when Hello means Goodbye

It was a sleepless night as I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening 2 years ago, about our precious Esmee Lynne.  I can't help but wonder what she would have been like now, I know a little girl named Madelynne whom I'm guessing they would have looked very alike.  But I do not question, I thank God everyday for the precious little time I knew our daughter Esmee as I carried her, and I am thankful for the precious gift she gave us of bringing Heaven closer to us.


When Madelynne was born with the tumor, I was sooooo scared.  When Mason just had his acute asthma attack and was in ICU struggling to breath, I was soooo sooooo scared.  These feelings are equally felt by my hubby.


Last night as I was praying, I was just simply THANKFUL.  Thankful for every child, precious gifts from God.  My heart will always overflow in love for each one, that includes Esmee Lynne, our Angel.


This verse always brings comfort to me, I needed to read it this morning.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee..."
I still get the feeling that stillbirths are a touchy subject, hard to talk about and maybe accept as no one but the mother really knew the child.  I understand, until this happened to us, I didn't fully grasp it either.  But this verse is so comforting to me because God knew Esmee from the beginning.  Beautiful.


I'm sure Deena doesn't mind me sharing this as she wrote it in a previous comment and I love it.  Thank-you Deena.  She lost a grand daughter who lived for 1 hour 21 minutes.  A verse of one of the poems she wrote: 
"A tiny beacon you've become in helping to point the way, and someday we'll more fully know why you were not meant to stay.  Your sinless little soul is safe in a loving Father's care, and our purpose, with His help each day, is to one day join you there."


I wish I could be in two places today, as I would love to be putting fresh flowers on her grave.  The following song was used in a video with pictures of Esmee.  I love the words, all except for "if there's a Heaven" because we know there definitely is one.
http://www.karentaylorgood.com/audio/Precious_Child_by_Karen_Taylor-Good.mp3

Trying to pull herself up

On Saturday August 14th, this is when we started noticing Madelynne trying hard to pull herself up.  Not yet there tho.  Also some cute pictures of her eating!

Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel

We stayed in a fun place in Killiney.  The boys were very impressed to stay in the big red castle!  There's still a verdict out on if it is indeed red or a deep pueple...
The second picture is the view from our room.
I'm not sure what kind of tree it is in the bottom picture, but I like it!

Powerscourt Waterfall

Saturday, August 14.
Last stop of the day was at the Powerscourt waterfall.  Supposedly the highest waterfall in Britain and Ireland at 130m and after a rain it would look very formidable!

Powerscourt Estate

Saturday, August 14th
We also went to see the Powerscourt Estate and walk through the gardens.  It gives you insight into the lifestyle of the 18th century super-rich (the powerful and mighty Anglo-Normans), wander the magnificent Italianate gardens and soak in the view.  They say this isn't how the other half lived, but how the other half PERCENT lived!  Inside the house was full of shops and organic cafes, I'm not sure if I enjoyed the gardens or the shops more :) (The little time I was able to actually spend in the shops!)
The walk took an hour, but the promise of a big soft ice cream cone at the end kept the boys going :)  No surprise eh!
Ruben took hundreds of pictures, here a few I put together, the rest will go up on webshots soon.

A little town called Dalkey

Saturday, August 14.
We packed up and headed the 200km to Dublin for a few days.  It's the first time I saw a 120km/hr speed limit.  I know everyone drives at least that when the sign is 110km/hr back in Canada, but here the average car was going 140km/hr.  Good thing the speed limit wasn't any higher!  Actually, the "gard" aka police are barely seen on the highway.  I've seen 1 car pulled over so far.  Off track here, but interesting I think, is texting and talking on a mobile without hands free is illegal, and actually obeyed.  They have a lane on the highways for cars to pull over if they have to talk.  I think it's great.  So you'll be driving along, and all of a sudden the guy ahead of you swerves into the side lane and stops! I must say I get fidgety when driving because that used to be when I'd talk on the phone!  It's so quiet now!  Regardless of screaming kids in the back!  You do need your full attention in town driving, especially on the roundabouts.


Back to Saturday now, we stayed at a cute castle hotel, that will be in a future post.  Near the hotel at the bottom of the hill, is a cute heritage town called Dalkey.  We walked around, got lunch and enjoyed a little farmers market.

Duggan

Granny's grandfather, Winfred Duggan (please correct me if the fist name is wrong!) was from Ireland!  I have not done a big history search, yet.  


One thing I've concluded about the Lewis' now, is I know where their generous hospitality comes from.  The Irish blood!  I admit I don't know much about the English, but I've really felt the friendliness and hospitality from everyone here in Ireland.  I don't get that in England :)
What I did learn so far about the Duggan name is below.  I LOVE the motto :)


DUGGAN
The name Duggan, from the Irish O'Dubhagain, is mainly associated with Munster, although it is also quite common in Dublin.  O'Duggans are first recorded as living near Fermoy, but lost their territory during the Norman invasion, and were driven into Cork, Waterford, Tipperary and Galway.  The O prefix has been dropped from the name since the seventeenth century.
Location: Munster, Dublin
Motto: Sursum corda - Lift up your hearts

Galway - Eyre Square and Quay Street

Friday, August 13, 2010
We finally made it down town Galway!  I had been waiting for this!  At first we avoided it due to the horse races attracting so many people here for a week, it would have been crazy!
We didn't spend near enough time, I need to go back and really shop or just window shop!  I mentioned to Ruben he's lucky we have children in tow for all these excursions because it's sure saving him a lot of money!  
So here's a little look at the cute downtown of Galway.


First stop I was craving pizza!  It was the first time we had it since leaving Texas!
These 3 pictures gave me a good laugh!

Quay Street - was overcast and getting dark, so these pictures aren't great.  But it gives you an idea!

Eyre Square

8 MONTHS OLD!

Madelynne is 8 months old and I can't believe how much she's done in just this last month!  I was able to pull some pictures of the boys and compare.  The picture caption said Chase was 29.3 lb and Mason 27.6 lb at 8 months.  When we left Texas, Madelynne was 25.5 lb, I don't think she's gained much, maybe 26 lb now.

About Madelynne at 8 months: 
- Not quite crawling, is trying very hard.  Gets quite frustrated on her tummy when she can't move.  She tries to pull herself up, almost there.
- Does not like food with sugar in it.  I buy the plain organic foods and she loves those.  Rice cakes are a hit too, and now cheerios.  She really doesn't eat much for solids.  The boys at this age ate alot, Madelynne still prefers above all her bottle.
- No teeth yet, teething seems to have subsided for now.
- Not sleeping through the night yet.  Still eats twice at night!
- Takes 2- 2 hour naps a day or 2- 1 hour naps plus 1- 2 hour nap.
- We are so not in a schedule... could have something to do with so much constant change the last while!
- She is quick to smile, charms everyone!  Likes to gurgle.
- She can stare anyone down!
- Nobody can make her laugh like her brothers.  She loves them!
- She is a mommy's girl :)
- Her eyes follow daddy around, she adores him!
- She loves to be outside, going for walks in the stroller or in her Urgo carrier, and loves the swings.
- She likes to try to balance things on her nose!
- She really is a content baby, when she cries, it's for a reason.

Part 3 of 3 - Portumna

We squeezed in 1 more castle before heading home.  Thankfully this part of the road was a but smoother and wider!  First glance at the castle, it feels like a fairy tale, all the Princess stories and dreams.  In a beautiful fancy dress, fancy hair, riding on a carriage pulled by horses.  Riding down the lane to be dropped off at the grand entry way.  Anyway, back to reality, it was a pretty walk up to the castle, then you pay your entrance fee and the boys were given "quiz boards" to make it more interesting.  Like counting windows or spy holes or what the dog's name was who was a hero saving a young lady... The boys loved it!  The castle is being restored, as it was gutted by a fire in 1826.  It was built in 1618.  It is sometimes hard to grasp just how old things are here.  You just don't see that in North America.
After the castle, the boys still had energy to run to the playground and play for a while.  Then on the way home, 4 of us were snoring as Ruben drove :).

Part 2 of 3 - Loughrea

After Athenry and getting lost and bumpy bumpy windy bumpy roads, we made it to Loughrea, another cute town with cute streets.  


In general, the towns are gorgeous.  There are no big Walmarts, Targets or other commercial stores taking over, yet.  I hope they don't.  So they have the chemist, the butcher, the barber, the pubs, the candy shops, the boutiques, the small produce shop, small grocery stores, the bakery's, banks, etc.  All colorful well kept buildings, hanging pots of flowers, cobble stone sidewalks, they take great pride.  I just smile every town we go through, so cute!  Only a few stores are open late on weekdays, and a few more on the weekends.  Fast food barely exists.  We've seen 4 drive-thru's so far. There is 1 pizza delivery place, not sure if they'd even deliver out here!


We had lunch at a lovely bakery cafe.  Vegetable soup is always pureed over here, with pumpkin, parsnip, carrots, etc, and it is very tasty.  Not sure if you ever get chunky vegetable soup!  And then the pastries... sigh.  So yummy!  Good thing we do a lot of walking!  Here's some pictures the boys took, except for the last one of the main street.

Little did Mason know he was taking this for Bama!  Looks cute, should have went in!