Today we honor two special people on their birthdays.
Jenna celebrates her 15th birthday today! I can't believe she is 15 already. I have known Jenna for 11 years - since she was Vienne's age.
Jenna holds a very special place in my heart as she used to be one of my students when I taught kindergarten all those years ago. Jenna's Mom, Laurie, and I hit it off pretty quickly and we have remained friends ever since. Once Jenna was old enough she became Vienne's first young fun teenage babysitter and they grew very close. During the summers a few years ago, we would also pick Jenna up just to spend the day together. It was ALWAYS something that Vienne got excited about - spending an entire day with a fun and cool "big girl"!
I will never forget seeing Jenna at Vienne's Memorial Service - she couldn't even talk to me because she was so overtaken with tears and we just held each other. It touched this mama's broken heart so much.
It is such an incredible blessing to me that one of the little girls that I once taught is now old enough to help out with my own children. Now, Jenna is Ivy's babysitter and we just know that they will be fast friends too.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNA MAE!
I love you, Sweetheart. Thank you for loving my girls.
(this is the only pic I could find of myself and Jenna together - this was at my wedding almost 8 years ago. Obviously a candid shot. But, it was so special to me that Jenna and her mommy came to my wedding)
(These next few photos were taken on a summer day a few years ago. I picked Jenna up and took the girls to a park to play. Jenna and Vienne are "hiding" from me. hehe)
(follow her wherever she goes - I LOVE Vienne's stride in this pic!)
(uh oh!)
(playing with the volleyball)
(teaching Vienne her mad skills - look at Vienne's arms ready to bump the ball!)
(classic Vienne - one of my utmost favorite photos. Yes, I have a LOT of favorites.)
Today, we also remember and honor Megan's birthday. Megan is my stepsister who passed away 7 years ago on July 21, 2006, shortly after her 21st birthday. Today she would be 28.
I did not know Megan very well but her loss breaks my heart just the same.
Isn't it curious that Vienne was born on the first day of May and Megan was born on the last? Two girls in our family taken from us WAY too early. Megan and Vienne now dance in Heaven together.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN
(isn't she beautiful?)
(my stepfather, Tom, just put out this book about his story and the miracles that God has brought about on his grief journey. Read it if you are interested! It is such an incredible story and I guarantee it will touch your heart. Megan's story is a very tragic one but it is amazing to see what God has done through it. Tom's faith, teachable heart, and forgiveness have been an inspiration to us.)
Oh Jenny. Thank you so much for honoring Megan, today. This means so much to Tom and I. It is sad that over 6 years have passed with very little acknowledgment of Megan's rememberance days since she passed (I have fallen woefully short of this). But today, we are thankful. How much we have learned. Under such circumstances, sadly, we have learned. I love you and your heart of compassion displayed.
ReplyDeleteI also love these pics of Vienne with Jenna. What a beautiful, sweet girl Jenna is. And what a treasure to have such a history built with her...a lasting history.
I was glad to be able to do this - a way to share her name publicly and bring her into remembrance. Now, I know how absolutely crucial that is...for her to be remembered.
DeleteLove you mama.
In reading this post as well as the post of your Dad's birthday as well I felt the tears run down my face. So much has been lost in this family but there is sooo much love and support in this extended family of yours. It's not hard for me to believe that May is the month that both Vienne and Megan were born. This is just another confirmation of how God intertwines lives and families just so. Both beautiful, compassionate, incredible girls, taken way too soon. I believe they are dancing together in heaven.
ReplyDeleteI haven't posted much but I check and read every day and send a prayer up.
Much love,
Susan (Morris)
Thank you sweet Susan.
DeleteI did some reading on Megan's story after seeing your post. I suppose I was too immature when you told me about it several years ago to grasp immensity of the tragedy. I'm sure you can relate now to Tom's grief in the sense that each of your girl's lives were SO much more than the circumstances of their deaths. I'm so sorry for both horrible losses.
ReplyDelete