My cousin Maribeth lost her daughter, Katie, in 1985 in a horrible automobile accident; she wrote about her loss today, beautifully, eloquently, and of course, sadly.

My most vivid memory of Katie, an adorable little red haired girl who loved to laugh, revolves around me trying to change her diaper and not doing a very good job (altho, typically, she just laughed and laughed).

Maribeth sent me a card and a journal last year, and enclosed a picture of Katie and me. It made me smile; that seemed to be Katie's purpose in life, to make us smile. I'm glad for the time she was on this earth, altho it was far, FAR too short. I'm glad she's in a better place, but selfishly, I wish she was still here, making me laugh and bringing a smile to my face.

Katie on the left, me in the middle, Amanda on the right

Losing a child is the hardest loss to bear. Not enough time to make memories but those we have are vivid and lasting.

Here today from Michele.

if you remember, post that picture.

life makes no sense sometimes......especially when the smallest most innocent ones are taken from us.....

Yes post the picture Janet, so we can all see it please!

I feel for her and your family.

What a cute picture. It is so hard to imagine that the little girl in that picture is gone... and you aren't blogging to say she just got a wonderful job, engaged, a new dog, etc... :(

I can't help but think that there must be a reason that little kids are taken long before they have a chance to grow up. I struggle to accept that God - or whatever supreme being we believe in - has a purpose that we mere humans simply aren't yet capable of understanding.

It's the only way I can understand what seems impossible to grasp.