Barbara Curtis's Blog, page 31
November 15, 2012
How I felt this morning....
HT--Leona Choy....Thanks Buddy!Picked up Barbara's death certificates today, (you should order at least five for the different institutions that require verification of death.) Was able to handle a number of logistical issues for the Boyz, laundry, housework, and some tasks for the charities I do some sub-contract work for.
My new "normal" is anything but. Going to the grocery store, pharmacy, Costco, etc. everyone I see is in their everyday construct. I feel like I should have a sign or placard on my chest stating, "My wife and mother of our children just died and...." But I don't know what "and" is... I am in undiscovered country with uncharted waters. I am dealing with something that is inevitable to us all but wasn't prepared for in spite of my faith. Even though I'd like to pull the blanket over my head like the hound above...I won't be able to find my way in this new country or learn to navigate these waters unless I venture out each day and do what is in front of me to do. Thank you all for your prayers and support.
Still in His grip,
Papa Tripp
November 14, 2012
Barbara Curtis...Her legacy lives on...
feed him for a lifetime." How many of us through her writing and speaking were challenged to think critically, examine our own motivations, and learned to approach and do things differently?
Another truth she lived by was from Socrates...."The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being." Because of her honesty and authentic exposition, thousands of you know her true self and us...her family. Our trials and triumphs....the difficulties and the joys....She helped us all to examine our own lives and motivations....to challenge our mindsets and emotional baggage. She challenged us by exposing her own weaknesses to examine our own.
Many of you have written to ask me to keep up Mommylife. I am not Barbara....she was unique....one in a million. But I will try....
Times are difficult right now, figuring out how to manage without her. Most of our twelve Arrows have left the quiver and God has already released them from our bow toward His target. But I have the four Boyz that will be with me always. The company I worked for went into dissolution at the end of September, so I have only had piece work since then working for two charities. When a company goes into dissolution or bankruptcy you are not eligible for Cobra...consequently we don't have any medical insurance right now. Barbara also cancelled our life insurance, (to save money) when I lost the job. So...I ask for your prayers to have wisdom and wherewithal to manage the challenges in front of us.
Some of you have experienced the loss of your spouse or someone close to you....It is the most wrenching emotional roller coaster I have ever been in. It is so bittersweet. Knowing that she is with God and we are without her. As Jonny said the other night with his head on my shoulder, "no more Mommy's voice Dad." She won't be coming down the stairs again to share our morning cup of coffee to wax eloquent on the current political fiasco of the day and begin her blogging for the day. No more seeing her whimsical smile listening to the radio while she works in the laundry room. No more sharing her concerns and praying together. No more dreaming together of all the trips we were going to take someday, but never did....especially the one to the Holy Land. (sorry Barbara....but you are in the real Jerusalem now!)
We will carry on and I will do my best to keep you abreast of what is happening in Barbara's family's life. I will also try to post things that I think she would have put up as well. In particular pro life and pro family issues. Please continue to share with this site those things you would like to share. I will continue to check her email at ....
megamommy12@gmail.com
Mine is papatrippster@gmail.com
Barbara Curtis Mommylife Memorial Fund
PO Box 682
Lovettsville, VA 20180-0682
"God's gifts put Man's best dreams to shame."
E.E. Browning
In His grip,
Papa Tripp
November 10, 2012
Barbara Curtis....Memorial Mass and Burial
May the angels lead you into paradise; and at your coming may the Martyrs receive you, may they lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May a choir of Angels receive you and may you with Lazarus.....once a poor man....possess eternal peace.Last Saturday, our family along with many others from far and near gathered at our parish to witness our farewell to Barbara. You can read a beautiful description of the mass at Arlington Catholic Herald under the title, "Family says goodbye to Mama Bear." (I'm new at blogging and couldn't get the link to paste.)
Some of Barbara's children singing the post Communion hymn.After the Mass, many joined us at the reception to share in our grief and offer solace. Before leaving for the burial site, we viewed a beautiful video tribute(see previous posting) of Barbara's life put together by her daughters.
Since becoming followers of Christ, both Barbara and I were cognizant that our lives here were finite but our souls were eternal. Depending on whom we served, our souls would live eternally in either Heaven or Hell. We had talked of death and both agreed that we'd want our burials to be as minimalist as possible. During the week before the funeral, I was on my way to the church with Maddy to make arrangements for the service when the Holy Spirit prompted me to see if I could have Barbara buried in a shroud like our Lord was. I asked the funeral director if it was possible and she researched and found it could be done. We dressed her, put her in a ivory colored shroud, and then placed her in a plain wooden box that could be used to carry her to the church and then to the burial ground. We had decided on a primitive cemetery which was part of sacred ground that has been occupied by Trappist monks since 1950. The resting spot we had chosen for her was on a high meadow overlooking the Shenandoah River and the western side of the Blue Ridge Mts. There is an eagle's nest nearby with two eagles that have been there according the monks for the last 20 years and a heron rookery across the river. Barbara had decorated our homes throughout our years together with various depictions of two birds symbolizing our marriage and she loved herons. It is also a Civil War battlefield site which seemed fitting for a courageous woman who engaged valiantly in many battles during her life.
After arriving at the cemetery, we took her out of the box and carried her in her shroud up to her grave. Before lowering her in, her eldest daughter, Samantha knelt and kissed her Mom one last time. After lowering her in, Fr. Escalante said the last prayers and offered each of us consolation before leaving with the funeral director. I began to bury her and my sons, grandsons, and other members of the family joined in to help. While working at our task we sang hymns, grieved, and prayed. In our family we sing the Doxology as a prelude to our family grace at meals. As we finished our task we sang this with her one last time as she was being called to sit at that Great Banqueting Table that Our Lord had set for her.
Her mortal time here is done, but her life's work continues to impact those of us left behind. Our Heavenly Father was able through her obedient and willing servant's heart to touch many lives for His sake. She was like a stone that He had thrown into the sea of Life whose ripples go on and on touching unlimited shores. She was His "little girl" while she was here and I always used to tell her that He liked her best and that she was His special pet. She truly called Him, "Abba, Father!" As Matt said, "This isn't goodbye Mom....it's just...See you later."
I can't wait to see you again Babe......Please pray for us.
In His grip,
Papa Tripp
"Circumstances change....but God never changes"
Lamentations
Nil Sine Numini.....Nothing without Providence
November 7, 2012
Tribute Video
Ed
November 1, 2012
Barbara Curtis.....For He is Our Peace...
Barbara Curtis, beloved by husband, children, family, and
friends worldwide died suddenly this week of a hemorrhagic stroke. In death as in life, hers was orchestrated by
Our Heavenly Father. Unbeknownst to us all her spirit was preparing for this
time over the last month. She reached out and touched so many of those she
loved while conducting her ongoing battles against injustice, falsehood, and
evil while continuing her life's mission of upholding the value life,
motherhood, and parenting. She even made
sure that our refrigerators, freezers, and pantry were well stocked with food.
Barbara had gone up to Rochester, NY to see one of our sons,
Ben performing in an opera at Eastman. Her plan was to go to church with Ben
and Anna, (his wife) the next morning and then head back home. She changed her
mind that night and decided to leave early in the morn. If she had followed her
plan, she would have had the stroke while driving on the freeway and died
alone. She arrived home around 4pm as I was preparing to leave on a mission
regarding the coming hurricane and busily getting the house secure during the
storm for her and the 3 youngest boys at home.
She was in a great mood, started a load of laundry, even had time to cut
my hair, our last intimate moment. I was supposed to leave at 5pm and noticed I
was way behind. After looking at my watch and seeing it was 5:37 I went to kiss
her and the boys goodbye. She was sitting on our loveseat in the living room
with a dazed expression on her face. I asked her what was wrong and she uttered
a discombobulated incomprehensible sentence.
This is a woman who had never uttered an inarticulate statement in her
life. I suspected stroke and ran the test. She failed. After calling a good
friend who is a ER Doc, I dialed 911. At the hospital the first ct scan showed
a 5 cent. blood clot on her brain over her language center. Our oldest daughter
and son with their spouses were there. She was still not making sense, but had
a sense of humor about it...even kind of laughing herself a little. The docs
and nurses told us that she seemed to be improving and after giving some
medicine to assist blood clotting were going to do another ct scan at 1am
Monday morning.
Shortly thereafter at 11:30 I noticed she was trying to
vomit. I went to help her and her eyes suddenly went blank and her body went limp.
Keeping her from aspirating, I called the nurse and they immediately intubated
her and sent her for another ct scan.
She never gained consciousness again. The ct scan showed the blood clot
was now 13 cent. and growing.
The doctors said that doing surgery would not remedy anything
and probably they would damage her brain even more. The damage was severe. Even
if she survived, she would be immobile. She would never be able to speak or
understand again. She would require around the clock care for the rest of her
days as a vegetable. I realized then that if I had left on time, Barbara would
have died at home with our 3 youngest who would not comprehend, and our son
Matt would have come the next morning to find his mother dead with 3 distressed
special needs boys. God's orchestration. God had made it possible for her
husband and children to be with her when she went to be with her Lord and
Savior.
Barbara and I had talked about this many times over the
years. We both agreed that when our times came we did not want to thwart God's
will. The medical community pride's itself on being able to take a life in the
mother's womb while keeping life that is over alive. Seems a little like playing God.
The miracles surrounding this time will be treasured by her
family. Needless to say, God arranged
for all her children to be there at her passing. Though she was comatose,
all had a chance to speak with her
privately and corporately as a family. The hospital allowed us all to be with
her before and after she was removed from life support. We prayed and sang her
favorite hymns as she was removed from life support. Though it took only 15
minutes it seemed like eternity as her soul passed. As she came to rest, I
realized that in all the years I had known her, I had never seen her so at
peace.
She was the most incredible person I have ever known.
Brilliant communicator, constant seeker of truth, champion of the weak, fierce
opponent of injustice, lover of art, music, literature and culture, believer in
constant examination of self & motivation, consumed with passion for life
and family, and an undying zeal to pursue God's will. She was a force to be reckoned with. It is only fitting that she should depart in
the eye of the hurricane. Her only regret is probably that she didn't absentee
vote. But God knows she can be more effective in these times from her vantage
point now that she is with that
"great cloud of witnesses" above.
She has left behind a loving family and a veritable host of
warriors that she has helped and encouraged throughout the years to carry on
the fight. We will do our best from this
end. Many of you have asked of ways to help.
We set up an account today to help with our family's mission and the
four Down Syndrome children left behind without their Mama Bear.
Barbara Curtis Mommylife Memorial Fund
PO Box 682 Lovettsville, VA 20180-0682
3rd, 2012, at St Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, VA.
While we were courting years ago, we enjoyed reading poetry
together. One of our favorites was Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in particular
this verse....."God's gifts put Man's best dreams to shame." Certainly she was a gift to us all. She made me a better man than I ever would
have been. In obedience we constantly
bit off more than we could chew and then had to chew it. Through it all, Our Father always provided.
May the Lord bless you and keep you all. Cherish your times together for you never know
when it may end.
Pax vobiscum....
Tripp
October 30, 2012
In Memory of Barbara Curtis
Heaven has welcomed a beautiful saint and patriot today - our friend, mother of 12, author and blogger, Barbara Curtis.
She was a testimony to God's grace and transforming power. She had a wise, compassionate heart, and had such an amazing impact on so many people she didn't even know. I have no doubt that she is now hearing the words that all of us long to one day hear: "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Rest in peace, Barbara. You will be greatly missed, and we won't let all your work be in vain. We will keep up the fight. Our prayers are with your husband Tripp and your children as they grieve.
Love,
Rachel Bjorklund
ThoughtsFromAConservativeMom.com
October 26, 2012
Obama defends calling Romney a bull******r
Did you hear that Obama is on record as calling Romney a "b*********r?" Here he justifies his remark. I'm sorry, but I've had it with this charlatan/traitor/b*********r. The election can't come soon enough.
Obama voter virginity ad - women answer back
In answer to Obama's ad encouraging women to lose their voter virginity to him:
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