all image credit this post: Uncle Jonathan Canlas

“There is beauty all around.”

I tweeted that the day of Baby Gavin’s funeral.

It was as true then as it is today.

There is beauty everywhere and always.

Sometimes, when you’re “knee deep in the thick of life,” as I like to say, it’s so easy to get focused on your feet. To feel the weight of the world as it threatens to CRUSH your very soul. We’ve all been there. Don’t you dare dream, for even an instant, that I think grief and pain are exclusive to me or my individual set of circumstances. We’ve all got our “stuff,” and as a runner, I’ll tell you what, it only takes a very small pebble to bring you to your knees.

Life gets heavy . . . and oftentimes so.

Even the small stuff can feel completely and totally insurmountable.

Sometimes it’s not fair. Sometimes we feel all alone. Sometimes we can’t see any way up and out. Sometimes we literally feel like we’re being SUFFOCATED.

I’ll tell you this: “Look up!” Get your eyes off your feet and up to the Heavens, because there’s ALWAYS something to be grateful for.

In gratitude, there is healing.

In gratitude, there is relief.

In gratitude, there is hope.

In gratitude, there is companionship.

In gratitude, there is comfort.

In gratitude. . .there is God.

And there really is beauty all around.

See, I told you so.

xx,

Me

One of the hardest things about this year has been not having you here to walk me through it.

So many times I have needed you. So many times, I have ached to have you here by my side, with your perfect compassion, your perfect empathy, your perfect understanding. . .your wisdom.

You are so wise.

There have been times when I’ve felt like I was falling. Falling into a chasm of eternal depth and indescribable confusion, and it was your memory that brought me through. Specifically, it was the strength I gained from having had to say goodbye to you.

You in so many ways saved me.

Losing you, saved me.

It prepared me for what would have otherwise been absolutely insurmountable. I am so amazed by God, so grateful for the gift of our goodbye. . . but how can I say that I’m grateful you went first, when in the self same breath I would give ANYTHING to have you back?

If only for a moment.

To see your smile. Touch your rough hands. Laugh at your perfect comedic timing and stand amazed at the perfection of your wit.

You were perfect for me and I was perfect for you. We were so blessed to have had each other. So.Very.Blessed.

Just the two of us.

But, His knowledge is perfect, isn’t it!? He leaves me in awe, for I never could have survived had it not been for what came first. Had it not been for YOU.

In losing you, I learned the way of grief. Learned that the horror would pass. Learned that I was never alone. Learned to know Him not only as my Savior, but as my friend. My perfect friend.

I learned to take each day, each moment as it came, to ride the wave of grief. To simply allow it to wash over me. I learned to have faith that it would pass and that I would be whole again. I learned not to be afraid. . . I learned to FIGHT. I learned to fight for clarity, to fight, rather than to sink into circumstance. Not to be consumed by grief, but to OWN it. To feel it. To let it fuel my faith and infuse my courage.

And realizing that fight that lies deep within me has been one of the most significant blessings of my life.

YOU continue to be, one of the most significant blessings of my life.

You live on in each of my boys. I see you in them every single day, and I tell them so. You are very much alive in my heart and in this family. You have to know that.

The two of us. . .  oh for that day when we will be together again.

I love you. SO MUCH. Every breath and more.

May my life shine as yours did. That would be the greatest accomplishment to which I could ever aspire.

This one’s for you.

xx,

Me

Above, Harrison, Idaho. From or 2 month long road trip/camping extravaganza.
Image Credit: Raleigh (left) Yours Truly (right)  . . both shot with the instax mini 7s

I am in a FUNK.

Of the deep and the dark variety.

So clearly, camping is the only remedy.

Though admittedly it’s heart-wrenching to be here. . . where a year ago to this very week I camped on this very same beach, 9 months pregnant and blissfully unaware of the chasm ahead.

. . . . . . . . .

Ah, the loop of time for the grieving heart.

The difference was that this time after visiting campingfunzone.com we decided to rent a class b rv as it seemed fun. And it was.

A custom tailored Hell. Desolate, despondent and horrifying.

An indescribably lonely place to be.

I’ll see you when I pull myself together, because we all know that I will.

In the mean time, I’m giving myself permission to be a mess.

Because quite frankly, after all I’ve been through with gavin 1 and then gavin 2 (before the first was even cold in his grave), if I weren’t, I’d wonder what was wrong with myself.

HERE’S SOME REASONS WHY CAMPING IS FUN


Cаmрfіrе fооdѕ. Classic саmріng mеаnѕ уоu’ll gеt to еnjоу things lіkе hоt dogs, сhірѕ, S’Mоrеѕ аnd еvеn реrhарѕ ѕоmе fun dutсh оvеn оr саѕt іrоn сооkеd mеаlѕ. This саn іnсludе bacon, biscuits аnd grаvу for brеаkfаѕt, оr a уummу реасh соbblеr fоr dеѕѕеrt. Cаmрfіrе fооdѕ аrе fun to make, but аlѕо dеlісіоuѕ tо еаt. Eѕресіаllу wіth that ѕmоkу flаvоr аddеd tо thіngѕ lіkе hоt dоgѕ, сhісkеn, burgers and more. But like Camping Console asserts, without a few yet important essentials, things can totally upend.

Fewer electronic dіѕtrасtіоnѕ. Cаmріng means you leave the tеlеvіѕіоn, vіdео gаmеѕ аnd еvеn уоur phone аt home. Thіѕ gіvеѕ уоu less contact with thе оutѕіdе wоrld, аnd many mоrе hоurѕ of рlауіng gаmеѕ, tаlkіng, hunting fоr trеаѕurеѕ on nаturе walks оr even ѕіngіng сlаѕѕіс саmрfіrе ѕоngѕ together. Rеmоvе the dіѕtrасtіоnѕ аnd focus on еасh оthеr аѕ needed.

Lеаrn lіfе skills. Tаkіng уоur kids camping gіvеѕ уоu a chance to teach them hоw tо рrореrlу mаkе a саmрfіrе, gаthеr wооd and sticks аѕ needed fоr said fire or еvеn сооk оvеr open coals. Yоu саn teach them about trapping small game, trасkіng аnіmаlѕ in thе wооdѕ, hоw tо tеll directions wіth and without a соmраѕѕ, аѕ well аѕ ѕіmрlе thіngѕ lіkе hоw to fіѕh.

Slееріng bags and tents. Nееd I say more? Cаmріng out іѕ аlwауѕ fun whеn you have a tent, a fеw ѕlееріng bags and ріllоwѕ. Whеthеr you саmр under the ѕtаrѕ or іn a tеnt the kids will hаvе tоnѕ оf fun setting uр camp, рісkіng their ѕроt to sleep.

Gеt uр close аnd реrѕоnаl wіth animals. From ѕееіng mоrе bіrdѕ, to bеіng іn areas with rаbbіtѕ, rассооnѕ, роѕѕumѕ, dееr оr еvеn ѕnаkеѕ уоu саn lеаrn a lоt more about wіldlіfе whеn you gо саmріng with уоur fаmіlу.

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