Loss

"Mom, I really don't miss them that much," Joie says about her family when I ask her how she's doing.  But I can't help but notice she's a little off lately, the past few months to be exact.  Is this grief?

"I miss my sister.  I promised I'd take care of her forever," Gabby says.  And on the day we mailed a birthday package to her little sister, emotions were all over the map.  As we talk, I'm pretty sure this is a loss I don't understand.  Unnecessary.  Tell me why they're apart again?  None of us understand.  Adult decisions about her life based on adult responses to their own fears and insecurities.  How do you make sense of that loss?

Conversations about grief.

Questions expressed through tears.

Discussions of worries, happy memories, and the mysteries of God, and faith that He loves us with a love we can trust.

And some projects to help a little with the feelings of loss.

A frame for the picture her little sister sent with her last letter.

A flower for Mom

Keeping up the train tradition for Dad, who got his love of trains from his dad.

And a butterfly for Audrey.

Two girls, whose journey of loss started around the same time, half a world away from each other.  

Who knew back then those two girls would become sisters?

Sisters who speak to each other so candidly about their losses that it's sometimes hard to believe not everyone in the world has experienced such loss.  

And each time we speak of loss, we sigh, and feel a little better.  

But we know from experience it will surface again.

And when it does, we'll get through it.

Together.