Celebration of Life....

There is nothing like the Celebration of Life.....

This Sunday we celebrated our wonderful Mike and Kirsten's little girls 1st Birthday! Lila Louise was born this day one year ago...

We headed to their house for Lila's 1st Birthday party. We were very excited to be sharing in Lila's special day. And check out this adorable homemade cake and adorable cupcakes that Lila's Great Grandmother made for her special day....absolutely adorable! Little flowers and bumblebee's on the cupcakes, the detail was amazing and they tasted very yummy too!

We tried to get a pic of the birthday girl with Dylan, it didn't work so much with smiles for the pic, but aren't they just so cute sitting next to each other! Dylan loves 'baby Lila' to pieces!

Anticipating this wonderful cake she gets to dig in to!And of course we all enjoyed singing Happy Birthday to this special little girl! Happy 1st Birthday Lila. We hope your 1st Birthday was a very special one for you!! Our next Celebration was for Grandma Martin's 80Th Birthday! We headed off to Anamosa for this birthday party. Grandma Martin had lots of family and wonderful friends sharing in her special celebration with her. The kids were very excited to see their Great Grandma and she was equally as excited to see them!

Danielle was dressed to party today! She was such a good girl...all day long!

And as often as we get to celebrate life, one time per year as birthday's roll around....there is occasionally those Celebrations that are a little different.

The Celebration of Life that comes when one passes....the sadness that surrounds us but the celebration of the person's greatest days on earth, with which ones life that has touched SO many.
My Step Grandma Martucci went into heaven on Thursday April 15Th.

A woman who was SO much to SO many.

I believe my mom summed it up saying it the best in these words...

" an incredible woman of God passed today, a prayer warrior that will be greatly missed, she is dancing with her husband and son at the feet of Jesus. The trumpet has sounded. I see her radiant joy for she prepared herself in this life for the anticipation of our king taking her home."

She was a devoted mother....

We have several cards, mass cards dedicated to our children, prayer requests and hand written messages for our children. She would send the kids messages often when they were so tiny and fighting for every breath, reminding them of God's love and the strength they have shown to so many. We will forever cherish these special messages for our children.

Memory....

MARTUCCI Anna P. (nee Paparatto), age 88, of Palisades Park, NJ on April 15,2009. Born in Bronx, beloved wife of the late Joseph. Devoted mother of Jo Ann (Henry) Klein, Joseph (Debra) Martucci, Richard (Kathleen) Martucci, Louis (Jeanette) Martucci, Thomas (LouAnn) Martucci, Ronald (Mary Ann) Martucci, Jeffrey Martucci and the late Christopher Martucci. Dear sister to the late Tino Paparatto and sister in law to Robert Martucci. Cherished grandmother of 23 and 13 great-grandchildren. Anna learned how to speak English upon entering elementary school as her parents only spoke Italian. She was always an excellent and gifted student, receiving a full scholarship to CCNY from which she graduated with Honors and her BS Degree in 1944. A teacher for the Hackensack Board of Education for many years, retiring in 1990. This mother of eight was perpetually involved with Scouting, PTA, Little League, and Sports in general. In later years her life centered around her parish family of St. Michael's; a daily communicant, Eucharistic Minister and Lector, a Rosarian, CCD teacher, the Parish Council and also served as a volunteer teacher in Notre Dame School.

Sailing away in heaven, her memory lives on. Rest in Peace....
We reflect today, we realize what a gift each day is. From celebrating the little life of the 1st year for a beautiful little girl....to the wonderful life of an 80 year old...to the celebration of life a wonderful Grandmother lived and now continues on in heaven.

The Circle of Life is a beautiful thing..we are very blessed.~