Vittoria's Music

So, finally there is some music that goes with the blog (Thank you, Tori). It's Vittoria's music, since all the songs on the playlist are hers. Some may be wondering about the very many different kinds of music on it...well, Vittoria likes pretty much everything, and I think behind every song there is a story or a meaning. So here we go: It starts with her favorite "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, the one that opens the flood gates whenever we hear it, and it will be always dear to us. It was the only song that Vittoria's eyes would open up to when she was in Intensive Care. Then of course we have "The Phantom of the Opera" soundtrack, which it was played in the car about every day when it came out, and at home and on her MP3. We watched the movie until she knew every line and learned to draw Christine in her fancy dresses. Then we go on to "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, a song she loved to sing with her cousins Taylor and Natalia at the top of their lungs, usually at the cabin. "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw, "The Prayer" by Andrea Bocelli and "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban were actually played at her viewing and they can be found on her dvd. The 2 "Twilight" songs are some of Vittoria's favorites: "Bella's Lullaby" because was relaxing and romantic and she was starting to like romance, and "Super Massive Black Hole" because ever single time that she played it, her little brother Jacomo would start crying like there was no tomorrow and Vittoria laughed her head off and kept on going. The "Harry Potter" music was played every weekend when Vittoria and her Dad would have the " Harry Potter" marathon. "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban was learned at school, and she loved it. "What I've Done" by Linkin Park was the final song to the movie "Transformers" which was one that Vittoria and I would watch just about every other day. "New Divide" by Linkin Park was a relatevely a new song: Vittoria heard it and loved it. So we got it and it was played in the car every day, even on the morning of the heart surgery on July 21, 2009. "Wizards in Winter" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was given by Aunt Tori and Vittoria loved it, since to her it was very Harry Potterish. "Broken" by Lindsey Haun is an awesome song that Vittoria learned by watching the movie "Broken Bridges" and if you want to have a good cry, this would be a good one. Tori made me listen to "Footprints in the Sand" by Leona Lewis. There was no need to tell you that it had to be on this blog: the back cover of Vittoria's Funeral program has the "Footprints" poem on it and to me it's just the perfect song. "Fly" by Celine Dion was written for Celine's niece who passed away at a young age....and it felt like it was for Vittoria too. "He's a Pirate" from the "Pirates of the Carabbinean" movie would get Vittoria dancing and jumping around the room. Vittoria went through a Riverdance phase: from morning until evening "Warriors" was the most played and danced to.
There is also a song from the movie "Enchanted": Vittoria loved the movie and dancing to the different songs, same story for "Spirit" Soundtrack.
For all those who know our family, we are major NCIS fans: every Tuesday night for the past 6 years we have watched religiously every episode, so Vittoria kinda got brainwashed, mostly by her mom, and when she was old enough to stand, she has danced with me to the opening song and done that until the night before her surgery. It was a ritual for us, no matter if we were at the table, ready to eat, or outside, we would stop what we were doing and started dancing like crazy (just ask James). I think it was this show that got Vittoria wanting to be a doctor.I hear it now and it hurts, I miss dancing with my little girl. We already have little Jacomo dancing to it and.....it needs a lot of work! There is one song that is not on the playlist and needs to be: it's "Arms of Love" by our dear friend James Marsden. Many don't know that right after Vittoria passed away the evening of August 16, 2009, our friend went home and wrote it in one night. He was definately inspired and what a great tribute to our Vittoria when he sang it at her funeral. The beautiful song is available through her blog.
And finally last song: It's "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was sung at the end of the Funeral Service for our little girl and I think it's one the most beautiful Church songs ever written.
As more songs that Vittoria liked will come to mind, I'll add them to the playlist.
The next posts will have some of Vittoria's drawings. She is a very talented girl and I thought it would fun to show some of her pictures.

- 2 Months-

These pictures were taken today at the Price City Cemetery where Vittoria was laid to rest. We brought some pretty flowers and purple bows. While Jacomo played with the purple unicorn that cousin Tianna gave to Vittoria, we rearranged the flowers in the vases and shed some tears. Thank you Mama Bonnie, sisters Tori, Mary and Jana and Donata for being there.
When I got to her grave, I found a little vase with purple and pink and white little buttons and flowers made out of them and among them, I found the poem on the top picture. Thank you Joy!

(Mom’s turn)
I have been thinking about this post for quite a while now. Another month has gone by. Since Vittoria’s passing, we’ve had several FIRSTS: first time the table was set again for 2, first trip to the cabin, first McDonald, first Panda Express, first 4 wheeler ride, all without our girl. And if I start thinking ahead, I see Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming. And I don’t even want to think about it. It will be Jacomo’s first Halloween and it breaks our hearts to know that she will not be here to share it with him: she was already making plans to be Scarlett O’Hara this year. She already had the large pretty hat with the red ribbon, we just needed the dress.
Every day it’s a struggle, we do try to keep busy, but our hearts and minds are often somewhere else. No parent should go through this: no situation is the same and no one knows what another person goes through, the experiences can’t be compared, but the broken heart after losing a child, no matter how old, is similar. Time does not heal all wounds: this kind of wound I don’t think can ever be healed…with time, and I mean a lot of time, it can get less raw and less painful, but it will always be there. Our pain is still very much there, still very fresh and alive, we miss our girl so much. I find myself smelling her bottle of shampoo just to remember the smell of her hair, or stopping at looking at girls’ clothes debating if it is something that Vittoria would have liked. Her radio is always on, just like she always had it, and the nightlights are still on in her room and in the hallway and her bathroom: she was afraid of the dark and all those lights comforted her.
Jacomo is starting to call Vittoria: he crawls up really fast to her pictures, stretches his little arms to her and says “IA IA” ( YA YA), with a big grin on his chubby face. And as I look on, I just want to bawl.
Our Jacomo is a very happy active little boy; he makes us laugh and keeps us on our toes. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with him: if he could, he would play and eat 24/7, naps are highly overrated for him, and he is starting to play with trucks and horses…he LOVES Grandpa’s horses, since he can’t neighing to them, he growls at them. He adores water: getting him out of the tub is always a fight, just like with his sister. She could stay and play until the skin of her fingers would fall off. I see a lot of similarities between the two of them, mostly with their stubbornness ( I have no idea where they get that from), and with their likes and dislikes. Our Vittoria taught us and is still teaching us so many things, but above all how to be parents.
Cousin Mindy sent me the video of “Fly” by Celine Dion, and I wanted to post it, but since technology does not like me, for now I thought I would post the lyrics. Needless to say, that after I heard the song, I was a mess for the whole day.

Fly, fly little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heaven's love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this mem'ry bittersweet
Until we meet

Fly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise, the sun will set
But I won't forget

Fly, fly little wing
Fly where only angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, find the light
................................
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR STILL PRAYING AND THINKING OF US AND LOVING OUR LITTLE GIRL!!

One Month Today

(Mom's turn) 1 month today...I can't believe it. It has been already a month...sometimes it feels like yesterday, in other ways, it is like years have passed, but still, we miss our little Vittoria more than ever. We miss her hugs and her little voice, her personality, her laughter, her soft cheeks to kiss, her clothes piled up in her closet, her shoes left all over the house, her toys left out, and her drawings scattered on James' desk.

How are we doing? We are ok, we have ups and downs, but there isnt's a moment during the day that we don't think of her. It feels like she is somewhere else, at school or at somebody's house. Our hearts ache and are broken, a piece will always be missing, but we know that she is not in pain and she is taken care of, and that's all that matters in the end. We are trying to pick up some kind of routine, I guess a new routine, but at least for me, it's weird: for almost 8 years, the days have been busy with doctors' appointments, medication, school, playdates and surgeries, and now they feel empty. But we are busy with her little brother Jacomo, who is the Energizer Bunny: always on the go, crawling everywhere, touching everything, but always with a smile on his little chubby face.

I imagine Vittoria whispering in his ear to do things just to keep us busy, so we don't think about how sad we are and focus on raising him and taking care of him.
I know some don't know what to say to us, there are no words to comfort us, at least not for me, but hugs don't need words.

Thank you for all your prayers in our behalf, for your love and support, for meals, yard sales, for the many hugs. We love you!

Little Angels

When God calls little children
to dwell with Him above,
We mortals sometime question
the wisdom of His love.
For no heartache compares with
the death of one small child
Who does so much to make our world,
seem wonderful and mild.
Perhaps God tires of calling
the aged to his fold,
So He picks a rosebud,
before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them,
and so He takes but few
To make the land of Heaven
more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult
still somehow we must
The saddest word mankind knows
will always be "Goodbye."
So when a little child departs,
we who are left behind
Must realize God loves children,
Angels are hard to find.

---Unknown Author

More YARD SALE FUNDRAISERS Sept. 12

IN PRICE: Fundraising Yard Sale and BBQ chicken Saturday 8 am to 3 pm on Main Street next to Sonic and Bryner Photography in honor of Vittoria Frandsen. Thanks for your support. Please stop by and tell your friends and family.(chicken will be served ...around lunch time until it's gone) - THANKS HOMETOWN!!

IN SANDY : Fundraising Yard Sale Saturday 8 am to 2 pm at the @Home Realty Office 7985 South 700 East in Sandy in honor of Vittoria Frandsen. Thanks for your support. Please stop by and tell your friends and family. - THANKS EVERYONE!!

Ogden Yard Sale Big Success

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!!!!!!

We appreciate you all for the help. The bills are coming in and we are approaching a million. Still not sure where we will end up after the insurance and such, but any percentage of a million is daunting. We are so grateful for the love and support that so many of you have shown us.

Thank you so much!!

Vittoria's Victory Yard Sale - Ogden

Vittoria's Victory Yard Sale - Sept. 5, 8am-12pm, 4600 South Harrison Blvd (Centennial Bank building parking lot) in Ogden. Feel free to bring your donations to the bank on the morning of sale. Call Scott at 801-589-5445 for details.

--Thank you Scott and everyone that is helping out. We pray that you will be blessed for your service and sacrifice.--

Pictures

I hope you don't mind, but I had these pictures on my camera and thought I would share them.