Unblinking eyes look up at me and wonder,
Mommy, can Hadley come to our birthday party when we are four?
Eventually, I find my voice,
She will be there. But only in our hearts, honey.
And there is bitter in the knowing that there are years and years to come of birthdays with one empty chair,
but sweet in the living and breathing of the small miracles before me,
taking beautiful care of her memory too.
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So very beautiful. Love to you all.
This post was beautiful, sad, heart wrenching. Everything that it should be. Your memory is safe in my heart, too. XO
Beautiful words filled with so much sorrow and hope.
Lovely picture too.
I’ve never heard of this meme before. Thank you for the introduction.
What a gorgeous post. I am slowly realizing there will always be a bittersweet feeling to life’s little and big moments. And how beautiful that your children ask for her!!
I love how you explained the sweetness too. xxoo
Oh my gosh. When I read that second line, I just started crying again.
You know what I’m going through right now, so maybe this struck deeper than it normally would have.
I wish you had all three right now– and forever.
But I’m so glad that they are growing up with their sister’s memory being a part of their lives. It’s a real gift that you’re giving them. But definitely, a bittersweet one.
Oh my – I can’t imagine tackling that question. How hard it must be for kids to understand, plus the pain and heartbreak you personally have experienced.
Awww. So sweet.
Kids are so sweet.
Love the picture. Moved by the story.
Hugs to you!
Their hope and belief is so strong…you blessed them with this.
Now, for you: I send you a big, tight, long, huge hug, dear lady.
It is so sweet that they remember their sister and want her to be their for the party. They are taking beautiful care of her memory and the picture was perfect for this post.
How I wish I could bottle up your heartache and take it away.
You are such a light for your children.
Xoxo
Beautiful post – and I love that first photo of the little ones near the stream.
I love that they can talk so freely about the sister they never knew.
What a beautiful way to honor her memory. Best wishes.
Such powerful words and the picture says it all. xx
How wonderful that they want her to be a part of things!
Children say the most beautiful and innocent things… they are such a miracle 🙂 xoxo
It’s amazing what our children hold on to. About a month ago my daughter looked up at these beautiful puffy coulds, points up and states, “Mom, is Wyatt on one of those?” He died a little over two years ago. We don’t mention it much but the fact she remembered took my breath away.
Last week we celebrated the third anniversary of our full-term daughter, Tya. Leila, who is five, wanted to invite her friend to the party, too. It’s like they need that connectivity, that those lost would want the same things they want, see the world in the same way somehow. Yesterday Leila asked us, “Mommy, is Tya part of Nature now?” Although I never quite put it that way, she seems to have figured it out on her own.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
the innocence of childhood–I love it. Thanks for the nice comment on my blog.
Simple, yet so beautiful and powerful. ((hugs))
We definitely need to treasure what we have. I wish you didn’t have to deal with the bitter aspect.
I wish I could take away the pain and emptiness. I know it’s not possible, but wish I could recreate the past……so beautifully written.
I know that you do. Thanks, love you.