Graduation 2012

When I first saw this photo, I was stunned.  It amazed me that so many out there go the extra steps, to give us something special.  A picture, a note, a post on Facebook.  For me, I get a little back of Waylon.  Many of the photos, stories from friends........I have never seen before, or heard.  And I love seeing and hearing something about Waylon.......it helps..

Thank you, please keep sharing....

Northwest Missouri State university

For those of you who may not have known Waylon, he attended Northwest Missouri University in Maryville.

He fitted in here, he made many friends.....friendships that will last forever.....

Death may steal many things from us,

but not how we feel about a loved one,

a friend

a brother

That, lasts forever.

Rex and I have come to know many of what we call the "Northwest Family"

because that's what they are...

They were "Waylon's"  family.........

and they are our family...

forever connected.

We feel a very special bond to this group of young adults.

Waylon most likely would have been graduating this spring....

along with his friends.....and

his brother Wyatt, graduating from California High School.

I had looked forward to this time for so long...

prayed...for it.

To see both of "my boys" achieving long awaited dreams and accomplishments....

to start new chapters in their lives...

The excitement and vigor that comes with "spring graduation"

there's nothing else like it...

And,

I had longed for this since they were little bitty guys, running around the house together...

Teasing each other,

laughing....

The laughter, the taunting of brothers, the building of that brotherly bond... 

This spring was the hardest yet for Rex and I...

this whole month has devastated us all over again.

It pained us, to just wake up to another day...

We were so excited for Wyatt...

yet still missing the other part of that excitement we had hoped for, waited for and dreamed of.

Rex and I had planned on going to Northwest to attend the graduation ceremonies...

but....we couldn't.....

we tried...

just to painful..

I wish I could have seen Waylon's friends that graduated.

I hope they know we wanted to be there.

And we wish them only a lifetime of happiness and great success in their  future endeavors...

each and every one of them

We love you all.

Graduation 2012...

at NWMSU

wasn't what I thought it would be..

at all.