AnnaLeah and Mary loved their niece and nephew to the moon and back (except when they were fussy!). They would have loved their brand-new precious nephew as well.
Photo by The Karths, Naomi & Sam
I have to admit when I saw this photo of him today–one month old–I couldn’t help but think how cheated we all were. They will never know him here. He will never know them. But I am very grateful for this new bundle of joy brought into our family.
I will never forget what Mary wrote to herself, “I hope that I will be living every day as if it were my last.” And she and her sister did–full of laughter and joy. Loving. . .
Celebrating the life and laughter of our May birthday girl: AnnaLeah Karth (Forever 17)
Colorful. Creative. Compassionate. Insightful.
AnnaLeah and her dad helping Grandpa Waldron to the cottage after enjoying a view of Lake Michigan
It seems like only yesterday — only it was three years ago — that we found ourselves celebrating Vanessa’s four year-old birthday on the day when we had planned to have a joint celebration on AnnaLeah’s 18th birthday. . . May 15, 2013.
(Stolen from us by a preventable truck crash.)
In 11 years, we will celebrate Vanessa’s 18th birthday–the age that AnnaLeah would have been that day. Won’t that seem odd as our 2 girls remain young and the rest of us get older?
Grace Girls Appreciated AnnaLeah For over three years, AnnaLeah took care of the babies and preschoolers of moms who attended a morning Bible Study group called Grace Girls. She had a gift with young children. She enjoyed them and they loved her. The moms appreciated AnnaLeah and let her know so. Photos show a Christmas card she received from them, as well as a farewell card to her when we were moving away from Midland, along with lots of photos of AnnaLeah with little ones.
Joy in the Journey. . . laughing with AnnaLeah Okay, so I posted the Buddies Forever photos and then decided that I wanted to post a photo of AnnaLeah’s hair to see how it matched her Buddy’s hair. In the process, I ran across a series of photos which Isaac took in 2009 when we were preparing for the Family Promise=Hope puppet program and wanted to create a “wedding portrait” of the Mom & Dad puppets for their bedroom wall as a stage prop. AnnaLeah and I held the puppets as he took the photos and we were having such a fun time. Finding joy in the journey…then & now.
Weeping Willow Memories. . . she was so creative Mary and AnnaLeah enjoyed a spring-like day in the winter of 2009 at Grafa Park in Midland, Texas. The branches of a weeping willow tree became the setting for the unleashing of their imagination. (Preserved for us by their sister, Susanna Karth)
Sarah Eaton’s Photos of AnnaLeah & Mary Sarah shares these thoughts about AnnaLeah and Mary from Midland, Texas: So many good memories with those girls. They may be gone but they lived life to the fullest! I am so thankful to have gotten to know them even if it was just for a couple of years!
Locks of Love. . . Mary’s braids are beautiful. Maybe, when I am not here anymore, my family might decide to donate them to Locks of Love. But right now, they are all that I have left of her, and I am going to keep them. (Wish I had AnnaLeah’s as well…)
AnnaLeah served from her heart. She was very handy with her hands–though construction was not her forte but rather crafts. Young children especially loved her.
I love to see AnnaLeah’s genuine smile and love of her niece and nephew and books, books, books!
While Mary played, AnnaLeah diligently got the job done! : )
I was so proud of AnnaLeah as she matured and gave to those around her. She was insightful and taught me a lot. I don’t know that I ever affirmed her fully or told her enough how much I loved her. To the moon and back. See you soon, raccoon (not soon enough).
Just tonight, someone heard the ringtone on my phone and smiled. It was one that Mary recorded not all that long before she died. I’ve left it on my phone.
How about that? Mary is still spreading joy.
(Well, now that makes me smile and cry at the same time.)
Every day’s a holiday with Mary. . . remembering Simply Mary Moments
A Short Film produced & directed by Isaac Karth & Samuel Karth, and starring Mary Lydia Karth: Gremlins in the Basement
And, I love this! Spontaneous moments with Mary (about age 6)–trailer from the making of the above film with her older brothers, Gremlins in the Basement:
Living and loving and grieving and giving. Carrying on day by day.
A very special gift given to me today, Mother’s Day May 8, 2016, from my three treasured grandchildren
Today, I pulled out some clothes for church and realized after I did that the skirt was the one which I bought after the crash. All of my clothes, which I had packed for the trip on May 4, 2013, were destroyed in the crash. So, while driving from the hospital in Athens, Georgia, to Arlington, Texas, to be with all of our children (minus 2), Jerry and I stopped at a Cracker Barrel, and I picked out a lovely skirt. The next day was Mother’s Day–one week after our crash.
Today marks the day Mary died in 2013. I will get no more Mother’s Day greetings from her. Or from AnnaLeah.
Here’s a card from Mary many years ago when I came home from a trip somewhere.
I’m having a special day today–thanks to my children and my husband. And I am grateful for it. But while I’m waiting to enjoy the meal they are preparing, I have to admit . . . what is it that I am trying to say?
AnnaLeah and Mary, I will never stop missing you. You are my daughters–from life’s first cry to final breath and all through eternity.
It is Ascension Sunday–the day we remember how Jesus left us until that day when He will return again. How ironic: Today is May 8, the day we lost Mary, Mother’s Day, and Ascension Sunday.
None of these words take away the pain of losing you:
Mary had a neighborhood friend when we lived in Midland, Texas. Briley was younger than Mary, but they had great fun together. When Briley moved closer to Dallas, they kept in touch and Mary loved it when Briley would stop in to see her during visits back in Midland.
Last month, Briley’s dad contacted me and let me know that Briley had decided that she wanted to write a letter to us. I was so excited and treasured the letter when it came. I decided to wait until May 8 — the day that Mary left us — to share this letter.
Mary was full of joy herself and she brought others right along with her as she enjoyed life. How she loved to laugh! And she loved the song, “Every day’s a holiday with Mary!”
Thank you, Briley, for being a friend to Mary. She valued your friendship. And thank you for helping me at this time when I miss her so very much — when I can hardly believe that she and her sister are no longer with us. How can it be?
It’s almost like the Lord inspired that artist to make a statue of AnnaLeah and Mary.
I planted some sunflowers behind the statue in hopes of growing some morning glories that will climb up them and put the girls in a garden. Might attract some real butterflies. Vanessa found a bug caught in the tiny butterfly net one day.
I had to thin the sunflowers today and felt bad deciding which ones would get to survive and which ones would get pulled up.
And I would have felt bad leaving the girls out in the rain except I knew that they probably would have enjoyed it–based on past experience! (photos of Mary from May 10 and July 25, 2012–some rare rainstorms in Midland, Texas, and one of AnnaLeah in a raincoat in Michigan with her siblings playing in the puddles).
