When you were 15 months old Mommy and Daddy took you to the Outer Banks for our family vacation with friends. One afternoon, the three of us took a walk from our vacation house to the little playground down the street. You had been walking just over a month and still liked to watch your feet as you took each step. You toddled back and forth zig-zagging from one side of the sidewalk to the the other. About halfway down the sidewalk you stopped at the sight of a little yellow flower. The flower had grown tall above the blades of grass. Curious was the expression on your face. Daddy picked that pretty flower and handed it to you. It matched the yellow of your dress. Your eyes lit up as you squeezed the flower between your fingers. It didn't take long before it turned limp in your hand.
When most people think of flowers, they probably don't give much thought to dandelions. Most people associate them with weeds and consider them a nuisance or an imperfection.
But to you, my curious little girl, this dandelion was a gift. For you, the simplest of things would brighten your day. Mommy loved that about you.
When Mommy looks back at pictures like these, I am so grateful for the tender moments we shared with you. I am reminded that it is the simplest things that truly mean so much in this life. We always remember these precious little moments and thank God that we have these memories of you.
Tonight we celebrated what would have been your 3rd birthday. We called today "Kaden's Day for Kids". In your memory , we asked our closest friends and family to join us for a fun day at Daddy's gym. We decided that since we cannot have you here with us, the next best thing would be to bring everyone together to celebrate your life and support the SUDC program. We all love and miss you so very much and continue to wonder how life would be different if you were still here with us.
Happy Birthday, sweet girl...
