At Thanksgiving time – and before Connor died - I would say how grateful I was for family, friends, etc… All the things we say.  However, after he died, I really struggled with gratefulness.  I mean, how am I supposed to be grateful when my oldest son is suddenly stripped from my life with no warning leaving me with a life full of hopes and dreams shattered? This was Connor's social media post on his last Thanksgiving. It’s taken me a long time of reflection and prayer to start coming back to...

They say grief comes in waves and can hit you out of nowhere.  Well, that was certainly my experience more than a few times this weekend.  My stepson is turning 20 in a few weeks.  He’s now the age that Connor was when he passed away.  It’s very surreal to think about how time hasn’t stopped…and how it never will.  How everyone will continue to get older, yet Connor will forever be three weeks shy of his 20 th  birthday.   I don’t know if my stepson has made the connection and I sincerely...

Connor was always attracted to helping others, especially in times of perceived danger or need. I can think of twice when a car accident happened right in front of us and he would leap out of the car, rush over and see if everyone was okay.  Once, a woman sat on the curb holding her head and he sat next to her telling her it was okay and that the ambulance was coming.  He couldn’t have been but 12 years old.  One time I took him and his brother to dinner and a pickup truck came barreling...