Stacey Laho

Yesterday I went running. The last time I ran outdoors was in November before I developed a heel spur. I put on the new cold-gear my family bought me for Christmas along with my purple running shoes and I ran. The morning was crisp, the sun shined brighter than I'd seen it in a long time. My blood pumped quickly to warm me up. I ran. It seemed like I had never been away. But I had. I knew the morning sun had not been away either. I hadn't noticed it though. Yesterday morning I felt like the sun was in my world for the first time in a month. Too much weighed me down recently. The light seemed distant. As I ran, I felt renewed. Most of the circumstances were still present but as I ran I meditated on the significance of this Good day. All the things out of my control faded losing their power over me. Over hope. I thought about unexpected trials in my own story. The worst ones. The dark ones. They never gave a hint they were coming. You would think I would come to expect to...

Walking the halls at University of Michigan Hospital yesterday for Alisha's doctor appointment gave cause for some reflection. It was an almost a year ago we were residence there for almost three weeks, in the i.c.u. There is much mystery surrounding the events that took place during those weeks. We never did get resolve as to why Alisha became as sick as she did as fast as she did, causing cardiac arrest. I can still see my husband's tears running down his cheeks as he clearly understood we were loosing our daughter. I did not understand. It all happened so fast. Being whisked away to a waiting room I did understand. I had done that several times before. We sat in that room in the middle of the night praying, pleading it was not her time. And it wasn't. God is so good. By the time we received news of her condition it came with little answers and a lot of wait-and-see prognosis. Going back to see her attached to life support confirmed their slicing words of worry. Our...

Last week Jeff and I took Alisha to the prom at Northville High School. About six months ago the idea was born when Alisha's teacher told me and my friend Debbie that our kids were invited to attend prom at no cost. Debbie and I decided this might be fun and arranged for Cory to take Alisha as his "date". All the official things people do for proms, Debbie and I did. There was the pinnacle invite; flamingos landing in our yard one day, with the letters P-R-O-M hanging from each one and a written message of "Alisha, will you go to prom with me?" "Love, Cory".  There was shopping for a dress (which we did in our living room thanks to my friend Cathy and her endless list of friends who allowed us to peruse their daughters' dresses). We settled on a full-length black dress with spaghetti straps and embroidered glossy, white leaves on the bodice. It became my favorite when it was the only one that fit! The day of prom we bought ballerina slippers, g...