"It's been two long years now...

since the top of the world came crashing down..." I have had this Dixie Chicks lyric playing in my head all day. I can't believe it's been two whole years. Our family isn't the same without Dad and Mom's heart is broken. We spent a sad and quiet day at home. I'm still trying to figure out how to not let my emotions affect my parenting. I feel like I'm not very patient on days like this. Everyone was having a sad kinda day. Mom, who is the queen of bottling up her emotions, even admitted it and she never talks about her feelings.

Seth and I read a book, Grandma's Gloves, about a gardening grandma who dies and the little girl keeps her memory alive by planting her own garden. It was a random pick of the library shelf - one of the SC Picture Book Award nominees that we have been reading and I was pretty shocked at the appropriateness of it for today. Afterward, we talked about ways to keep Papa's memory alive...telling jokes and loving our family like he did. Seth said he's gonna tell him his interrupting cow joke when he gets to heaven and wanted to know if he thinks he'll like it. I'm pretty sure he would crack up. 

Seth still remembers his Papa, and I pray that he always will. I'll often tell him stories and will ask him what he remembers. Recently he told me that he remembered Papa giving him some chicken in the hospital. I don't remember that at all, so I know it's not a false memory. Ha! He always says he remembers Papa spinning him in the office chair on the Florida room. 

We all just got back yesterday from our second annual family beach trip. It's a new tradition and I hope we will continue it. I think Dad would love it that we are all sticking together and the the grand kids all love each other so much. I just wish he could be here to participate. But whenever I look at those sweet faces, I know his love of family lives on.