Growing Up with Dolls

Growing up is wonderful. Getting new responsibilities (whether ya like'em or not!) and being able to do new things is great. But one downfall of growing up: saying goodbye to old friends. Now I don't mean humans; I mean stuffed animals and/or dolls. Above are my dolls from L to R:Top row: Elizabeth, Kathleen, Violet, Felicity. Bottom row: Hannah and Kelly.

I got my first 'real' doll (Kelly) when I was five years old. I received Hannah as a birthday present when I turned six (I needed a playmate for Kelly). I took a break from doll collecting until I was nine years old, when my mom purchased an AG Felicity doll off of eBay. I literally counted down the days until she arrived! Then the next Christmas I got Felicity's best friend Elizabeth from my grandma. I can still remember opening the wrapping paper and seeing an AG box the exact size of a doll. Throwing the top aside, I screamed in pleasure when I pulled her out. Then I took another break for a year, then (out of my own money) bought two ALOF (A Life Of Faith) dolls: Kathleen and Violet. I have doted on these girls for hours on end, have collected furniture, and whole wardrobes that would rival a dress shop. So what is the problem, you say? I'll tell you: losing interest. Yes, I feel terrible and am ashamed to admit that these will be the last pictures of my dolls before they head to a new life up, tucked snuggly away in a box, in our attic.

For all you doll-lovers who still play with them, I say: wonderful. Among all the 'Bratz' dolls and even Barbie dolls, young innocent girls are thinking it's okay to flash their midriff to the world (as if we cared to see it!) or to have boyfrieds at age nine. Classic 18 inch dolls are the key to little girl's innocence because they can be cute and have nice, modest clothes, but without the leggy, pouty lipped, big-chested dolls that are out there today.So I say, "Hurrah!" to dolls, keep on preserving innocence one prairie bonnet at a time!

Answered prayer and solitude....

Oh, goodness...the answered prayer was that none of us would get this particularly nasty stomach virus until after Christmas...thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!

But...Meghan fell victim to it yesterday...staying home with an upset stomach...today is recovering, but wiped out. Now for the solitude...with a family of 6, usually we all get something like this...one after the other. I'm feeling 'queasy' today...for a couple days, actually, but thought it was simply all the different foods that I'm not used to eating.

I guess the Gorecki family will have some solitude for a little while...some of us are just not feeling up to par, and the main reason is so that we don't infect anyone else!

God is so good to us that way...sometimes, our greatest times with the Lord are when we are forced to stay home...as a family and with Him....without outside distractions and commitments. Last year, right after Ronnie's surgery, when he was in his body cast, we all got the flu...the real flu...fever for 5 days, terrible chest colds, body aches...the works....well, needless to say we were ALONE for quite a while until everyone was over that...then we were still home until his cast came off.

So...knowing that even though we really wanted to see family and friends over the next week or so, that the Lord has other plans for us...and we're simply going to accept His plans, change ours and thank Him for giving us what we need when we need it...even enforced "quiet time" at home, with each other and especially with Him. ~Sue

God's grace, cousins and the gift of laughter....

This beautiful woman with me is my cousin, Kim...she is actually married to my cousin, John...but she is one of my very dearest friends as well...and she laughs.

By God's grace, Kim was feeling well enough for Ron and I to take the kids over for a visit. Kim has a very rare auto-immune disease called relapsing polycondroitis and is on high doses of prednisone and chemo...and she laughs. She has always laughed at life as long as I've known her...I have so much to learn from her! She has always looked at life and family as gifts...to be enjoyed everyday, no matter what. And, there is no one that Kim laughs more at than herself...she is truly joyful. Even thru this ordeal...while lying in bed fighting nausea, losing her hair, trips to the hospital...she counts her blessings...and finds something to laugh at. She is amazing and I admire her so much.

Here she is (with the oldest of her 5 children, Maria) wearing a hat and 'dreadlocks' someone gave her...and she insisted on wearing them for the picture. We laughed so much all night!

Here is my dear cousin, Kathy....she lives a couple of hours away, so it is a treat to spend time with her...and if you can tell from the picture...we laughed!!!

Here are Sara and Maria...they are only 3 months apart in age, and we have so many pictures over the years of the two girls, I had to post this one.

Here is Timmy with Ronnie...Ronnie looks up to him so much and Tim is so sweet and kind with Ronnie...he really takes an interest in him and enjoys spending time with him...they had a nice visit.

And, here are all the cousins, minus my Meghan, who was home sick and missed the visit....which we will do again very soon, God willing! We all had such a great time...I forgot to get a picture of Ron and my cousin John watching the Penguins hockey game...between music and hockey...they enjoy spending time together as much as the rest of us do! Family is too important NOT to make the time for...and the memories that are made are so precious! Next party...Maggie's birthday! ~Sue~

Counting our blessings instead of sheep....

What a wonderful Christmas day we all had! It was quiet and calm...and thru out the day, Ron and I simply counted our blessings...the love and forgiveness of our Savior and His constant care and provision for our family...our 4 healthy, sweet children...our extended family...traditions.

One of our traditions is that we hide the children's presents and they have to follow the written clues that we leave for them to find their gifts. This year, Ronnie read the clues and everyone followed him...it was so cute! One of the clues was to look 'under the floor'...little Anna was the only one to think to look under the rug!

Ronnie reading the clues

Ronnie and Anna with Sara after opening their gifts from her.

Meghan, happy after opening a new sheet music book...she dashed right down to the piano after she finished opening her gifts.

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After our traditional Christmas brunch, we all went down to Ron's mom's house to spend time with Grandma RoRo...along with Uncle Sean who was in from Chicago, Aunt Maureen, Timmy, cousins Ben and his sweet wife Crystal, Jim B., Elizabeth and her gang...along with two of the sweetest Aunts and Uncles in the world.

Driving home after a wonderful day with family, we couldn't keep from (still) counting our blessings...and thanking God for bestowing them on our family.

~Sue~

The kindness of strangers...

Here is Ronnie...head to toe dressed in camo. When he had his first hip surgery in January 2008, we started a 'postcards for Ronnie'...an idea a dear friend had to send emails asking for postcards for Ronnie while he spent 3 months in a body cast...well, he has gotten hundreds of postcards over the last year...we are still in awe whenever we look at them...and we pull them out frequently and give thanks for the people who sent them...most from people we have never met.

One person who has been particularly faithful in sending postcards, is Col. Russell Smith of the USMC. We have received so many postcards from Col. Smith from all over the world! He included his email address in the last one, and we've finally been able to thank him and be in communication with him. A couple days before Christmas, a package arrived in the mail for Ronnie with a Marine Corp. 'boonie' hat for him along with a letter and pictures from Col. Smith...Ronnie was so surprised and happy...he has hardly taken it off since! The funny thing is, it arrived approx. 20 minutes before my dad, who was in the Marines himself. Well...Ronnie hurried and put on all his camo clothes and his new hat before his Zedoh (slovak for Grandfather) arrived. It not only made Ronnie's day, but my Dad's day as well!

We have been so very, very blessed by the prayers, care and concern from total strangers who the Lord has put Ronnie and our family on their hearts...we are still very humbled by His great love and the love of those who follow Him.

So...thanks, Col. Smith and all of you other 'angels' who have prayed for Ronnie and our family, sent postcards, meals, care packages...and have obeyed our Father's leading...we will be forever grateful! ~Sue~