September 20, 2021 I hope you never know the feeling of rubbing your fingers over glass because the picture underneath is the only way you can now touch your child’s beautiful face. I hope you never know the frantic feeling of not knowing where the lock of her hair is, the hair that you cut…
August 29, 2021 You can feel it, can’t you? It seems to pulsate through the air, sticking to us, surrounding us like a dark shroud, weaving its ugly tentacles around us, and suffocating us to the hope that we can only find in God. Fear. There is such divisiveness and ugly rhetoric on so many…
July 15, 2021 I have come away for a quick retreat with my sweet friends, Bob & Linda Brunson at Wellspring at The Clary House, in Bryan, TX. We have had wonderful conversations and laughter. And in between, I have sat in this beautiful window seat reading, thinking, praying, writing. I’ve been reading Heaven by…
Retreats for grieving Mothers is one of the many things I want to do to ensure Ashley’s lasting legacy. It is definitely something I feel called to do, but the logistics and reality of it are waaayyyy outside of my comfort zone, and so it is tentative. At this time, I feel led to offer…
This was written by John Stabeno on 4/19/19 (two days before Ashley died). Everything that follows is his…nothing of mine. It is truth. Many people feel awkward around parents who suffered the loss of a child. They don’t know what to say and are afraid of offending them. Some days are better than others and…
June 23, 2021 Did you? Did you hug your child today? Did you hold their soft hand in yours? Did you inhale the intoxicating scent that is uniquely theirs? Did you have a conversation…About the mundane things? About the deep things? Did you text them? Did you call them? Did you take them to school?…
Had breakfast with this beautiful woman today. Let me tell you the back story: First, there was a dog. Several months after my Ashley had died, I was led to this sweet homeless dog (long story, but I knew Ashley wanted me to save him!) Ashley loved dogs; I love dogs…one of our many shared…
I’m so thankful God gave me this sweet blessing 22 years ago. He was 10 1/2 lbs. of baby (or rather, toddler! 😁), and let me know from the very beginning that I was going to need strength beyond what my physical self possessed. God stepped in and has held me and guided me every…
May 15, 2021 Still working through our grief. The first quilt went to Dad; the second one goes to Bill. He was so moved when Dad received his, that I had to have one for him, too. So, this is the second one…so special because it’s mostly from Ashley’s swim career (one is from T-ball…
Ashley’s 29th Birthday, May Day. Happy heavenly birthday, my beautiful daughter! I long for you more with each passing day. Thank you for making me a Mom….your Mom; how I miss sharing those sweet Mother/Daughter moments with you on this earth! I will see you soon, my love. Wasn’t sure if this was going to…