Bittersweet Week

I am thankful others know.

This week is bittersweet.

This is the week~

Ron and I 

Celebrate my birthday

Found out we couldn't conceive

Lost our first chosen son Logan

Lost my dad's dad.

Blessed with our daughter Natalie

And

Painfully said goodbye to our son Ryan.

Natalie is and was my birthday present. We found out about her the day after my birthday at my grandfather's funeral. She was born the next day. God's timing is impeccable. 

My heart aches that she had to be in such pain on her 20th birthday. That each birthday week we share for the rest of our lives are bittersweet with the heartache of missing Ryan.

One of our most precious gifts is we share the joy and pain of life.

That others wish us happy birthday knowing that it is a mix of celebration of life and 

a heartbreak of death.

Losing our son, their brother, nephew, grandson, her father, and friend was a defining time in our lives. It brought us together in grief, memory and connected us with each other.

I love this week and I dread this week.

My Natalie

My Ryan

My family and friends

Are my most treasured gifts.

In Him,

Joyful

4-6-17