We look pretty different...

Looking at us,

it doesn't look like we have a lot in common...

on the outside we look pretty different.

But on the inside,

we both hurt over the loss of family.

My daddy died 18 1/2 years ago.

"Poppy" loved being a grandpa to Brady.

Even though we were thousands of miles away,

he thought of Brady ever minute of every day!

When we visited Poppy and Mimi,

Poppy would always take Brady to the near by pond 

to feed the ducks. 

This was their one-on-one time together.

Brady was only 2 years old when we lost Poppy.

I was 6 months pregnant with Kenzie,

when my daddy suddenly left this earth.

All of kiddos know who "Poppy" is by name.

We all still call him "Poppy".

We talk about how Poppy would give kids "bings" - coins. 

How he would brush my hair every Saturday night 

while we watched Love Boat.

(must be why I still love to have my hair brushed).

How he was a Big Teddy Bear! 

His bark was much worse than his bite!

(though his bark could be pretty loud and strong!) 

We chat about what he would have thought about each one of them.

I know that he would have been proud of every single one of them.

This weekend would have been his birthday. 

Not a day goes by that I don't wish I could introduce my kiddos to my daddy.

and though I miss him with all my heart,

I am thankful that my kids can see that I hurt for what I have lost too -

I can hang on to the good things.

I can get through the hard memories.

My Dad always told me that when God allows us to go through 

hard times,

we need to remember those times -

so when a friend is going through something similar,

we can help them through too. 

This advice has always helped me through hard times.

My daddy is still reminding me 

that I can help my precious kiddos through their hard times. 

Allowing my kiddos to see my hurts,

allows them to hurt too.

It's okay to hurt,

let's just hurt together!

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Father of mercies and God of al comfort,

who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to

comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we

ourselves are comforted by God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance,

so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.