See this woman right here? She has walked the same path as me, she lost her daughter Tabitha in 2016. At the time I couldn’t imagine anything worse happening to anyone, and I did my best to try and help her. She is strong, tough really and she pushed on through her grief and pain doing the daily things and trying not to let any of us see how much in pain she was. I know she buried it deep, and someday I may understand that, but right now mine remains too close to the surface. I can’t bury it deep, it pops up at the most inopportune moments.

Missy and I have been bonded for many years, since our babies were in pre-school. Connor and Krystal were boyfriend and girlfriend from pre-school until 7th grade. They spent hours on the phone together, and as much time together as they could. Missy watched my kids when I went back to work, and Connor and Krystal loved that (I’m not sure Kyle was as much of a fan of it, but he dealt with it).

Even when they moved on from “loving” each other, they remained friends, they were there for each other. There when a relationship fell apart, Krystal was there for Connor when his Mimi died and he was there for her when Tabitha died. They rode the bus together, laughed and giggled, and were just the best friends.

Then they both got their licenses and life moved on, they both got cars and the bus didn’t transport anymore, but since they were both at Tech, they still remained there for each other.  Just the way great friends should be, just like Missy and I are grieving, I know Krystal is. She grieves for both Tabitha and Connor. A loss that no young girl should have to experience. She has more in common with Jordan than ever before, they both loved Connor and now they both grieve for him. Life truly is unfair, and I with I could make sense of it. But I just can’t, I just know that Missy and I have walked this path, and will continue, it is a path we never asked for, but we will walk it together, facing this heartache and pain as best we can. Moms forever, Grieving Moms until the day we leave this earth.