Happy Birthday Audrey!

Today we celebrated Audrey's first birthday.  It has been a roller coaster of a week so far.  So many memories and things are coming flooding back.  I am so glad that I have read books on grieving.  I think that this has helped through the process of celebration through the heartache of what happened such a short time ago.  It seems so distant and yet so close.  I am amazed at what the last year has brought to us and how we have made it all through with the grace of God. 

My personal grieving process has taken me through mountains and valleys.  I know that I still have a lot to work on, but over all I am so happy with where I have grown to and how much I have learned.  I don't want to go back to the place I was last year.  I want to grow and help others understand their own process and to know it is normal to grieve.  I have so much to share when thinking of this topic.  I have learned so much, but I will save that for another post. I want to show you what my sister Felicia put together for today... 

We first stopped at the cemetery and people brought flowers and we did a balloon release after writing messages on them.  And then we did a Toys for Tots toy drive at the park.  It was amazing to see people we had never come into contact with bring toys out in Audrey's memory.  A few of them seemed to be a bit emotional.  When we first arrived, an older lady came up and shared her story of being a Marine during WW2.  She still has so much pride for serving her country.  She said she puts aside $5 a month (which she can't really afford) and at the end of the year she buys a toy to donate to the Toys for Tots.  She was a beautiful woman.  

We are already looking forward to Audrey's second birthday toy drive.