One foot in eternity

I spent this week looking through old photos of Wyatt and found this one. What a shock to my system it was. This is my beautiful sister Rachel holding Wyatt in December of 2005. In the background is my mother (in the white shirt), my Aunt Ann (in the green) and my brother-in-law James. Three of the five people in this photograph are no longer on this earth. But what I've learned from their lives and their deaths is this: walking in covenant with the Creator is not easy, or understandable, but it's worth it. 
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost 
Than never to have loved at all.
-Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H.

3

Emmylou is just about 3 months old now, and it's been three years, today, that Wyatt has been gone. This is the first anniversary related to the boys that we've had more life in our house, and it's a wonderful gift. Somehow Emmylou's existence keeps Wyatt and Zeke's lives at the forefront -- I think a lot about how they would respond to her, love her, care for her, make her laugh. Cassidy has promised to tell Emmylou all about them and I like to think that deep in her spirit she already knows about her brothers.

A lot can be said about the similarities and differences between the kids. But seeing these photos side by side makes me think how blessed we are to have beautiful children and how bittersweet it is that Zeke cannot be included in these.

On a side note, when I turned on the IHOP webstream yesterday (which is sometimes harder than today, since it was our last day with him) Laura Hackett was singing, "Beautiful Mercy".

There is no pit too deep, that Jesus cannot reach

There is no sorrow so strong that will overtake his beloved one...

Amen and thank you Jesus.

Little Mama and Fluff

There are so many things I love about this photo:

Cass is thrilled to be holding Emmylou in a grown-up way; Emmylou's fluff is catching the light beautifully; there's no hiding all of Emmylou's chub; the blanket on the couch was Cassidy's when she was little(r); it's sunny outside!

Needless to say, I love my girls. (I said it anyway.)