Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope all of you are well.  I apologize for not writing the blog for several weeks.  It’s been a hectic few weeks,  full of highs and lows.

A couple of weeks ago, I lost a dear friend.  Her name was Lisa and she was an absolute delight.  She was one of those people who didn’t know a stranger.  She could add a beautiful burst of light in even the darkest room.  I didn’t know her long, but she made a huge impact on my life.

Lisa’s daughter is in my daughter’s kindergarten class.  I met her early in the school year and was immediately attracted to her positive spirit.  As we talked, she told me she had cancer.  I remember thinking that her illness had to have been caught early, because she seemed so healthy and vibrant. 

Her daughter eventually got moved to my daughter’s gymnastics class, as well, so our friendship started to grow.  She told me how she wished she had had more children, so her daughter wouldn’t be alone.  She told me how she wanted to travel and maybe take her daughter on a cruise.  She told me that she watched me on the news when she was pregnant with her daughter and once her daughter was born, she made a wish that her daughter would grow up to be an anchor.  I can’t even put into words how that made me feel.

I wouldn’t let myself think of what would happen if Lisa wouldn’t make it.  She was in and out of the hospital quite a bit, but she always came out of the hospital and she was always positive and happy.   She was such a role model for many of us moms.  She faced everything with a positive attitude and put her total trust in God.

When my daughter’s birthday party rolled around, Lisa was in the hospital.  I didn’t expect her daughter to be there.  Believe it or not, though, Lisa’s husband brought their daughter to the party.  I thought it was a positive sign… maybe Lisa was getting stronger again.  Her husband told me, though, that things weren’t looking good.  The next morning I received word that Lisa had passed away just hours after my daughter’s birthday party.

Lisa told her husband that she didn’t come to this earth to be here forever.  How many of us really allow that fact to sink in?  We aren’t going to be here forever.  Every day is a gift, so we should approach each day with a grateful heart and a positive spirit.  In my last conversation with Lisa, she thanked me for being her friend.  Neither of us knew it would be our last conversation.  Later I started thinking… how many times have I thanked people for being in my life.? How many times have I told people I appreciate them?  How many times have I told my friends how much joy they bring to my life?

This past weekend, my 8-year-old made his First Communion.  It was such a special time for him and our family.  Not only did he do a beautiful job, he also read a petition during Mass.  I was so proud of him.   That night, I sat down on his bed and told him how proud I am of him and how much I love him.  I don’t know if I have four or forty years left on this earth, but I want him to always know how much I love him, how proud I am of him, and how important God needs to be in his life.

I hope all of you have a wonderful week.  Whether you experience a tough loss or celebrate an exciting milestone, I hope you remember God has a plan for all of it.  And through the ups and downs of it all, we can learn valuable lessons that will hopefully make us better people.

Hello Friends!

I hope all of you are well.  The next several months are going to be busy ones here at RTV-6.  In addition to covering the news on a daily basis, we’re very busy with community events.  We’re the media sponsor for two fundraisers that are coming up.  In April, we’re strutting our stuff with our friends from the Indianapolis Humane Society.  It’s the annual Mutt Strut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  It’s a wonderful way to experience the track.  You and your family can walk around the famed oval with your four-legged friend and raise money for the Humane Society.  The walk is April 28 and you can go to the Humane Society’s website for more information.

A few weeks later, we’re the media sponsor for the March of Dimes walk for healthy babies.  This will be on Saturday, May 12th.  For details on this walk, you can go to the March of Dimes website.   I’d be thrilled if any of you could join us for the walk or make a donation to the RTV-6 team.   Since the walk is Mother’s Day weekend, I know it’s going to be difficult for some people to make it.  If you are staying in town, however, what a wonderful way to pay tribute to your Mom.  You could walk with your family, push your baby in a stroller and know that you’re making a difference in the lives of other families right here in Central Indiana.

May is also a ratings month which culminates with the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500.   The race will no doubt be a bit emotional this year as we pause to reflect on the passing of last year’s winner, Dan Wheldon.

So with all of the activities coming up soon, I’m going to take a little time off and try to store up some energy.  I’ll be off the first week of April and return to work on April 10.  I usually return on a Monday after vacation time, but April 9 is my daughter’s birthday.  Her school let’s parents go to class early on birthdays and bake a cake.  I will then return to her school around lunch time to eat with her and enjoy the birthday cake.  Isn’t that wonderful?   I couldn’t miss her special day, especially since she’s been reminding me of her birthday since November.

I hope all of you have enjoyed this mild month of March.  If you can spend a little time in the weeks ahead helping us with our upcoming walks and fundraisers, that would be fantastic.  I am so proud to be a part of this community and I believe one way to show that pride is by giving back to my community.