Bittersweet Day

It's been awhile it seems since I've posted a "real" post....in all my blog hops and then my blog overhaul and of course the busyness of my life in general...I just haven't had time  I intended to post this yesterday...but just did not happen. 

It finally hit me on the way to work yesterday morning....and I was pretty much a wreck the rest of the day.  I registered Christopher and Kraig for school yesterday.  Christopher will begin his first year of high school next week.  9th grade.  A freshman.  Geez...where does the time  go. 

Seems like I was just bringing him home from the hospital the other day.  This photo was taken the day we came home; he was born October 3, 1995.  (FYI...he was not asleep.  I was not present for the photo, but my husband and my mom were...and he had just finished crying and started again just after.  Photographer had great timing.)

And taking him to his first day of school.....(he was not happy). 

This was taken just last month....

And now...he is not only taller than me...he is also taller than Chris...

My babies are growing up!!!!

Kraig....he has come so far...and yet still has so much to accomplish.  Every day is a miracle to me.  He is such a joy to our family and brings much laughter to our home.  It wasn't so very long ago that he joined our family....

This was taken a few hours after he was born on November 4, 2004.  As you can tell, he had a bit of a rough start.  He was born the second of identical twin boys, at 25 weeks gestation, the surviving twin of twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

After 11 weeks and 1 day (or 79 days according to the doctors, as they count by days)...he came home on  January 21st, 2005.

His first day of preschool last year.  (He actually attended most of the year before; I can't seem to locate those pictures.)  This is from the book his teacher made..she made one for each of students.

And this is Kraig just a couple of weeks ago.....

As overjoyed as I am at my children growing up and progressing...it is these "milestone moments" that make me acutely aware that one of my children is not here.  I should have been registering 2 boys for kindergarten yesterday...not one.  Kyle is never far from my thoughts  nor does he ever leave my heart, but days like yesterday bring the emotions simmering to the surface.  You can read their birth story here....

Off to catch up on my blog hops....!

Camp Good Grief Reunion

We spent yesterday afternoon at the Memphis Zoo. In 2005, Christopher attended a day camp offered by Baptist Trinity Hospice and Home Care, Camp Good Grief. In the fall, Kyrstyna attended a weekend camp offered by the same, Teen Camp Good Grief. The camps are for children and teens who have had a family member die. (There is also an adult camp that Chris and I hope to attend next spring.) This year is the 10 year anniversary of the first camp....and they held a reunion at the Zoo. It was nice...they had speakers, a candle ceremony, and of course food. Nina and I both signed up to volunteer. After the program, we walked through the zoo...but many of the animals were sleeping or just not out.