Kids in the cemetery

Today, as the sun finally came out, we went to the Mount Hope cemetery. This is an annual ritual for us as we remember the birth, and death, of our son Owen. As years have passed, and more of Owen's siblings have been born, our visits have changed. Today, expecting to see his stone sunk deep into the ground due to water run off, we were pleasantly surprised to find it in good condition, free off any mud and dirt. We tidied it up anyway, the girls getting buckets of water, L-man tidying up the edges with his spade. We worked on cleaning up Grandpa Paul's marker too, next to whom Owen rests.

After some very serious discussions of heaven and bodies, the kids set off to explore the other graves:
L-man: Wow! This guy must have been rich! Look at his stone!
G-force: Mom, Mom! What does THIS one say? Is it a child?
M-cat (noticing a very tall marker): This is for a really tall man, mom. And then, noticing a small flat marker: This was only a little guy.

You mattered to all of us, Owen. And we miss you. Your life, in it's unbearable brevity, reminds me to show love often, and fully.