It's been a long winter.
Winter for our family started in November, with the accidental tragic death of my sister's 11 year old son, Thomas. Life changes in a heartbeat, and in just that moment your world is never the same. I'm looking forward to the day that every Wednesday doesn't make me think of it.
Tommy was 2 days older than my Ian.
And as of late my Jamie (2 years younger) had begun to develop more in common with his cousin, bringing them closer.
As you can imagine, the loss has been profound at our house.As with any tragedy you can choose only to dwell on the loss, or you can see the whole picture.
11 is such a mixed up age for kids, no where near adulthood, struggling to become teenagers while still they are just kids. They still do stupid "kid" stuff, but then in (rare)moments maturity you see what kind of adult they are aiming to become. As many kids as adults attended the visitation, friends of Tommy, friends of his siblings, children of the adults who know our family. I remember going to the visitation of a classmate's father when I was in grade school, and having no idea what to say. None. I remember the horrible helpless feeling of there being no words I could think of to say and nothing I could think to do. As those "kids" visited with our family, I was struck by grace and maturity with which so many of them greeted us, hugged us, and held our family up, while at the same time they were grieving the same loss in their lives.
The funeral was an amazing display of the love and support of the community where Tommy lived, the funeral was at, my sister's church, while her husband's church hosted us for the meal afterward. The love shown our family from both church communities was incredible.
I have been backing up photos to a second external hard drive, so that my computer can function normally again. It pains me to delete the pictures and folders from my hard drive even though I have them double backed up on the hard drives and I have clicked through every file to be sure it is there. I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach, while I watch the folder delete. I would be sad to lose my nature photos and files, but losing the pictures of the kids? Sad does not even begin to describe it.
So, here is my little PSA for the day, Back Up Your Photos. Today. Make a plan. Buy a hard drive, pay for on-line storage. Do it.
