Tag: Memories

We are the Rayford Family

Categories All Posts, Blending, Family, God's Faithfulness, Motherhood, parenting3 Comments on We are the Rayford Family

Blending. We simply stepped in, one after the other, in and out of transitions. Once in a while smooth, with snack-y dinners, family snuggles & pick-up soccer games. Oftentimes tense, in the loudest silence, a harsh word, or slamming doors. The world around is full of pain, and we're feeling that on an intimate level. Try as we might to hold each our own, all of our feelings spill onto one another. Blending, as we know it, has not been easy or clean. No, it's very messy. But it's beautiful, too.

The Loss of a Dog

Categories All Posts, Family, Grief, StoriesLeave a Comment on The Loss of a Dog

The loss of a beloved pet is one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. It is the loss of one who loved unconditionally and was there when it seemed like no one else was. It is the loss of a helper, a tender teacher, a faithful listener, a friend. It's the changing of lovely memories into sad remembrances because of obvious absence. It's the creation of sacred moments that once seemed inconsequential. Today, I remember my grief for Teddy less frequently than I once did, and the reality of his absence affects the tone of my day much more subtly than it did when the cut was fresh. Yet, the unique type of grief I experienced when my Teddy left this world is not something I expect to ever forget. 

Silver and Gold Traditions

Categories All Posts, Family, Grief, Holidays & Special Days, Stories1 Comment on Silver and Gold Traditions

Lately I’ve been learning that some memories and traditions, like friends, are silver and others are gold. It is important to make new ones, but to also keep the old. For as long as I can remember, I've been going with my family to get the Christmas tree. Last year I began a new tradition of staying home to reflect on the previous year and prepare for the next. (Part 1)

An Open Letter to My Late Husband | Thanksgiving 2017

Categories All Posts, Family, Grief, Holidays & Special Days, Marriage, Stories14 Comments on An Open Letter to My Late Husband | Thanksgiving 2017

On this second Thanksgiving since the passing of my husband, I want to publicly honor his memory by publishing this letter to him. The time we had together was a treasure from God, and I'm grateful to Eric for the ways that he honored that gift, lived life to the fullest, and loved us so well.