Thursday’s 10

1. Everett’s Fiesta donkey has been making his way bed to bed to bed since Everett died.  Different kids have been sleeping with him and passing him back and forth and around and around.  Now he’s landed downstairs on our couch.  I noticed Josh Kelley messing with Fiesta’s medical tag Everett’s team gave him because Everett wanted to take Fiesta into surgery with him.  Immediately I thought he was tearing the tag off and I flew into “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?!” mode.  Josh assured me he was just straightening the tag and I sat there thinking how we will likely never take that tag off.  Ever.

2. Amon’s teacher sent me this picture of him from one of their house parties at school.  I die.  Amon is a big fan or masks and costumes so it was zero surprising him wearing their teams eagle mascot head.  Then I found myself considering how great Amon would actually be at being a team’s mascot.  Hahahahahaha.  I mean the kid has definitely got the excitement and dance moves to pull it off.

3.  Then Josh Kelley sent me this picture of Hudson from one of their trips to Walmart.  The stance.  The hands-in-his-pockets.  The slight head tilt.  Can we just have all the animal heads forever please?!?!

4.  Back to Amon…I found him lounging in our bed last night remote in one hand, banana in the other and his little legs crossed.  If only all of the world could relax a bit like Amon.  I feel like we’d all be more chill and better off.  By the way, if we’d let him, Amon would eat approximately 32 bananas every single day.  Throw in some sides of peanut butter and it would be a done deal.  Another by the way, if you have never tried Jiff’s whipped peanut butter you simply have not lived.  Buy it.  Eat it.  Live life fully.  And thank me later.

5.  We made up some sweet little flags for Everett’s grave.  Everyone picked out their own fabric and I was quite smitten with everyone’s choices.  We have these little planned moments so tonight we’ll all go together to the cemetery and place our own little mark of love at our boy’s grave.  We are fully aware he’s not there, but these moments still feel nice and important right now.

6.  Most of my people…just because.  I hope I never get over what an honor it is to be theirs and for them to be mine.

7.  My FIL sent me this picture and I was instantly transported to their teen years.  They are fully into skateboarding now and it’s just too fun to watch them discover and try new things.

DISCLAIMER: Yes, they usually wear helmets.  They forgot them.  No one was injured.

8.  This is Amon’s blankie.  We took it to him the first time we met him in Ethiopia.  It use to have a cute fabric A I stitched on it.  It use to be blue.  It used to smell nice.  It use to resemble a blanket.  Now it’s just the remnants of a beloved little comfort and often smells like butt. 🙂  I told him I was washing it this morning.  He gave me a disappointed look and asked for it one more time before I tossed into the washing machine.  I handed it over and he nuzzled it all over his face, breathed it in deep and then handed it back.  Gah I love that kid!!

9.  New kitchen art.  Come on summer.  We’re ready for you.

And 10.  I love when our kids share about their feelings.  I have been so surprised with how each child has so internalized Everett’s death.  Each one of them are incredibly different which means different things spark their memories and emotions and feelings.  This morning in the car rider line this song came on over my phone and Hudson shared with me some really special thoughts of his about this song and Everett and our family.  I just listened to him in amazement because I’d listened to that song 100s of times and had never really heard the song the way he heard it.  Then I sobbed in the car rider line.  This will easily be one of my most favorite songs for forever now.

3 Comments

  1. As always, when reading your updates, I smile, I cry, sob and still look for him in the pictures with the others. Your family is thought of and prayed for numerous times each day. Keep on keeping on. I’m gonna get the Jiff Creamed peanut butter. If you all say it’s good, it has to be! Hugs from WV.

  2. ♥️
    And what is it with boys and stinky blankets?! My son has a “sleepy” and it used to be yellow and green. He actually has a “dirty corner” her sniffs like a fiend. It’s so gross ‍♀️‍♀️

  3. I haven’t commented in awhile – been limping along my own journey lately, eager to run and dance again, knowing it will happen soon-ish 😉 Just wanted to tell you, we still pray for you all every night. Love you, Kelley family. Clinging to hope and truth with you and for you – always. He is faithful ❤️

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