Good evening all!  I’m sorry it’s been over a week since my last update.  Grammy had internet problems for a few days but I am now back up and running.  If you live and work in Greenville and are out and about as much as I am, then you have seen our little firefighter’s sign about town.   “Will you be a Beau’s Buddy”?  It has two adorable pictures of our Beau Diddley on it as well as the website link.  There is one on Old Tar Road close to my house.  It has been such a joy to be able to see my little fellow every morning on the way to work and again in the afternoons when I come home.  I always wave and holler “hey Beau” every time I go by.  I know the folks in the cars passing by must wonder what in the world I am doing.  There is another one on 10^th Street close to the fire station and one on Stantonsburg.  G-Paw and I were going that way the other day when I spied the sign and I holler LOOK.  G-Paw about had a heart attack.  My driving scares him anyway and that didn’t help.  What started out as idea with Dr. Gibbs is rapidly growing into a wonderful organization.  I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Gibbs recently and he is so enthusiastic about the whole thing.   He has some great ideas as does all the committee members.  I know with God’s blessing this will grow and become a very important organization to the citizen of Greenville and Pitt County.  Please take a moment to check out beausbuddies.com and if you feel so led please make a donation.  No amount is too small.  All the money raised will stay right here in Pitt County.  It’s only fitting that their first fund raiser will be a golf tournament.  Beau loved hitting golf balls in the yard at Ma and Hodgie’s house. And, as you know from past updates, he loved ridding in grand-dad’s golf cart down at the river and would go with all the “guy’s” to play on the nine hole course there.  Daddy was very patient with Beau often carrying him along the way and waiting until he hit his ball.  Two things we know for sure – Beau would have been a golf playing fireman when he grew up.  Stay tune for future updates about the golf tournament.   1 Corinthians 1:4  I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.  Grace is a gift from God.  We don’t have to do anything to receive it – it’s a gift.  It is absolute.  God’s grace was with our familiar during Beau’s journey with neuroblastoma.  By God’s grace we made it thru each day and by God’s grace we continue to meet each day ahead on.  Jennifer and Parham have especially been blessed by God’s grace.  This family has been so blessed by all that God has done thru Beau - our precious blue eyed smiling little Angel.   God continues to use Beau to touch the lives of so many all over the world.  And, Beau will live on thru Beau’s Buddy’s Cancer fund and the little red wagons being used daily on 2 West.  The people around us may change, the weather, the conditions we find our self in – they can and will change with each day but God never changes.  His love and grace never changes.  So, let us take a moment to give thanks for this beautiful day God has given us, let us give thanks for God’s love and grace.  Be sure you wave and give Beau a big hello the next time you pass by one of his signs.  God Bless!  Love, Grammy

Good evening all!  I hope you’ve all had a great week.  The pictures today don’t go with my update.  They are just some precious pictures of Beau Jennifer wanted to share with you.  They were taken last summer during one of his stays on 2 West.  What an adorable smile!!  Jennifer, Julie, Kayla and I had a special afternoon yesterday.  Jennifer prepared six goody baskets and Julie and I made brownies and muffins to go with them.  We hopped in the car and away we went to all six fire stations here in Greenville.  We started out at the one on 10^th street and ended with the one close to Nissan.  We were amazed to find out there was at least one person at each station that had been to the hospital to see Beau or knew of him and knew his story.  We told them all how much the Greenville firefighters meant to Beau and his family and how much we appreciated all they had done for our family and the work they do each day as fire fighters.  It was good to see them all and to spend a few moments talking with them and in some cases sharing fond memories of our little firefighter Beau.  I think they were all surprised to see us and the basket of goodies we had.  They are a very special group of people and are a family of which Beau is now a part of. Jennifer had shared the story of the Code 3 Firefighters and of Beau’s ride to California with them with Fireman Jake.  He in turn emailed it to all the firefighters so they knew all about Beau’s latest adventure.  We told them to save their baskets and we would gather them up and filled them up again and bring them back.  What a special afternoon it turned out to be.  I have another little “firefighter” story to tell you.  As some of you know, I work at ECU and until recently my office was on the first floor in Slay – it used to be a dorm.  One afternoon we heard the fire alarm go off and the next thing we knew here comes two fire trucks and the rescue squad.  I guess they all have to come when an alarm goes off.  Two of the firemen came into the building dressed in their full gear with air tanks and axes in hand.  They went from room to room checking and rechecking.  They could not find a reason for the alarm to be ringing.  It was ringing like crazy but everything indicated it shouldn’t be so they finally reset it and left.  I know it was Beau doing it.  He wanted to see his “buddies” and he knew Grammy had had a bad day and he was letting me know he was there and everything was going to be fine.  It was the second time something like that has happened.  Lorenzo of the Code 3 Firefighters told Jennifer Beau was at the fire station in heaven watching over all the streets here on earth making sure they were all safe and ok.  Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts.  When we go through difficult times, joy can rise up within us through the blessing of companionship.  The companionship of God is our greatest joy and we must make time for God each day.  The companionship of our family friends can bring us much love and joy and make us feel so welcome and loved at the end of a difficult day.  They can make us feel like the most important, loved person in the world!!  And, we all need to have that feeling sometimes.  No matter what we go through the spirit of God is our strength, in all circumstances at all times.  Spend some time with God today then go spend some quality time with your family.  Have a great weekend.  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy

Good evening all.  Last Monday, I told you about Jennifer and Kayla making the trip to Winston-Salem to meet with the Code 3 firefighters.  They had a wonderful time and made some new friends they will cherish forever.  The Code 3 crew has a website  www.code3foracure.com  and on this website   they have a journal page chronicle their journey and visits with the different fire departments.  On their journal page for their June 30 visit with Station #1 in Winston-Salem, they included Beau’s story as well as some pictures of Beau and his firemen, the fire truck with his mural on the back and Beau’s picture sitting in the fire truck.  Below is the story that appears on the website.  The pictures I’m sharing with you today are of cousins, Kayla, Whitney, and David sitting on the Code 3 fire truck, a picture of the Code 3 crew and a picture of Beau’s picture sitting in the fire truck. 

THE STORY OF BEAU STANLEY

When we first arrived at the Winston-Salem Fire Department, Station 1, on June 30, we met a very special individual named Jennifer Stanley. Jennifer lost her beautiful little boy, Beau, last November to cancer. He was two years old. When Beau was in the hospital, his favorite hat he always wore was a little fire helmet. Jennifer feels in her heart that Beau would have been a firefighter if he had had the chance.

The month before he passed away, Beau was able to visit the Greenville Fire Department, and the Firefighters gave him a ride in the fire truck. The day Beau died, the Firefighters from Greenville drove two fire trucks to the hospital, raised their ladder to his window, and two firefighters climbed up the ladder and waved to him. They also brought him his own real fire helmet, making him an honorary Firefighter. At Beau’s funeral, a fire truck led the procession and four Firemen were his pallbearers. On the back of the fire truck hung a canvas mural showing Beau in his fire helmet, waving.

After seeing Code 3 for a Cure on the Today Show on June 22, Jennifer had emailed us expressing her desire to meet us when we arrived in Winston-Salem. And we are so glad she did, thankful for the opportunity to meet such a wonderful person. The Code 3 Crew has now placed a framed picture of Beau on the fire engine so that he has his own honorary seat on the rig.

Throughout our journey, we have been feeling as though an angel has been watching over us. Almost miraculously, we have missed every bad weather spot there has been as we have crossed the nation, and we truly feel in our hearts that Beau has had something to do with that.

Ecclesiastes 11:7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.  Beau was a ray of sunshine spreading love and joy to all those who came in contact with him.  Even today, God is using him to spread joy and sunshine to so many people all over the US. The Code 3 firefighters have felt as though an angel was watching over them on their journey and now believe it has been Beau keeping watch over them as they traveled across the US.  I don’t doubt that for a moment. When the warehouse downtown was on fire, Kayla and I went to see what was going on.  I told her we would pray for the firemen especially “Beau’s firemen”.  I told her Beau would help watch over them.  She said Grammy Beau isn’t the boss God is boss.  Beau is just a little boss. As Code 3 firefighter Lorenzo Abundiz said to Jennifer, Beau is at the fire station in Heaven keeping watch on the streets here on earth.  I can just imagine a fire station in Heaven and see Beau as the fire chief with a fireman’s hat on asking God to please take care of my “firemen friends”.  I know Beau is keeping an eye on them all.  Not only is Beau an honorary fireman here in Greenville, he now has an honorary seat on the Code 3 fire truck and is on his way to California. His story is on their website and will be read by thousands of people.  God continues to use Beau to spread sunshine, hope, comfort, love and joy to all that know him and come to know him through his website and now thru Code 3’s website.  How awesome is that!!  God Bless!!  Love, Grammy