My husband and I have lived in Ohio our entire lives. There’s something about having a bit of all four seasons that makes it special!
We are happy to raise our two children here. Our oldest is our daughter and she’s a freshman this year and our son is in sixth grade. It’s hard to belive how far they have come, they were just 6 and 3 when Sophie passed away.
Let me tell you, these two kiddos of mine have the kindest and softest hearts. That’s partially the mark their sister left on them and I love that she taught them empathy and unconditional love in her short time here. Don’t get me wrong, my son can play football with his friends but to this day sleeps with his sister’s kitty she left behind (he takes his big brother duties very seriously, even today). Although it may not be healthy, I’d let him sleep with that kitty until he graduates college if he wants!
My oldest daughter is kind and quiet but children are drawn to her because of her gentle soul and warm smile. God blessed me with these kids and I’m so lucky.
As for my husband and I, we’ve been married 18 years. YIKES! I was only 17 when I met him and he in fact made me wait and wouldn’t date me until I turned 18. There are days we are at each others throats and days I thought this grief of ours would tear our marriage apart but we’ve survived. First separately and then together. When I say that I mean that the first couple of years after we lost our daughter were so very tough. He grieved before me, I pushed that grief so far away that it wasn’t until about 6 months post loss that I crumbled. Some days it felt we were living in different worlds.
Day to day I work in Radio and he is a tech geek by day and a youth basketball coach by night.
Daily we are reminded how lucky we were to have had Sophie in our lives even if only for a little while. I say bereaved families aren’t like “normal” families. Sure kind of we are; we work and play and laugh…but we grieve. Every day in some kind of way.