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Leah's 38th birthday

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The drizzle let up today and a few of Leah's cousins and I went to the beautiful stone bench located on the forest trail near her house, on her 38th birthday... However, you don't need to venture into the woods to see a lovely memorial for Leah, many homes in her neighborhood still feature her cancer warrior magnets and were recently refreshed with new ones! Celine, Leah's amazing neighbor and friend, who we also have to thank for the bench, found a left over box of magnets and organized Elly, Drew, and some of their neighborhood friends to replace the weathered ones for shiny new! On mailboxes and even a garage door or two, these continue to pepper the neighborhood as a reminder of Leah's strong warrior spirit. Leah's inspiration for the design and her inspiration to all of us, is best explained by her post from MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014, titled Warriors... I'm reading a new book and I'd like to share some excerpts from it over the next few postings.  The book...
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Leah's Birthday!

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Today is Leah's Birthday! Leah, we miss you so so so very much. First I want to call attention to two posts she wrote regarding her birthday:   "DOB: 7/22/1980"  and   "another birthday" . I also want to share with everyone a movie that was the last film Leah saw in the theater, probably the last movie she really got to pay attention to and enjoy. It was in Tucson just a couple of nights before she flew with me back to Rhode Island only days later endeding up in the hospital with the worsening news. It's a hand-drawn animation called Song of the Sea, the story is based on Celtic foklore. At the time it already had rave reviews and still has held it's amazing  99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes .  When the film began we immediately learned that the Mother in the story dies, leaving her 2 young children. I remember us looking at each other and we knew we were both thinking, "ahh crap another cancer movie!". Leah and her family seemed to have a regular...
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Everyday Hearts

Last year I made a post about a beautiful book created by Jackie, inspired and encouraged by Leah. http://leahstatus.blogspot.com/2015/06/everyday-hearts.html From Jackie: Last year I created a book called "Everyday Hearts" in honor of Leah With Leah's Birthday coming up in July I thought it would be a good time to release the book again.    After Leah was diagnosed with cancer I started finding hearts everywhere. I started seding her texts with photos of the hearts I found. She used to tell me I should make a book with my heart photos. After she passed away I created the book in her memory. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Elleanah and Drew Ploutz Trust Fund.   "Everyday Hearts" is a 5.75" x 7.75" hardcover book with 20 pages of photos and stories.  The book sells for $25 and will be gift-wrapped and include a bookmark. Please add $5 if you'd like the book shipped (up to 3 books can be shipped together for $5). If you're interested...
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Missing Leah

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Please be sure to check out Ben's post below this. I didn't want to take away from his post. Leah passed away a year ago today. She was the best friend I’ve ever had and her friendship changed my life. I am blessed to have many wonderful, supportive, close friends, but Leah stands out. I recently and inadvertently learned that astrologically we saw the world in much the same way and I don’t know what I believe, but that feels right and nice. She was the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met and I always told her this. She’d go out of her way for people even when she didn’t know them very well. This was how she worked her way into my heart. After only knowing her a couple months and she met my former, unfavorable boyfriend, she discreetly organized a monthly girls group so that I might be surrounded by love and supportive strong women should I decide one day that I deserved more than what I was getting in my relationship. She only confessed her intentions years later after I ha...
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It's been a year since Leah passed away, on March 23rd, 2015

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It's been a year since Leah passed away, on March 23rd, 2015, and yet, still it seems unimaginable she's no longer here. Time has passed slowly, time has passed quickly, but she remains in our hearts forever. Leah recorded videos of Elly as a baby and uploaded them to her public photobucket account. These have been on the web since she's posted them, perhaps you've come across them if you googled her name. Now all 56 of her videos are combined in a single 36 minute video I've posted on YouTube (see embed below). Together they piece together a beautiful slideshow through Leah's eyes, of experiences with her first child Eliannah. Watch and you will see, what Leah's friend Kim said when viewing these "She was such an amazing mom and so in love with her kids". While the grief of her loss is raw while watching her recordings, you may find it's cathartic and what our cousin Rachael said was nice to "hear Leah's voice and laugh". I think...
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"Leah's Baskets"

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Mary Valentine, has created a non-profit in Leah's memory. She writes: I started this venture on January 1 st and work with our local hospice in Watertown, NY. We’ve created a new patient “welcome” basket and deliver monthly “thinking of you” baskets to the 8 residents. Since I’m doing this by myself and I work full-time, I’m just concentrating on this Hospice. It’s my hope that by next Christmas I can send holiday baskets to the hospice that cared for Leah in RI. check it out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/leahsbaskets1/
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Everyday Hearts book on sale

Hi Everyone! It is wonderful that you're still checking Leeah's blog though not much has been going on. The book Everyday Hearts (created in dedication to Leah) will be available for purchase again soon and can be ordered through Jackie Davis at jackiebmassage@cox.net . Proceeds will continue to go to the Elleanah and Drew Ploutz Trust Fund. Copies compltely sold out at Leah's Memorial Party on July 25th, so Jackie is collecting orders for a second round. $25 for the book plus $5 for shipping. The inspirational book is a great gift and Christmas season is approaching! Jackie is also considering making another book available next March, so stay tuned! Many people have shared the hearts they have found in unexpected places and it has been very inspiring.
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