Today, there was laughter. I wiped away tears from my eyes. We had come full circle.

This place refocuses me on the profound magnificence of this world, the trivial of the problems of this life, and the fact that there is so, so much more.

I never get very far; just the thought of waking up without her in the world catches my breath and brings immediate tears to my eyes.

That’s what mothers are. We are not all optimists in the cheery, rainbow sense. We are optimists when it comes to our own ability to endure

Despite the empty pit in my heart that took up residence when my baby sister died, I feel as though I am “seeing” her every morning when the sun comes up when that little voice calls my name from her crib.

Losing my son has made me appreciate my other children even more. I understand that life is not guaranteed, even to the young and wonderful. I understand that every single moment is a moment that will never come back, so I have to enjoy it while I can.

You are trying to pretend that you are on just another mother-daughter shopping trip. But the stakes have never been this high. Prom? Hah. Wedding dress? Who cares. This is about life with a capital L. You are terrified.