Lilly

   Long ago, Sherrie and I lost our first child Bryce before birth. It was devastating at the time (and still is), and we'll never recover, as anyone losing a child knows. Even though we believe our child is waiting for us in Heaven, it doesn't alleviate the pain - and as anyone who has ever lost a child knows, all remedies are sought and considered for a "Mother and Child Reunion".
   We never had another child, and that fact alone was very painful, so adopted a second child "Fred" in 2006, along with his little sister "Lilly".  Even though Fred was not a real child (he was only a dog), we loved him as though he were a child of our own. We lost Fred in May of 2017, and it was just as devastating as losing a real child... and we now only had Lilly. Saturday, February 23, 2019, at 8:06 AM ... we lost Lilly. She never complained about the pain, except in the waning hours before leaving us... and was always playful. She got really excited when it was time to go to the ranch, as she was a country girl at heart. We know she's not a real child, but loved her and Fred like they were our own.
   Many people say that "time heals all wounds" - but don't believe it until you have lost a child. During our time in this world, the heartbreak will always endure...