Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tomorrow is "Coke Float Day" at our house.

I'll probably make my float with caffeine-free Diet Coke, but it will be special just the same. =)
We invite you to join us in making a memory with your family or a friend or loved one too. Whether it's today or tomorrow or any other day that you find yourself 'living in the moment' and realizing that ordinary can be extraordinary- moments are a gift every day!
We will forever remember this moment and time we had with Teagan. We cherish it and we're glad to make new memories with our family as the days and years go on. One day I know we'll all enjoy being with Teagan again- in a very special place called Heaven!
And now, here is the story behind "Coke Float Day". I hope it touches you in some small way...enjoy!

Today our family affectionately terms this day "Coke Float Day". Coke float day marks one month prior to the day we said our last goodbyes to Teagan and happens to be a day we captured a special moment in her life and ours in this photo above. The day was June 30, 2001; Teagan stayed up late as she often did to say goodnight to Daddy after he'd been away at work all day. This day we made that goodnight extra special by letting her and Chip have Coke floats- served at her little table in the 'special' tall malt glasses. She was so excited to have this time with Chip. She always was a Daddy's girl and I'm so glad I thought to grab the camera and snap a photo of this late-night date they shared that day.
We had already learned that life was precious and we should make the most of the time we have together because of an incident where we found Wyndham unresponsive and purple months earlier that same year. We had already learned to let go of some of the frustrations in life and to take in the fun times together or make a memory out of an ordinary day.
What we couldn't have known was that Teagan's days were coming to an abrupt end and our lives would never be the same in a matter of one month. What we couldn't have known was that this simple late night Coke float date would become one of our cherished memories we would have with her and wish back more times than we could count. What we didn't know is that this picture would look old and dated and capture the way we would remember her for years to come. What we didn't know is our quiet, unassuming lives would be changed in an instant and our faith would be the only thing left to stand on.
We are grateful for this time and the wonderful memories we made with Teagan while we had her and we cherish them for what they were and still are to us. Her life and death have taught us so much and we never want to forget to make the most of the moments we're given here on earth. Today- Coke Float Day- reminds us again to enjoy the here and now, to do something 'special' just because we can, and to celebrate the simple and ordinary moments we have with one another. We invite you to join our family today, or tomorrow, or whenever the opportunity arises in your own life to do the same thing. Be in the moment. Enjoy THIS day. Hug a little tighter; share a smile with someone around you. Give yourself permission to let something else go and make a memory you'll cherish for a lifetime. Even if it means staying up past bedtime and going a little over the top to make the memory extra special.
It shouldn't take a tragedy for us to all see the gift of what we already have. Our family has learned the significance of now. Today we remember it again and share it with you too. May you have a special Coke Float Day- or Pepsi or rootbeer or cupcakes or movie night or however you choose to "celebrate" now!

24 comments:

Lauren said...

I remember you posting about this last year. So sweet and so special!!!! And coke floats will taste so much sweeter in Heaven!! :)

Casey Martinez said...

That's a beautiful tradition and I hope my family will also create some traditions as our family grows. What a special way to honor Teagan!

mindibz said...

That's really lovely. Thanks for the reminder!

Sasha "sweet thang" Holloway said...

I have never had a coke float but I will tomorrow .. thinking of you and your family.

Erika said...

has it already been a year since the last coke float day? it seems like yesterday...

many hugs to you. we will be having a special day tomorrow (probably a trip to the ice cream parlour as a family) in honor of Teagan and her coke float day...

xoxo,
erika

Carrie C said...

Love it. Such a neat tradition. Thinking of you often, Jody...

Traci Nissen said...

We don't do coke floats in my family, we make Christmas cutout cookies. We do this to honor my sister who was killed in a car accident in December of 1992. We use the cookies to celebrate her for two reasons ... one, she LOVED cutout cookies and licking the frosting off the spoon as she decorated them; and two, because the day she died on her way back to college with her boyfriend, my mom was baking cookies for the upcoming holiday.

It is always such a special day filled with family and great memories of a priceless person who we all miss daily.

Anonymous said...

You are an inspiration. You have a special knack for weaving the "then" and "now" in a beautiful and joyous way. I love how you honour T while still making your kids here on earth feel just as loved and special. You are one of kind. Some day I would like to share a rootbeer float with YOU! (And some scrap time!!)

Deb said...

Have a wonderful day remembering while making new memories. It's not the toys they got for Christmas, or having all the latest gadgets that my kids remember...it's the simple, mundane things we shared together.

Jan C. said...

"Give yourself permission to let something else go and make a memory you'll cherish for a lifetime."

This really strikes me as truth. It just seems like so often we are busy pursuing the life we think we should be leading, worrying about things that are really not that important in the end, that we don't give ourselves permission to live in and enjoy the "now" moments. It's so easy to miss out, and sometimes we don't ever get another chance to have those moments!

Enjoy those Coke floats, and I pray that you make many new special memories with your kids as well!

Anonymous said...

{{{hugs}}} wishing you a coke float day filled with memories...both old and new. What a beautiful and unique way to honor your precious Teagan.

Ginny said...

I don't come to tears easily, but today I am. I've been reading you for awhile now & somehow must have missed last years post. I couldn't even imagine. You guys are really something though to think of forgivness at a time like that, very honorable.

I just love your Coke Float Day, what an amazing way to celebrate your daughters life.

I live in Michigan as well, after reading the story again, I believe I remember this happening.

Thanks for posting this & reminding us to cherish those moments!

darcie said...

thinking of you -
I will be enjoying floats in your sweet Angel's honor with my two babies.
I'm working on living in the moment and enjoying the small things -
xoxo

jo te raa said...

we will so be doing coke floats again......thank you teagan for introducing the 30th of june to us.....love you jods

Liz Friedmann said...

Like Ginny, I've been reading your posts for quite a while. And also like Ginny, I teared up reading about the coke floats and all of your thoughts to go with it. You and Chip really are an inspiration and I love seeing your family pictures and today's is precious.

Keshet said...

This post is so beautiful--and what a special memory.

Cheryl said...

What a lovely way of remembering precious memories, all while making new ones!

We make rootbeer floats on Caleb's birthday. We honor his life--God's gift to us.

I was grateful that Caleb's brother Sam asked me to take a picture of Sam and Caleb together before I put Caleb to bed on August 19, 2008. I almost didn't get the camera out, but I thought again and got it out and snapped the picture. It is the last time that we saw Caleb alive. I am so thankful that I have the picture and that I listened to Sam.

((hugs))
With Hope,
Cheryl

babyrndeb said...

what a special tradition. And you are so right in that we shouldn't wait for tragedy to make us celebrate the little things / special things in life.

JeanAnne said...

We altered this slightly and had our first rootbeer float day. I remember my dad making these with us and so my daughter made these for us last night.

Unknown said...

I love you so much!

D.

Karlene said...

Our Sunday School class had a work nite and we topped it off with floats - rootbeer, grape, orange. I drank mine remembering your sweet Teagan and vowing to cherish the moments that I have been given with my family. Thanks for the reminders! And what a great tradition!

amy & lisa said...

What a beautiful memory!
Thinking of you.

Just want you to know that I enjoy reading your blog, and alot of evenings I come to your blog just to listen to the music you share. It's such a blessing.

Casey Martinez said...

I nominated you for a fun/silly blog award:) You can check it out and receive it on my page and then pass some blog love along too if you feel up to it:). http://jcmfamily.blogspot.com You are such an inspiring gal!

pakosta said...

so happy you took the time to take that precious picture. what a sweet memory of your dear little girl....I am going to do a memory like this tonight with the girls. thank you! teagan has touched so many hearts and she has certainly touched mine! love, tara