Hope

Yesterday I spent some time hanging posters and passing out info about our upcoming Love Rocks Run.

At one point I found myself looking at the poster of the run logo, on it a Love Rock with the fabric heart made up of these words ~ Anna, Abby, Love and Joy. I couldn’t help but be proud of my girls.

My friend reminded me of the word Hope today and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Anna and Abby represent Hope in the truest sense. Two lives that left this world way to soon but have shown that love and joy will always win. They have shown us that even  though our deepest suffering, having Hope as an anchor for our soul will keep us firm and secure in knowing that love always wins

Their legacy of Hope is what I’m thinking about today and I’m smiling because I’m so proud of them and feel so blessed by the lessons they are teaching.

hope
Artwork by Maren Bickling

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  Hebrews 6:19

Blessed

They told me all the time how much they loved me ~ I told them all the time how much I loved them. Today I’m opening my heart and I’m feeling so much love from Heaven. So much! There is no doubt Anna and Abigail are watching over us…I can feel it. Feeling blessed!

Happiness Journal

mother's dayThe other day I was at the coffee shop here in town buying some coffee beans. After taking my order and grinding my beans the owner of the coffee shop handed me my purchase and then said, “Happy Mother’s Day Susan.”

She wasn’t afraid that wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day would hurt my feelings, but rather acknowledged the fact that I was, am and always will be a mom.

I know that a lot of times people don’t know what to say or how to be around me ~ afraid they will say something that may hurt my heart.

The owner of the coffee shop said Happy Mother’s Day and that made my heart extremely happy.

I love being a mom and am so proud to be Anna and Abigail’s mom.

Answer to Prayer

I’m struggling…I miss my girls and I can’t fix that problem.

What we have had going on in the past couple of weeks, cross-country trips, Kennedy’s visit, retreats, presentations, play rehearsal and getting ready for the Love Rocks Run,  has worn us both out. Yesterday I found myself asleep on the couch most the day and last night at play rehearsal I actually fell asleep…not good when you’re one of the directors.

This morning as I opened my eyes and reality set in my sadness consumed me. When I’m tired and worn out it is harder to move through my grief and right now my wetsuit is extremely tight and uncomfortable.

I am so tired of wearing this stupid wetsuit of grief.

The past couple of weeks I have been so busy that I’ve not taken the time to be in the Word and I haven’t spent much alone time with God. I can feel Him nudging me as if to say, “I’m here, no need to worry, let me lighten your grief.” Instead of listening I keep going and fall victim to the business of this world which in turn brings me to a really hard space.

This morning I took time to pray, read His Word and just listened. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace but again, I just really miss Anna and Abigail ~ my unfixable problem.

Shortly after my quiet time I decided to take Linus for a long walk, it’s beautiful and getting out of the house does me good. A friend, who I met because Anna and her daughter were friends, stopped to say hi. I haven’t seen her much since the girls went to Heaven;  it was so good to see her and connect again. I miss our friendship and I miss our daughters friendship too. As we were chatting she handed me a CD which had a video of our girls during a tumbling class they took together in the summer of 2013, the summer before Anna went to Heaven. She said she had had it for a while but just never knew the right time to give it to me.

Last night I sat on my computer looking at photos of Anna and Abigail and realized that I’ve looked at every single one, thousands of times…there are no more to discover. The reality of this and the reality of my unfixable problem made my heart hurt in a new way, I miss them so much.

Running into my friend and the video of our daughters was an answer to my prayer this morning.

He hears me, He knows how I ache and He has and will always be kind and loving. He can’t fix my problem but He can surround me with love and kindness by the way of a friend that I have missed and a video of my girl smiling, tumbling across a mat and then pulling at her leotard which brings back so many wonderful conversations about how she always gets a wedgie during tumbling class….which brings a big smile to my face.

The video ~ it’s perfect and I have to say my girl had some serious muscles.

Thank you friend for stopping today ~ it meant the world to me.

This photo is from another gymnastics class. Anna was the only student that had absolutely no problem climbing to the top of the rope. No fear and so strong.
This photo is from another gymnastics class. Anna was the only student that had absolutely no problem climbing to the top of the rope. No fear and so strong.

Back to Kenya

Kennedy just left to go back home and my heart is heavy. I loved having him here.

I know that the kids need him back in Kijabe and I’m sure they are excited for him to come home. They are so blessed to have him.

We are blessed to call him our friend.

kennedylinus kennedy