Thank You Messages

Below you will find “Thank You” notes written by the Carn’s Family and some notes written by friends.

A letter from Tom 10/7/2001
Dear Friends, “Choose to be happy. Look for the good. Surround yourself with those you love and smile.” These are Karen’s words that her sister Susan read at her Memorial Mass. I’ve read this too many times to count and each time I think of how blessed we have been to have been surrounded by all of you. I would like to thank all of you for the tremendous spiritual support you have offered through your prayers and your presence at the Mass, and also for your physical support manifest through your helpful efforts. Gifts, meals, rides for the kids, shopping errands and many other gifts of your time and energy have lifted a huge burden. You enabled me to spend so much precious time with Karen and that time was the greatest gift I could ever receive. Because of you we had the quiet time to recall a great past, plan the future for our children and, most of all, Karen and I had the present moment to love and hold each other. It is a time I will always cherish and it could not have happened without you so unselfishly giving up time with your own families. I can never repay you, but I know an angel who will. God bless…and thank you. Tom

A letter from Christy 10/7/2001
Dear friends and family, Thank you for your support for my family through the past year. I want to thank all the cooks who made us dinner, all the friends who took me to my games and other activities, and everybody else who helped me through this rough time. Thanks again! Christy

home! 9/17/2001
WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!! sO VERY HAPPY YOU ARE SAFELY AND FINALLY HERE! eager to see you Tom,Katie, Christy, Tommy and Kelly. Love you very much! Grandma

first day 8/27/2001
Dear Kelly, Tommy and Christy, Hope your first day at your new school went really great. If you have time after doing FIRST DAY homework send me a message, ok? Love you bunches, Grandma

first day 8/23/2001
Dear Katie, Hope your day at school was exciting! And please tell me your backpack is NOT as heavy as it was last year!Love you Miss Spiffy, Grandma

~ThAnKs ViLla CrOwD!!~ 8/21/2001
Heya~ Just wanted to say thanks for all the cards you sent me…They were soooooo sweet! Thanks for being there for me! ~Kt c.

hammock 8/17/2001
Dear Kelly, Tommy, Christy and Katie, Saw your new hammock and I can’t wait to have a turn in it.It’s really quite “spiffy”. Love you loads and loads, Grandma

The hammock elves were caught in the act… 8/15/2001
…but the surprise is no less sweet and complete! Thank you for replacing an absolute necessity, Mickey and Traci, before we even had time to miss it!

An Angel Before Me–a tribute from Jessica ( not original, but heartfelt!) 8/15/2001
* Just now I am beginning to understand some of the challenges you had. * With all of the struggles that life dealt you, I rarely saw you sad. *You are our encouragement; our strength and wisdom every day. * You gave me guidance and love in the good times and bad; always knowing just what to say. *** It must have been difficult to be depended on for everything. * Do you know how proud I am of you? * I wonder where you’ve hidden your wings… * For you must be an angel…that would explain it, sent down from heaven above, * To share with your children and the rest of the world the true meaning of love. *** The greatest accomplishment I could achieve in this life, and I hope someday it will be– * That I will be as wise and caring, full of love and understanding, as you were before me.

For the long ago trinkets and the trivia… 8/4/2001
…that kept us guessing about JImmy Buffett and livened up a night away from his concert, thank you, Jeannie Kaylor.

Good grief, we just remembered…7/27/2001
…for the lovely spring tulips and the good advice of Linus and Snoopy, thenk you, Jo and Mike Reagan.

For the prayers from a fragrant garden… 7/24/2001
…collected in a delicate, rose-petal rosary unlike any I’ve seen before, thank you, Carrie and Tim Dippold.

LITANY OF THANKS from Karen and Tom 7/24/2001
There are so many, many people we need to thank. We intend to do this individually, however, until we find the time and the energy to do so, we want to acknowledge the kindnesses bestowed on us during the past year. Please know that we appreciate each one of you and the ways that your love has manifested itself in our lives.

For enlarging the photos…7/24/2001
…of the team that could “Light the Night,” thank you, Melody Gaskins.

For the spiritual comfort…7/24/2001
…contained in your beautiful gift book, thank you, Jeff and Debbie Ulrey.

In the name of the TOP-FUNDRAISING TEAM in history…7/24/2001
…thank you Traci Chandler and Pete and Jenny Bouley for Captain-ing the Light the Night team, “K.C. and the Sunshine Band” which raised over $15,000 for the Lymphoma Society last October. WALKERS, GET READY: the time is drawing near for Light the Night 2001!

For my gardening emergencies…7/24/2001
…that you treated with tender loving care and a lot of mulch, thank you, Ray Vasque.

For your visit, and the talk…7/24/2001
…and the poetry that will lift my spirits, thank you, Emlyn Kemper.

For the bevy of angels… 7/24/2001
…willing to hold all my worries in their “Worry Box,” thank you, Sue and Bill Breving.

For just the right Precious Moment… 7/23/2001
…on just the right day, thank you, Margie Hinson.

For the Villa car pool… 7/23/2001
and the peace of mind, thank you, the Trautmann, Lott and Kelley families.
For making home, sweet home… 7/23/2001
…even sweeter, thank you, wonderful Washington family.

For shouldering the load at work… 7/23/2001
…thanks, Pete, Kathy, Brian, and Mike.

For such a unique basket…7/23/2001
…with gifts for each of us, and for a cross from Rome blessed by Pope John Paul, thank you, Owen and Nancy McBride.

For the POPSICKLE STICKS… 7/23/2001
…and so much more, thank you, Karen Gartland.

For the computer wizard…7/23/2001
from Morgan Stanley who made a house call, thank you, George Murphy.

For the grace…7/23/2001
…of holy water blessed at Lourdes, thank you, Richard Joseph.

For the willingness…7/23/2001
…to be strong-armed into being Boosters President, thank you, Paul Eldridge.

For being the source…7/23/2001
…of the idea for the Healing Mass and for collecting the notes and letters so artfully, thank you, Cate O’Brien.

In awed gratitude…7/23/2001
…for the “frequent flyer miles” that flew us to Omaha, thank you, Larry Brown. (Sixteen years down the road, and I’ll still bail you out of jail anytime!)

For a pillar candle… 7/23/2001
…whose flame comforts and warms, thank you, Donna Cummins, Judy Schill, and Charlie Powers.

For a gift package… 7/23/2001
that was wonderfully delicious, thank you, Jeff and Suzie Roberts.

For … 7/23/2001
…the one precious week the car fit into the garage…the spotlessly clean and sanitized house…the conversion of dining room to office, thank you, friends and neighbors who made these miracles happen. You know who you are!

For the thoughtfulness… 7/23/2001
…of the hand-thrown pottery from NC, thank you, Jan and Bob Bouley.

For the most colorful hats I have… 7/23/2001
…(except for the Buffett collection!) and the sweet healing angel, thank you, dear Madigans.

For the long-ago received Prayer Bear… 7/23/2001
…and the recently received matted and framed program from the Healing Mass, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan.

For understanding the healing power of “friends together…” 7/23/2001
…and providing a place, and for help with the Healing Mass, and for sending Mr. Jim Bregel with food and stories and stories and stories and… thank you, Greg Joseph.

For all of you… 7/23/2001
…who carried us and eventually picked up the parish/school responsibilities we had to let go, thank you! You know who you are!

For being the Master Organizer… 7/23/2001
…of blood drives and dinners, and never confusing the two, thank you, Traci Chandler.

For the innumerable blessings… 7/23/2001
…flowers, cards, prayer chain memberships all over the world, cookies and sweets, dinners, rosaries, spiritual bouquets, masses, and even milk when we come borrowing in the morning because we forgot we ran out…we are humbled and awed and grateful to you.

For those who till and sow… 7/23/2001
…thank you, Mark Mersman, for being taken for a ride by the roto-tiller on our great clay soil, and thank you, Chris Mallott, for the seeds that have sprouted!

For the wonder of the written word… 7/23/2001
…and the transporting magic of story contained in the books you sent our children, thank you, Kelly and David Subasic.

For the unbelievable box… 7/23/2001
…of arts and crafts supplies for the kids, thank you, Frank and Kim Subasic.

For preserving the liturgy… 7/23/2001
…and laminating the Healing Mass program for us, thank you, Jennifer Brogan.

For a beautiful home by the sea… 7/23/2001
…and a magical, wonderful week with dolphins, turtles, and YES! alligators (at a safe distance, of course) for our children, thank you, Tim and Emlyn Kemper. We will be trying to post some beach pictures here…watch for them.

For the music… 7/23/2001
…that crescendoed the power of the prayer at the Healing Mass, thank you, Therese Blank, Joe Dienger, and Doug Smith (all recorded by the inimitable mixer, Tom Rechel.)

For preserving the moments… 7/23/2001
…and providing hours of continued comfort through the beautifully filmed and edited videotape of the Healing Mass, thank you, Bill Ankenbauer.

For the gentle angel… 7/23/2001
…holding a dove safe in her hand, thank you, Ginny Mersman.

For my favorite prayer… 7/23/2001
…and the wisdom of St. Peregrine and for his medal, thank you, Mary Persinger.

For the grace… 7/23/2001
…of the sacred relic of the Little Flower, St. Therese, thank you, Mary Jane Bouley.

From sacred shrines around the world… 7/23/2001
…the holy oil and holy water sanctifies our home. Thank you, Doug and Susan Wenk.

For the cuddly bear… 7/23/2001
…that Kelly just loves, thank you, Chris Mallott’s Mom, Peg.

For the blessing of St. Christopher… 7/23/2001
…carried by the medal from the Vatican, thank you, Carl and Anne Bouldin.

From “Solidarity in Baldheadedness” to… 7/23/2001
…enabling Tommy to advance his baseball career by driving him to EVERY game, thank you, all you Hartmans!

For the greatest…7/23/2001
…hosital pajamas! Thank you, Cam Huff.

For the delicacy and warmth…7/23/2001
…of the beautiful crocheted afghan, thank you, Mrs. McGinnis (Bino’s Mom.)