Our traditions are a little different than most. The year that our son died two months before Christmas we were feeling a bit like there was a hole in our family and in our hearts. We weren't sure how to have Christmas and somehow include our little Kevin. We knew from this year on things would always be a little different.
When Kevin died we found we had joined a club that most don't want to be a member of..but when you do become a member you are glad for those who are also there, those who can understand the sorrow and pain. The club was one of those who lost loved ones in the Orem City cemetery. We were surprised at how many there were who lost children as we did.
We discovered that each Christmas eve the families go to the cemetery and place candles on the graves. It is amazing how beautiful it is, so we decided to begin this new tradition. That first year a family who had lost a 6 year girl built a very large snow mound and placed candles all around it. "What a great idea!" we thought. Kevin loved the snow and love to build snowmen. So the tradition began. this year was no different and with the large amount of snow we had we knew it could be great. So we packed up the kids and headed to the cemetery. Now if you drive by and see a kind of fort looking mound that is Kevin's.
Here are pictures...the last one is of our family at the Slade family Christmas party on Christmas eve. Great to have us all together. Enjoy!
2 comments:
Beautifiul, Stef. I worked on Christmas Eve and I was not friends with Sefo that day. I went to the cemetery at 10pm when I got off work and dug out all the snow on Tauivi's grave and just stood there and cried...no candles, and no Zeke for Christmas this year. Sorry to rain on your blog...this cloud is following me everywhere.
I love this tradition. I will always remember "Kevin is Seven in Heaven." I have this visual of him leaning against the wall in primary, his skinny, cute little body. What an angel. As a mother now I can appreciate your pain on a much deeper level.
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