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West Palm Beach, FLJudi -
Angels, The Goddess of the Moon and the ties that bind.
Jill
Oh Judi... wow.... how neat that Luna bear came just when you needed her most..... :hug:
Judi, thoughts are with you.
Lynette
Pandy Potter BearsHow things come full circle. :hug: That bear was made with no conections to your life, but there it all is. Penny must have had special vibes the day she created that special bear. 
Posts: 8,574Darling Judi,
God doesn't make mistakes. And he sends angels when we need them the most.
Penny, betcha didn't think you were an angel making angels.... 
But, again, God doesn't make mistakes.
love you Judikins
dilu
Apple Dumpling DesignsJudi...
This story brings goosebumps to my entire being...I've PM'd you with my reasons. Read it when you can.
Shantell
Wisdom BearsHi Judi,
I too have a heavy heart after reading your story, Everything that happens ,happens for a reason and Penny,s Bear "Luna" was meant to be with you to-day. In the years to come you will always have comfort from Luna and it will care for you too in a different way.
Hugs Rita xxxx
LuxembearsI think I would like to share a special story with you...is is sad though.
August 29th 2004, 8:45am, I got a call from my dad. He sounded very sad. He said, " I have some terrible news. There was a fire at Lorna's (my sister) house, and no one got out."......my heart sank to my toes. "no no no NO NO NO!" I screamed. My sister Lorna, her husband Mike, and thier 9 year old son, Hayden all died. I was hysterical. ....... and I had to be to one to call my mom .
Then 20 minutes later, my dad called me back. He said, " Judi, It gets worse."....how can it possibley get worse!? He said, " The police said it looks like a murder suicide." Dear God! no no no no. This was a happy , beautiful family...they had everything.
To make a very long story a bit shorter: Mike Waleskowski, my sister's husband ,was a police officer for the City Of Waterford, Michigan. He had been a highly respected police officer for 17 years. Not one scratch on his record..ever. In fact he was awarded the MADD (mothers against drunk drivers) award five years in a row. He adored my sister and thier son. The sun rose and set on his wife and child....which in a twisted way, his murdering them was a twisted act of love. He could not let them feel his shame. That is what he wrote in his suicide note.
Mike,stole $466.00 form a police lock up that belonged to a prisioner. He needed to pay a tax bill, is what he said....and he was trying to figure out how to return the money. He was caught on tape, confronted, and suspended. They drove him home in mid shift which was 3am. Loran and Hayden were asleep. By 4am he has typed the murder suicide note. His son was "camping" in a makeshift tent in the family room. He shot him in the head while he slept.....carried his body upstairs and placed him next to my sister. He shot her in the head, shot the dog and wraped the dog Ginger, in a blanket and placed her on the bed too. He then torched the house and shot himself. They were found all together.
Three fire fighters were hospitalized trying to save one of thier own. One fell through the second flour to the basment.
The devastation this has brought to so many people is unbeliveable. They were all so well liked in thier neighborhood and community. When I got tho thier house, thier were stuffed animals lined upo along the garage door with notes from Hayden's classmates...he was to start 5th grade on Monday. The neighborhood held candle vigils outside the charred house two nights in a row. The community was in shock....not to mention my family.
Many of you may have heard the story. It was so horrendous it made national news, and headlines for more than a week in the Detroit area. We even had to have police protection at the funeral home to keep the press out our faces. My own doctor heard about it and personally came over to my house with a big basket of lavender scented goodies.
Mike was not a horrble person. He loved his family very much. We don't hate him. He must have been in a very dark place at that very moment.
Needless to say my bears came to a screeching halt. I had just started needle felting on wool and couldn't wait to tell my sister about it. SHe and I were very close. SHe was 15 months older than me. We grew up together...my mom said we were like twins. Hayden was my Godchild. He was bright, talented, smart, and just a gorgeous little boy. Mike was a doting father who did so much with his family.
I needed to start healing. Writing and sharing my story really helps me to heal. I designed a special bear in memory of my sweet Hayden. I named the bear ,
"Hayden's Cub". Then I heard about the Steiff contest. I was not sure if I even wanted to enter. There was no way I would make the top six...but what have I got to loose. Well, I left it to the last possible minute to send him off. In fact, I did not even think I would make the cut off deadline. My mom did not want me to send him or ever sell him. He was too special...and the bear even looked like Hayden. I sent him.
A couple of months later I got a call from Steiff. Hayden's Cub was chosen for First Place. They said they loved his eyes. I KNEW my nephew made my bears eyes twinkle for the judges. oh, how I wish my sister could know this. How proud she would be.
"Hayden's Cub was created in the loving memory of a little boy who will never grow old. He represents the child in us all who will never outgrow the warmth of a teddy bear"
I have to say that at this moment I am the happiest I have been since the death of my family members. A great deal of this has come through connecting with such nice people as you all are in this forum....and my bears.
Teddy bears have saved my life.
Thanks so much for letting me share this with you. It was not easy for me to type with tears in my eyes.
BIG HUGS to youall,
Judi
Last edited by Judi (
LuxembearsThe above is the story I posted almost a year ago in this forum. I had to re-add the photos...they are not great but are quick snap shots from a picture collage on my wall.
I don't want to depress anyone but I am so touched by all your responses that I thought some of you might like to hear the story again.
Baird'sBears:hug: Judi, :hug:
Thanks for sharing your story again. Beyond the shock and grief, I think it confirms your amazing kindness and strength, and the loving nature that shines out of everything you do and say.
Whatever trials we're up against, it would do us all good to think of this, and then to think of our beautiful Judi dancing among the cows!
Eileen
Oh Judi. 
I have tears running down my face as I'm typing this. Words cannot describe this terrible experience for you and your family. I don't know what to say but this: I am so glad Luna is yours and came to you at such an opportune moment. That was meant to be!! I firmly believe the angels look out for us in our times of need.....as they were certainly looking out for you.
Tons of :hug: ,
Tracy
Posts: 3,177Well............i've been thinking hard about what to write here and i'm still a bit too overwhelmed by Judi's story to be honest.
I never imagined that this little Moonling bear would be so important to someone let alone come to that person under such circumstances.
It really must be fate girls because i had put Luna up for auction on eBay and 2 days before it was due to finish eBay pulled the auction because i had forgotton to remove my web address from one of the images and someone had reported it to eBay.
I decided not to bother listing Luna with eBay again and thought i would just put her for sale here on the Bears for Sale section - within a few SECONDS Judi had PM'd me and asked to adopt Luna and of course i said yes cos i like Judi !
Judi never once said anything to me about her sister or her nickname being Luna so it is extremely odd because...........
..................when i decided to make this Moonling i had already made up my mind to call it Moonbeam and it was going to be a boy (most of my bears are boys for some reason). All the way through the bear making process i was still firmly decided on the name but when i had attached the head, the wings and had just closed up the back i turned the bear around to take a look and all of a sudden the little bear seemed to almost speak - "My name is Luna" she said.
So, i can only assume that for some wonderful magical reason this little bear was meant for Judi and to arrive exactly when she did.
Thinking of you Judi and sending you big hugs :hug:
Penny
It just goes to show that what's meant to be, will happen..that little bear,' Luna'..in spite of everything, was destined to be where he is. As my mother always says, 'what's meant for you won't go past you...'
Judi...I had never read your story ..and never realised the heartache that you and your family have suffered. I have a sister who means the world to me ..we fight like two wild cats at times..but we are there for each other at the drop of a hat no matter what. If we get talking about sad things the thing that makes us cry most is the thought of not having one another around so I can imagine that you have had to be very brave in spite of all your sadness just to do what you do every day.
I respected you before and now I respect you more than ever... :hug:
Baird'sBearsIt really must be fate girls because i had put Luna up for auction on eBay and 2 days before it was due to finish eBay pulled the auction because i had forgotton to remove my web address from one of the images and someone had reported it to eBay.
Well, Penny . . . they do say that angels are often very well disguised
Newcastle, OntarioJudi, thank you for sharing your family's story. There are no words that will make things better for you - I hope you find some peace, with the passing of time. The syncronicity that has to take place for "special" things like this to happen, is overwhelming sometimes. "Angels" perchance? I think so.
Hugs,
Brenda
Sophie Z'Ours
Sorry, i cannot finds words to describe what i do feel now i know the whole story... I never heard about it before, and am now very upset.
Well judi, for sure you are very brave. there must not be many people who can face so hard situation as bravely as you did.
I am very happy that Luna arrived just in the right time.
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Country BearsAwww Judi, I'm a strong believer in fate, and Penny's bear just HAD to be yours - :hug: Your sister was just beautiful, in fact I had to look twice, I thought it was you. And dear Hayden, my daughter is 9 now, I'm just heartbroken for you.... such a waste of life of wonderful people.....
What a devastating time you must have gone through, I can't imagine what it must have been like for you all, you are a very brave lady, and we all love you very much :hug: :hug:
Bine-TeddiesSo sad 
and so amazing. I don't know what to say. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
LuxembearsThis past Aug 2005, my youger sister, and brother and I got together on the anniversary of thier deaths. We took a small amount of thier ashes and went to Upper Michigan. On the way, we saw a
...my sisters favorite flower....all by itself, growing rignt next to the highway with the face of the flower pointing in the direction were were traveling. (goosebumps as I type)
We rented a small lake front hotel room which we stayed over night. It faced Lake Michigan which is where we planned on sprinkling the small amount of ashes we brought with us. Our room number was
She was the first of
children in our family.
We drove across the Mackinaw Bridge and had dinner in a nice little resturaunt, then we bought a bottle of wine. We hardly ever drink wine so.....what are we to buy?...then a bottle JUMPED off the rack called...
red wine. (more goosebumps)
While we were starting a bon fire, my sister noticed that there were
beach chairs on the beach...nothing else was there.
When the moon was out and the stars shone brilliantly....we cast thier ashes and had some quiet time just standing there on the shore. We saw a
I have never seen one before.
The next morning, we looked out on the shore and the chairs were still there but three of them were together...the
We were very open to reciving signs. The feeling we left with was indescribable and peaceful....I do believe these were signs.
Oh...one more thing. My mom does not believe in receiving signs. She has not come to any kind of peace or closure no matter how many times I tell her about the signs.
WELL...she was playing the board game Scrabble and the seven tiles...IN THIS EXACT ORDER read: L O R N A C (my sisters middle initial is C)...and the last letter was a V. My mom broke down in tears. My brother is a Professor in Math and said the chance of this series of letters coming up in this order are 1 in like...648,000,000..or some ridiculous number like that. My mom eventually thinks the V is for "victory"..Lorna is in heaven..and wanted her to know.
Wow..sorry to write a novel ...but it is such a meaningful story.
BIG HUGS!
Judi
LuxembearsThank you all so every very much. I feel very comforted by your words. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: I am finally at peace...but it is still difficult to look at thier photos.
I also wanted to say PENNY, my sister was not really into bears...but I know she would have LOVED your (now my ) Luna bear...it has her name written all over it.
Kim-Bee BearsOh Judi.... I think your sis is really sending your messages... I really do... to many "coincidences" not to be....
:hug: :hug: (tears are still running down my face) :hug: :hug:
Luxembearsaawwww Kimmy :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
I sure hope I have not depressed everyone.
okay BIG GROUP HUG (((((((((((((((((((((( :hug: :hug: )))))))))))))))))))))))))
LuxembearsOkay another quote...but it's a really good one:
Don't know who said this but I love it:
God bless Judi....
Lanie x :hug:x
Kiprie BearsJudi ,
I love that quote....
Marie
