Thoughts

Hey Friends,

I am still here! I mentioned before that the holidays weigh heavy on our hearts this year. We feel the void in our lives deeply everyday, though the feeling seems heightened during this time of year. My heart aches for all those missing a loved one right now.  I read a blog called Katie's Keepers and she has inspired me so much. Katie lost her sweet baby girl, Reese, two years ago, and has been writing about her journey through life ever since. Reading her story, struggles and triumphs has helped me through some of my most difficult days. Today she wrote:

"Every holiday that passes I think about two years ago and how thankful I am it's not that time. The pain of losing a child will always be evident and deep, but thankfully not as raw. That's His grace. "

These are our first holidays without our sweet boys. The pain is still raw. I can look forward, with hope, to a time when it will not be that way. Is it possibe? It's hard for me to imagine. But, I have to believe that hope and grace will shine through.

Eli and Michael continue to impact our lives and the lives of those around us every.single.day. They are so precious and my heart grows and grows with love for them each minute, sometimes I feel it might burst. Their spirits are always with us, and I am very thankful for that. Katie also wrote something else that describes how I feel about our boys. "So much of her is still around and yet the part I want most - her physical presence - isn't."

So, hug your loved ones tight this season. Tell them you love them and cherish every minute you have with them. Hug those who have lost a loved one, too. Say a prayer for the children watching down on their aching parents. The ones who won't sit on santa's lap this year, whose eyes won't widen at the sight of a lit Christmas tree. The ones who aren't sleeping peacefully in their cribs, but are safe in Heaven. Say a prayer for peace, strength and hope for those families wishing painfully that those angels were with them on Earth.