I woke up this morning with the thought “Yesterday at this time, Bryson was alive”. “Yesterday at this time, he was eating breakfast.” It feels like a really surreal dream to live in those thoughts.
There was this time over the summer that I woke up out of a dead sleep around 8:30am and rushed to my window out of nothing but pure instinct. In that moment, I saw Charlotte at the top of the above ground pool we had just installed, leaning into it still in her pajamas.
We had told her she couldn’t get into it with no one around. Of course when she woke up, she went to see if it was full yet and told us that she wasn’t getting INTO it, just looking. Her logic wasn’t something we had considered.
In that instant, my life could have been hers. I will forever wonder what happened that gave me the second chance to be with my child where others never got that moment.
The messages people are leaving with their child’s losses are so full of grief its breaking my heart -all of them. If some of you could share how you are still living and breathing and moving, I am sure that will help those of us trying to support Shellie right now.
Additionally I have been getting a lot questions on “what happened”. The truth is they are not my details to share. We are only passing on information on how to support and love a friend at this time. When (and if ) she wants us to share, it will be done at that time.
Last night Lee called me around 1:30am to pass on a message from Shellie. She said she has gotten over 500 emails from people and she thanks you and she wont be responding to them right now for obvious reasons. But thank you for caring and spreading your condolences.
Please remember that emails are fine (and I am sure appreciated in the long run) but please do not to look her up and call her right now-especially if you do not know her. I know people mean well but this is her families tragedy. You can leave her as many messages as you want here and we will make sure she gets them.
Regarding donations and flowers, more information on that will be coming later in the day. I will not be collecting any funds personally until I can clear from her directly or her family exactly where those should be donated too. I promise I will update that when I can. In the mean time, you are more than welcome to send a card and I will have those going out Monday from my home to hers. My address is in the other blog post.
And of course, prayers are always free.
Our blog will be silent today unless we update any information for Shellie. I feel there is nothing I can write, nothing I can say that wont sound shallow or wasteful or petty.
So we will just be taking a moment of silence today to cherish our children and our lives and its by the Grace of God that we have those moments.
~Trisha
Other posts from our Sisterhood for you Shellie. We love you:
- Lori’s Post: http://acowboyswife.com/2009/12/14/with-a-heavy-heart/ (
- Kim’s Post: http://accidentalmommies.com/a-parents-worst-nightmare/
- Lisa’s Post: http://www.crazyadventuresinparenting.com/2009/12/fellow-military-wife-shellie-needs.html
- Shan’s Post: http://www.lastshredsofsanity.com/2009/12/please-pray-for-shellie-blog4mom.html
- Annie’s Post: http://www.mamadweeb.com/2009/12/wordless-wednesday-hug-your-kids-tight.html
- Kimberly’s Post: http://shescribes.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-want-to-express-my-deepest-sympathies.html
- Brandy’s Post: http://creatively-yours.blogspot.com/2009/12/parents-worst-nightmare.html
- Candy’s Post: http://serendipitymommy.com/uncategorized/prayers-for-shellie/
- Lisa’s Post: http://gardenofmany.com/2009/12/15/my-heart-is-broken-into-pieces/
- Cats Post: http://3kidsandus.com/2009/strength-in-numbers-support-in-bloggers-hugs4shellie/
- Amanda’s Post: http://www.confessionsfromhh6.com/2009/12/for-shellie.html
- Barbara’s Post: http://barbarasbeat.blogspot.com/2009/12/prayers-for-mommy-blogger-and-her.html
- Elizabeth’s Post: http://www.suzyqhomemaker.com/hug-them-tightly/
- Brandi’s Post: http://www.fivemonkies.com/2009/12/please-pray-for-shellie.html
- Marianna’s Post: http://www.greenmamaspad.com/2009/12/prayers-for-shellie.html
- Jen’s Post: http://www.mommyshangout.com/mom-talk/my-heart-is-breaking-for-shellie/
- Katie’s Post: http://katieandscotts.blogspot.com/2009/12/world-is-small.html
- Jenna’s Post: http://loveofbabyonline.com/2009/12/please-send-your-prayers-to-fellow-blogger/
- Lisa’s Post: http://www.isitmondayalready.com/2009/12/prayers-for-very-loved-greiving-mommy.html
- Allison’s Post: http://misadventuresinbabyraising.blogspot.com/2009/12/prayers-for-fellow-blogger.html
- Staci’s Post: http://mommasgoneoverthewall.blogspot.com/2009/12/take-minute.html
- Shynea’s Post: http://pennypinchingdiva.com/2009/12/nothing-can-replace-the-lost-of-a-child/
- Gena’s Post: http://themorrisbunchblog.com/2009/12/15/praying-for-shellie-and-her-family/
- Kate’s Post: http://theshoppingmama.com/2009/12/for-shellie/
- Nicole’s Post: http://www.prettypinkchandelier.com/2009/12/14/my-heart-breaks/
- Brittany’s Post: http://thegreerfive.com/2009/12/for-shellie/
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im going to remove this bottom statement to keep things on focus. But if you read it before, I mean it.
Prayers and tears. May God’s grace shine upon Shellie and her family this Christmas and always.
Thanks so much for this Trisha, I feel so happy to be a part of this community that has shown so much compassion and support.
This is really a sad situation. Thank you for sharing, Trisha, and I will definitely be praying for Shellie
thank you Trisha for the updates.
I am sorry to be so late with a post, linked in the forum.
My heart is full of compassion and grief for Shellie and her family.
Prayers & blessings.
Such a terrible tragedy. Thanks for keeping us updated Trisha. I feel so blessed to be in a part of such a loving community full of women who came together once as strangers and have now turned into sisters.
I posted:
http://thedivinemissmommy.com/2009/12/a-nightmare-came-true/
So sad!
Comment #10 was NOT made by me. Do you have another Maggie M subscribed to your blog? That person needs to change her user name so as not to be confused with the real Maggie M, me! Maggie Mannwieler.
My prayers go out to Shellie and her family as stated in my previous comment.
My heart goes out to Shellie and her family. As a mother of a two year old, I can not even imagine her pain. I will pray for them all.
I don’t know Shellie personally, just from Twitter and here, but I was shattered by the news. Twice, I have had my life nearly scared out of me when in an instant, I feared I had lost my children. I posted about it on Facebook, and on my blog.
http://debsdailythoughts.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/it-only-takes-a-second/
Please give her my love, and that of all my friends who have responded that they feel the same.
I tried to write about Shellie and Bryson today. I couldn’t and don’t have any words. I have been praying nonstop, and included her in my prayer chain that I keep with friends and family. knowing the ladies involved there is a whole community in the midwest now praying deeply and whole hearted.
my prayers are with the family.
I still have no words just prayers.
Bless her and her family. There is no grief, like that of burying a child.
I’m sure the media will pick this up and compare it to the man who tweeted at his wedding.
Yes, people are addicted to tweeting and blogging, but they are also responsible parents for the most part. The tragedy is: not only did a child die, but there is going to be all kinds of banter and argument about it. Really we should all just be thankful for what we have, be more vigilant than usual with our children, and support those who are experiencing great loss. Why waste our time on argument?
I will pray for her family. May God guide them through this unimaginably difficult time. I have a child about the same age and my heart breaks for them. I’ve been thinking about Shellie and her family since I heard the news.
Thank you so much for the updates, Trisha. All of my thoughts and prayers are with Shellie and her family in this time of great need.