They transferred her to the operating table and the head anesthetist asked her what flavor she wanted in the mask. She asked for Root Beer and they let her smell it. I could tell she didn't like it...apparently so did the anesthetist, because he said I didn't think you'd like it. Most of the kids hate that flavor, why don't you try Bubble Gum? She did, and she said OK. By this point, you could see in her eyes how nervous she was. I held her hand and they put the mask over her face...within seconds, she was out cold. They told me to give her a kiss on the cheek, which I did, and they escorted me from the room, back to the "OUTER SPACE Room we'd been staged in.

At this point, the nurse escorted us to the same waiting area we'd been chatting with the people from South Carolina in. Within 30 minutes, they called for us and we were escorted to the recovery area. When we got there, the recovery room nurse was waiting for us and assured us that she was doing just fine. Not being one to wait, I had to look and see what the button looked like. It is really small and close to the body. The nurse explained the new way to inject the fluids and within a few minutes, our little angel awoke with a big smile on her face. When she finally got her wits about her, she sat right up to inspect the site. Again...another big grin. She began singing quietly....I can go swimming now, I can go swimming now...

We sat for awhile while Meg gulped down a red ice pop. It was about 2:00 when the nurse disconnected all of Meg's boopers and beepers, etc..

When we left the hospital, all Meghan wanted to do was EAT! We got her something to eat and she told us an amazing fact. Now that she has her button in, her appetite is so much bigger. LOL. Couldn't be that she'd not eaten anything since 8:30 pm the night before?!

Amazingly, the drive home was extremely musical. I got to listen to Meghan sing all the way from Boston to Niverville...except for the short while I had Shelly drive so I could nap...although, I'm pretty sure the music didn't stop then either.

Exhausted, we rolled into the house around 6:30 pm. OK, Shelly and I were exhausted...Meghan was a human energy factory. What a day!

Now with that done, it's on to the E.N.T. Doctor for her tonsils and adenoids!!!

WISE PROVERB



An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the
ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was
perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the
long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only
half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing
home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to
do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it
spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes
water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on
your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I
planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we
walk back, you water them."


"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers
to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there
would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and
flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and
rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look
for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember
to smell the flowers on your side of the path.

The other...

When I was thinking about asking Jill to marry me, I decided to sit with Mom and Dad to work things out. I figured, when you need advice on something, go to someone who is successful at it. Since Mom and Dad had a successful marriage I figured, who better to ask?!? So one summer day I plucked up the nerve to sit down and talk to them. It was in the yard, off the deck under those 2 trees by the pool. What a beautiful day it was. Warm and breezey. They were drinking those Kiers (sp?). I think i may have danced around the subject for a while, kind of nervous, then blurted it out. I don't remember the words I said or the speed with which I said it, but I remember the looks on Mom and Dad's faces... heh heh, it still makes me smile a little thinking about that. Anyway, the first things I remember hearing (after the blood stopped pounding in my ears) was Mom asking "... Well, can you imagine yourself living without this girl?..." I sat back and tried. When I realized that I really couldn't, I looked back at Mom to see she hadn't taken her eyes off of me. And she had that smile on her face. You remember that smile guys? The one where she turns her head a slight bit, smiles BIG. So big her eyes smile too...

I couldn't tell exactly how long she was smiling, but I knew that she knew the answer before I did. Hell, she probably knew before she asked. She usually did.

You all know the outcome of that conversation. You were all at the engagement party. You were all at the wedding. I would give almost anything to have had Mom there too. She was a large part of the reason I found the courage to ask Jill. I also wish she was there when I asked AL & Carol for permission to ask their daughter to marry me.

As Kevin requested, a memory... or two

I have a memory, I had just failed a class in my senior year of high scool and found out I wouldn't be graduating with my class (in Hudson, no great loss- BIG LOSERS ANYWAY) and I was sure I was dead meat when I got home. After hemming and hawing and delaying as much as possible, I made my way home. I was standing in the kitchen door and mom met me at the top of the stairs. I remember looking down at that red tape that Grandpa Donnelly had put down while I told her.

The only thing she said was "Oh Robert...". The disappointment was almost tangible. She came down the stairs and hugged me and cried. I realized at that point that she was disappointed FOR me not IN me - well probably in me a bit too, but she was hurting because I was. It was a low point for me, and whe shared it. Completely.

I went to my room. I can't remember why. Within what seemed like a few minutes, or maybe hours - you know how when you are distracted by your personal crises time does weird things, there was Mom at the door with one of her inspirational cards with a hand written note in it. Don't open it now. Take a while to get yourself together and read it when you can. "... never give up, keep going, you can do it..." I can never forget those words. I still have it. And there is where Mom lives forever for me...

In the honor of the upcoming holiday to honor a woman that we all loved, MOM, I thought I would start a post of a fond memory of "Patsy" that each of us might want to share. I will start it off, we may add anything as we see fit all the way up until MOTHER'S DAY.

I will ALWAYS remember the day MOM went back to work. It was something she said, something I could almost hear her saying at this very moment, she told me at that very young as I sat at the kitchen table as she took the time to tie my shoe's. She explained to me that she was going back to work, and she would not be home when I got back from school. She told me that if I needed her, she would only be a phone call away and that I need not worry. I do remember fondly that I did in fact begin to cry. You might ask why this would be a memory that I might bring up at this time. It is for this reason, as I was crying ( as any 5 year old would), MOM said to me, "don't cry, I'm not going away, I'm going to work. I'll be home soon and you'll see me then. You will always be able to reach me if you need me." I'm sure as time has passed the exact words might have varied, however, on her death bed, the message never did! I love you MOM, Happy mother's Day!

A new addition to the Valatie Donnelly's

Steph, the girls and I have been provided pictures of our latest addition. This is a picture of my new son, Brennan.
We still have a few months before we can bring him home but, we will be flying down to see him shortly. His birth name Alberto ortiz Perez. His name will be changed to Brennen Alberto Donnelly. We felt keeping his Birth name as his middle name would be nice. Now the wait is on and you can only imagin how hard that is for Steph.

Puppies For Sale

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy "one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"


"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran


Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.
The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence,


the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a some what awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up....


"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup..


Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.


"How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge," answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

This Pastor Has Guts!!

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of _expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God."

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

The Weaver
by Anonymous

My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily.
Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas, and explain the reasons why
The dark threads are as needful in the skillful weaver's hand
As threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives His very best to those
Who leave the choice with Him.

"When You Are Old"
by W.B. Yeats

When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take this book;
And slowly read, and dream the soft look,
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And love your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

It's been 2 months Mom.

I still miss you and wish you were here with all of us to enjoy your favorite holiday.

I know it's too late Mom, but I need to ask you if you'd come to my house for Christmas....it's the only thing I want for Christmas this year.


Thankyou for all the wonderful Christmas memories you and Dad gave me over the years. I won't forget them......ever.

I love you Mom...have a Merry Christmas.

Bruce

Thanks Pam

Charles Schultz Philosophy


The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .


"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

A Wee Bit of Ireland

Listen and enjoy!!!

http://www.liveireland.com/

Buddy...Thanks For Sending This Along

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.

He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."

We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,

"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us in
a matter of days.

But the family we left behind will feel the loss
for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
into work than into our own family,
an unwise investment indeed,
don't you think?

So what is behind the story?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Patricia Ann Donnelly

Patricia Ann Donnelly
04/07/41 - 10/19/05

A Wife, A Mother, A Friend.

How does one sum up a lifetime of love and memories in just a few short moments. I'm certain that it's nearly impossible, but I'm sure if Mom was here, she'd try. We four boys tried to come up with something to do her proud.

Anyone that knew Mom, knew her affinity for telephonic communication. A fact to which both Uncle Joe and Uncle Ralph will most assuredly attest.

We recall the stories of Mom's marathon telephone conversations with Aunt Mary and Aunt Karen. They are indelibly etched in our minds forever.

As a matter of fact, if you will recall, both the house in Carmel, and the house in Greenport had cords on the phones that were about 90 feet long. She had to be able to move ANYWHERE in the house without putting the phone down. Eventually, the corded phones were replaced with cordless phones, making it a free chatter zone anywhere in the house. Mom was in her bliss.

Maybe we were supposed to derive a lesson out of that little story that I can impart to you in order to make this eulogy sound real nice, but to be honest, we were at a loss there. We just thought that it was a funny story about Mom and wanted to share it.

Anybody that knew Mom, knew that she could be really funny when she wanted to be. If you look at the pictures over on the table, you'll notice that one with her and the big red glasses. Yeah, that was typical Mom. She'd get a hold of something, and off she'd go. Perhaps the thing that made her so funny, was the way she'd surprise you with it. We boys would be clowning around, and next thing we'd know, Mom would be right in the mix, yukking it up with us. One time she found a pair of Groucho Marx glasses that Bruce had. Just cheap, plastic Halloween glasses. Nothing special. Well, he had his girlfriend at the house, and didn't want to be bothered...Mothers tend to cramp a teenage boys style with the girls...so Bruce and his girlfriend went outside in the yard. Next thing you know, she's hanging out the front door, off the porch singing to them. I can't begin to tell you how badly she sang, or how embarassed Bruce felt thinking that the neighbors might be watching. She was a funny girl. A real good kid.

We learned a lot of things from her. We learned how to laugh....she gave us plenty of ammo.

Like the time she went "slideways" down the driveway. Yeah, she was constantly mixing her metaphors, which was absolute hilarity. She pretended that it bothered her when we teased, but she loved every minute of it. We teased her about "soder" and "bananers" and “bottels”. She loved that almost as much as when we'd show her our food. She really hated that at first, but learned to give it back....usually in front of our girlfriends.

We learned about being strong.

Our mom was always strong. She fought all our lives with illness. So much so that she missed a few major events in our lives. We recall having to spend one such occasion in the Hospital parking lot waving to mom in her hospital room window. I couldn’t tell you how devastated she was by that. Or the fact that she was forced to miss Robert and Jill’s wedding. A bigger regret in her life, you’d be hard pressed to find.

But Mom was more than that. She was the kind of strength that picks you up when you fail. When we’d do something we were sure would set her off, it generally wound up with her giving words of encouragement. She got mad, don’t get me wrong. She would let you know when you were out of line. But she always made sure that you knew she was there for you.

If there was something that you were sure would disappoint her, the worst feeling on earth, she would be disappointed, and forgive you in a matter of minutes. And we gave her plenty of opportunities to disappoint her. How many Norman Rockwell figurines did we break? Sorry Mom. Sorry Dad.

But Mom’s strength was a strength of love. She and Dad gave us a solid foundation. They were a perfect match for each other and we were a good fit for them. We never were what you’d call rich or wealthy. Heck, there were a few times you’d barely call us solvent. But Mom and Dad always gave us the things that mattered most. A sense of love and caring and family and safety and a billion other things that made our lives good. Mom never did anything that would get her into the history books, but she accomplished something that was spectacular. She raised four Donnelly boys and made them good men.

Her love was unconditional. It didn't matter how mad at you she'd get. She could be steaming mad, she'd come and say goodnight. She never wanted to go to bed angry. Her thinking was that you might not live to take it back. We’re thankful that we had a chance to apologize for things. We know we were on happy terms at the end. Not that we hadn't been otherwise.

We learned about respect, and dignity, and she taught us how to be gentlemen.

I think that it gave her a lot of pleasure when people came up to her and told her what gentlemen her sons were. That was a source of very deep pride for her.

Yes, we learned many things from Mom. Too many to name without breaking down.

We are good men because of her and Dad. Of that we feel confident. There are so many things that I could say about her, but who can sum up 40 years of gratitude in just a few short lines. Suffice it to say that the woman who gave us life, and made it something special, went to Heaven knowing how much we loved and appreciated her. She went away knowing that because she was such a wonderful Mother, Friend and Teacher to us, that we will be able to take care of ourselves, and most especially, her precious Grandchildren....her Legacy.

And for that reason, she went to heaven with a smile on her face.

Mom....we love you....always have, always will. We Love You, We Love You, We Love You!!!! We will miss you Mom.

Rest in Peace Dear Sweet Angel. Thank you for everything.

The Donnelly's

In honor of Our Mother, I have changed the coloring to black. I hope that this will be an acceptable tribute to God's greatest gift to four small boys who would grow to be four good men and one good man who would share a wonderful life together. We will miss you Mom.

You may not know this Mommy

You may not know this Mommy,
But always you are on my mind.

I think of you in every little thing that happens in my life,
When playing with my kids, or talking to my wife.
You’ve shown me the way,
And I am always thinking of you.

You and dad are my heroes,
I look at my life and try to do what you did.
You made it all look so easy
Was it really, or was it that I was just a kid?

I love you Mommy.
I know I always will.
Please know that you did a good job raising me,
That what you taught may have taken time,
But I have learned.

I know it appeared that I wasn’t listening,
I know I didn’t seem to care,
But, when you were talking,
I thought you’d always be there.

You inspire me Mommy.
I can’t hold back my tears,
I know that you will be called home again soon,
What I want to say to you would take me years.

I don’t want you to leave me yet,
But I know that you must,
We will be okay now,
God’s love we have to trust.

When that time is upon us,
Go in peace and take your rest.
Keep an eye upon us,
And for having you, I feel Blessed.

God couldn’t have matched us better,
For I know I am just like you.
Thank you, Mommy for everything,
And know that I will always love you.

I love you Mommy!!!

9:05 AM

Sadly, Mom lost her battle with cancer this morning Surrounded by the family she loved so much, she quietly slipped into the arms of The Lord. We will miss her dearly, and love her always.

Please don't cry for Mom...she did not die.



Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

--Anonymous--

The Donnelly's

The Donnelly's

Go to the light Ma.

It's OK.

You've done all you can

But the Lord needs you now.

Go take your seat beside him

and make the Kingdom of Heaven

a happier place.

Annie and Mary are waiting.

Grandpa and Grandma are calling.

No more pain...

No more suffering...

You'll be OK Ma

Go, go and get your wings

and be happy

FOREVER.

We'll be here

to take care of Dad

and each other

while you look down on us

guiding and protecting us

and waiting with open arms

for us..."YOUR BOYS"

when we meet again

in heaven

so many years from now.


Thankyou for giving me life Patricia.
Go in peace
To love and serve The Lord
And know that I will always
keep you in my heart
with every breath that
I breathe, from this day
until my last
I will love you.
My sweet sweet MOMMY.

I believe you know what it is I'm asking for.

Please Lord,
grant me this one wish.

Please don't let her suffer too much longer.

If you must take her from us
to be with you in that magnificent kingdom of Heaven,
help me to find a way to be more happy for her
and less sad for myself.

Please Lord,help me find the courage to deal with this, because Lord, I'm afraid.

I'm afraid that I'll be too sad to remember the happy times, and I'll only remember the sad ones.

Please help me to fend off the terrible feeling of guilt that I'm feeling inside for not being a better child.

Please help me to stop this agonizing feeling that I feel because I "would have" enjoyed things more "IF I'D ONLY KNOWN!!"
Please Lord, why couldn't I have spent more quality time?
Maybe visited more?
Spent a few more quiet moments
Given a few more hugs and kisses?
Said I love you ?

Why now Lord?
Why do happy memories feel like they're haunting me?

Happy memories are making me sad.

Will they ever be HAPPY memories again?
Or just painful reminders of
what I can't have anymore?

Am I selfish for wanting to hold on to the past?
For wanting to savor it
relive it
like an addict
looking for another high?

Would it be as good this time round?
Would it be
as happy?

I don't know Lord
But I'd love to give it just one try.

I promise you Lord, if you grant me this one wish
I'll live, laugh and love more
just because I can, and not just because I'm
supposed to.

But if you can't accomodate this wish ,
then Please, Please, Please
Oh Lord,

Take care of MY DEAR Father
when you take
MY SWEET Mother home.

IF I KNEW...

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
And pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
And call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
So I could play them back each day.

If I knew it would be the last time
I could spare an extra minute
I'd stop and say "I love you",
Instead of assuming you'd KNOW IT.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I would be there to share your day,
knowing you'd have no more,
so I couldn't let this one slip away.

Yet surely there's always tomorrow
To make up for an oversight,
And we always get a second chance
To make everything just right.

There will always be another day
To say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
To say "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
And today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
And I hope I never forget...

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
Young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
You get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
Why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
You'll surely regret the way...

That you didn't take that extra time
For a smile, a hug, or a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
What turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
And whisper in their ears,
Tell them how much you love them
And that you'll always hold them dear.

Take time to say "Thanks", "I'm sorry",
"Forgive me", or "It's okay".
And if tomorrow never comes
You'll have no regrets for today.


This is why I always say I love YOU...

Can't wait for Monday!!
Can't wait for Monday!!!

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm...

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts and are things
people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published
by court reporters who had the torment of biting their lip to stay calm
while these exchanges were taking place.

Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
______________________________________________________________
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________________________________
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?
______________________________________________________________
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
_________________________________________________________
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up that
morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
______________________________________________________________
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the
occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________________________________
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't
know about it until the next morning?
A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
______________________________________________________________
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
______________________________________________________________
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
______________________________________________________________
Q: So the date of conception of the baby was August 8th?
A: Yes.
Q: And what were you doing at that time?
______________________________________________________________
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
______________________________________________________________
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
______________________________________________________________
Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?
______________________________________________________________
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition which I
sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________________________________
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
______________________________________________________________
Q: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK?
A: Yes.
Q: What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
______________________________________________________________
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
______________________________________________________________
Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
______________________________________________________________
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the
autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive, practicing law
somewhere.

Try To Settle the Dispute

There was once a Irishman and an Englishman who lived next door to each other. The Irishman owned a hen and each morning would look in his garden and pick up one of his hen's eggs for breakfast.

One day he looked outside and saw that the hen had laid an egg in the Englishman's garden. He was about to go next door when he saw the Englishman pick up the egg. The Irishman ran up to the Englishman and told him that the egg belonged to him because he owned the hen. The Englishman disagreed because the egg was laid on his property.

They argued for a while until finally the Irishman said, "In my family we normally solve disputes by the following actions: I punch you in the nose and note how long it takes you to recover, then you punch me in the nose and note how long it takes for me to recover, whomever recovers quicker wins the egg."

The Englishman agreed to this and so the Irishman held the heaviest object he could find, took a few steps back, then ran toward the Englishman and punched him as hard as he could in the nose. The Englishman fell to the ground and was howling in agony and holding his nose for thirty minutes.

Eventually the Englishman stood up and said, "Now it's my turn to punch you."

The Irishman said, "Keep the lousy egg."

Why That Little !!!

The boss of a large company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers.

He dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whispered, "Hello?" "Is your Daddy home?" he asked. "Yes," whispered the small voice. "May I talk with him?" To the surprise of the boss, the small voice whispered, "No."

Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" "Yes," came the answer. "May I talk with her?"Again, the small voice whispered, "No."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked the child, "Is anybody else there?" "Yes" whispered the child, "a policeman."

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked "May I speak with the policeman?" "No, he's busy" "Busy doing what?" asked the boss. "Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the firemen," came the whispered answer.

Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the earpiece on the phone. The boss asked, "What is that noise?" "A hello-copper" answered the whispering voice. "What is going on there?" asked the boss, now alarmed.

In an awed whispering voice, the child answered, "The search team just landed the hello-copper."

Alarmed, concerned, and more than just a little frustrated, the boss asked, "What are they searching for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied, along with a muffled giggle..."Me."

The Problem with Politicians

Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients to operate on.

The first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."

The second responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is color coded."

The third surgeon says, "No, I really think librarians are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order."

The fourth surgeon chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers... those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over at the end, and when the job takes longer than you said it would."

But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed: "You're all wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, and no spine, and the head and butt are interchangeable."

A little ditty to tease your brain...

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes;
but the plural of ox became oxen not oxes.

One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
yet the plural of moose should never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice;
yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

If I spoke of my foot and show you my feet,
and I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?

If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
yet hat in the plural would never be hose, and the plural of cat
is cats, not cose.

We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
but though we say mother, we never say methren.

Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
but imagine the feminine, she, shis and shim.

Let's face it,
English is a crazy language.

There is no egg in eggplant,
nor ham in hamburger;
neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England.

We take English for granted.
But if we explore its paradoxes,
we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square
and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea, nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing,
grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends,
but not one amend?

If you have a bunch of odds and ends
and get rid of all but one of them,
what do you call it?

If teachers taught,
why didn't preachers praught?

If a vegetarian eats vegetables,
what does a humanitarian eat?

Sometimes, I think all the folks who grew up speaking English
should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.

In what other language do people recite at a play
and play at a recital?

Ship by truck and send cargo by ship?

Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which
your house can burn up as it burns down;
in which you fill in a form by filling it out
and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

Hmmmm....

Happiness is not the absence of problems, but rather the ability to deal with them.

Psalms 118:24

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it ."