One Year: A Remembrance of Chelsey

It was just an ordinary November fall day ….She was on her way home from work—happy, successful, healthy, full of life---and then she was gone.

Life changed. It changed fast. Life for us all changed in the instant. An “ordinary day”… and then, life as we knew it ended. And there, in the midst of life, we were in death.

Now, exactly one year later on this very date, November 9th, these remain my thoughts. It was just an “ordinary day”……however, now this day is “different” as my (our) life has been made very different by the tragedy we encountered.

Regardless of the absence of Chelsey’s physical presence, her spirit and memory is with us daily. We all yearn to hear her voice, her laughter, and see the sparkle in her eye. Every day we carry the sadness of this tremendous loss of her life on this physical earth; however, we are taking comfort in what Chelsey gave us as being immeasurable. Her life was a gift. Therefore, I am incredibly grateful for every minute we had together and the honorable privilege of calling her my sister. During the past 12 months, I have been reminded not to rush through this life, rather make time to stop and breathe it all in, to spend time with those I love, and to thank God for the blessings around me (us) and the precious gift of each day.

So, although an entire year has now passed, we, her family, will continue to celebrate Chelsey in the days and years yet to come. God gave us the gift of Chelsey’s memories. I (we) know, that for now, those memories will be preserved in the great museum of our hearts and our minds. So, let Chelsey’s memory be a blessed presence within each of you. I (we) will remember that Chelsey wanted all of us to love, to laugh, to serve, to cry, and to fully participate in life. She trusted each of us, and the presence of her memory continues to trust us still.

The words she sang at her Senior Voice Recital rang true then, and now continue to ring true…..

“Think of me, think of me fondly, when we’ve said goodbye. Remember me once in a while---please promise me you’ll try. When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free---if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me….

…if you can still remember, stop and think of me….
Think of all the things we’ve shared and send—don’t think about the things which might have been….

Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we’ll never do---there will never be a day, when I won’t think of you….”

ATribute To My Sister: "Remember Me"

Please use cursor to navigate album, or click on album to view larger pictures and choose "view as slide show."

Thank You, Team Chelsey!

"We cannot do great things on this Earth,
only small things with great love."
--Mother Theresa

What an incredible day with "great love"....Enveloped by the warmth of the morning sunshine, Team Chelsey set out to share her bright spirit and the warmth of her memory. They accomplished just that....with much joy and happiness. So, what more do we, her family, say other than thank you, just simply thank you....

During the last 4 months we have been humbled and ever so grateful for the encouragement each of you has been to us. Your outpouring of love and kindness has been an instrumental part in this long and arduous healing process that continues each day. Team Chelsey has been one of those instrumental parts. Thank you for allowing us to share this with you. And, now in Chelsey's absence, we are likely more keenly aware of her presence. Although her earthly time with us was short, it was a gift. She shared this "gift" by loving each of you and living every minute with love, grace, humility, and gratitude. That is the gift we would like to continue to share. The spirit of living that we would like to carry on....her "spirit of living."

Through your generous contributions to the scholarship fund, we will be able to continue to share her love and encourage her "spirit of living." Thank you. So....there are already plans for making "Team Chelsey" an annual event. Get your running shoes ready for "Team Chelsey 2009!" One final thought that Chelsey would want each of you to remember:

Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you
Smile!

Team Chelsey 2008 Photo Album

Please use cursor to navigate album, or click on album to view larger pictures and choose "view as slide show."

"Hey Team!" It's time for t-shirts, registration, and more....

Hey Team! Race day is fast approaching. Now less than 2 weeks. That is exciting. But even more exciting is that to date, we have 27 participants officially registered. That means we have met our goal of 24 participants....one each to represent the 24 years of Chelsey's life! We are so excited about gathering together in Chelsey's name. Thank you, just simply thank you.......

There is still time to register if you are wanting to participate, but more importantly we have an "official" race shirt and are needing to get t-shirts ordered so that they will be in Little Rock in time for "Race Day!" The options are as follow:

1. Long sleeve, cotton, bright green t-shirt with logo and writing on front and back.
2. Long sleeve, dri-fit running shirt (for all you "serious" runners), bright green with logo and writing on front and back.

If you are interested in a t-shirt, please either post a comment on at the end of this blog or email natconrad@hotmail.com stating:
1. Do you want a long sleeve t-shirt ($15) OR a dri-fit running shirt ($20)?
2. What size shirt would you like?

Happy running and training. We are looking forward to seeing everyone on race day. Keep checking the blog spot for additional information.

Call for Registration

Just a reminder and call to action for Team Chelsey. We are still planning on running the 5K (or whatever event you choose...half marathon, marathon, relay, or even just a "virtual runner") with the Little Rock marathon--Sunday, March 2nd. It is our goal to get 24 people to run with us as "Team Chelsey," one to represent each year of Chelsey's life. Any number greater than 24 is just an added bonus!!

You will need to go to www.littlerockmarathon.com to complete the registration. Registration is $30 up until race day when it increases to $35; however, race numbers this year are already up by 85%, thus....registration may be ending early. So the sooner you get registered the better.

Once you are registered, please add a comment to this post in which you leave your name, the event you registered for, and contact info (i.e. email). We are attempting to compile our participant list, and we also would like to potentially get t-shirts and/or buttons to identify our group as "Team Chelsey."

We hope you have all been training relentlessly, and we look forward to seeing your registration come through on the comments.

Celebrating Chelsey

Our family has been overwhelmed and humbled by so many of your kind words and thoughts...that is what is giving us strength and hope as we, with heavy hearts, are attempting to move forward. Words will never adequately express how gratefully blessed we are for the outpouring of so many loving friends and family. Thank you. We have something else that we would like to share with you all.....

It is the eulogy that Chelsey's brother-in-law (my husband) gave following the funeral mass. It, too, captures in words the amazing person Chelsey was. We hope in sharing this with others, Chelsey's spirit will continue to live on in each of our lives. She was truly a gift......

It follows here, as spoken by her brother-in-law,
"Jesus said “I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Chelsey had just that, an abundant and joyous life. She shared that joy with others, touching their lives and hearts in ways most of us may never know. Today, that is exemplified by the multitudes of you here representing so many different facets of her life. So, I stand before you, humbled by her spirit and most gracious to be called her brother in law. Though I, too, am shockingly saddened by her tragic death which we all come to mourn and grieve, I am really here today to celebrate her life and pay tribute to her everlasting spirit.

Chelsey’s short life and my too short time of being her earthly brother have carved in my heart a lasting impression about unconditional love. Only such love can be taught by a mother, and that is what Cathy did… teach unconditional love and importance of family to her girls. And, although, initially Chelsey made me “earn” my way into their (Chelsey, Molly, and Cathy’s) tight “trifecta of girls,” I am now so blessed to be a part of this family. This unconditional love, that she so humbly possessed, flowed freely from her kind heart. I heard one of Chelsey’s friends say just last night that when anyone was sad they came to Chelsey… “she took care of everyone and made everything better.” Regardless of circumstances, her love always overlooked evil and dishonesty (even in times when she felt pain and was incredibly hurt). No matter what, compassion poured out from her kind, loving heart making her, in my mind, one of the most honest and forgiving people I will ever have the privilege to know.

Chelsey never met a stranger. She listened intently to you making you feel like the most important person in the room, and that you were to her. Her vibrant spirit, radiant smile, and even that intoxicating loud laugh filled any room with warmth and light.

Our life here on earth is full of quitting and leaving, moving and putting away, letting go and saying good byes. So many people go through life fearful of taking these chances of quitting, leaving, moving, letting go, but Chelsey didn’t. She faced those challenges, moving away from the security and comfort of a familiar place, and beginning a career and life in a place where she knew no one. I want her to know how proud I am of her for taking those chances and facing those challenges.

Humbly putting others before herself, Chelsey is the definition of a true friend. Therefore, that makes me doubly blessed to have Chelsey not only as my sister-in-law, but also my true friend. She became a “confidant,” and we often affectionately referred to each other as “partners in crime.” In some way, she was each of yours “true friend” and now, also your forever friend.

But, in my opinion, the most humble and desirable quality she possessed, and the one we should all long for was her unrelenting faith and relationship with God. This steadfast faith is a testimony to me and should be to all of you. With that, I am so honored and privileged that God would share with me (and all of you too) such a mighty and large gift. That is exactly what she was….a gift.

Although I feel sad for my children one day who will never know her as an aunt, and the man that will never have her as a wife, and the children that will never know her as a mother to teach them unconditional love, I will continue to celebrate even the gift of 24 short years of her life. So, remember, that God gives us many gifts, and I believe that sometimes these gifts are placing people in our lives that we are to emulate. Therefore, my prayer for each of you is that, in some way, you go forth from here, seeking to emulate what Chelsey and her humble spirit has taught you."

Sharing her spirit....

I am so proud of my sister...so proud, that I would shout it from the roof tops to let the whole world know. I'm proud of her spirit, her kindness, her humbleness, her sincerity, her gratefulness, her faithfulness, and the great and lasting impact she has made on so many lives in 24 short years; therefore, sharing this tribute with those of you who were unable to see it at the services is greatly important to me and my entire family. Chelsey has been a pivotal part of so many lives. This video truly captures her vibrant spirit and shows what an amazingly beautiful young woman she had grown to be. The music accompanying the tribute is Chelsey singing. So make sure your volume is turned on. These are two of the songs she chose for her senior voice recital. Listen closely to the words, and know how appropriate they now are...... and do as she asks, "Remember Me......"

http://www.powellfh.yourtribute.com/ChelseyKoffler