It is hard to believe a year has past since we lost Kevin's father, Murray. No doubt, this year has been by far the toughest of our life together. As we forge that difficult path of trying to heal a little and move past the hurt, we are also doing our best keep his memory alive for our family. Kevin & I have had very different ways of coping and so there has been a lot of discovery about one another in this process. We think of him every day, but now we are able to do so with less tears and a lot more smiles and laughs.
Navigating this journey with the girls has had some challenges. We have tried to approach conversations with a level of honesty while doing what we can to avoid harming their sweet & innocent understanding of the world. There have been a lot of questions we haven't had good answers for, but also some relatively profound discussions about love.
One year later Janie is able to recognize "Papa Murray" in photos with enthusiasm, aware that he {really} liked donuts and ice cream. She also sweetly says, "Papa loves me." For Clara, this life experience has been a big one for someone of her age, but she already lets her faith guide her well. If ever she sees us upset, she'll remind us, "Papa is happy in heaven. You can talk to him if you like." She frequently talks about papa "pecking off her nose" and listens to a recorded story book of his voice.
It seemed fitting that for this bittersweet anniversary, we spend some time in Quincy as a family. Even with all of the changes, being there with Carol for some sunny, harvest days felt good for our souls. It was a nice opportunity to reflect on our special memories and great laughs!
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