Jessie took her first real train ride to Ventura yesterday.  She absolutely loved it and I think she proved to be the best entertainment for the surrounding passengers as she chatted and asked questions. For instance, she inquired of the man seated behind us, “What are you eating?” “I’m chewing gum,” he chuckled. “Gum?  You’re

What do you do on the day that commemorates the death of your child?  What do you do on the anniversary for when your son breathed his last breath? This day is quickly drawing near, and I am at a total loss.  Of course, we’ll go to the gravesite, we’ll tie ribbons around Judson’s tree

Judson was 28 months old when we took him to “Cool Cuts” to get his first haircut.  It was one of those circumstances where you’re not quite sure how your child is going to respond to the new experience, but when Jud was offered the choice between sitting in a race car or fire truck

There is an area in our home that has remained almost completely untouched since last November.  Because Jud and Jessie shared a room, after Judson’s death I didn’t have the option to leave it “as is” – almost immediately I had to make adjustments for Jessie and put things back in their appropriate place because

When Jessie was born into our family it felt like the culmination of so much transition that had been occurring in our lives and I was ready to feel settled.  Recognizing that caring for a new baby was also a significant transition, I recall telling myself and a few others that when Jessie was about

If all the tears that have been cried over my Jud Bud were pooled together to create a body of water, I wonder how large it would be.  Would the numerous tears fill a bathtub?  Would they fill a pool or pond?  Could they possibly fill a lake large enough for me to swim? I

Who would have ever thought we would be acquiring a stack of books that address the issues of grieving children?!!??  But the time has come for us to deal specifically with Jessie’s loss of a brother.  We are being more proactive now about getting answers to some of our questions…How does a 2 year old