"I Wished for Granty"

I've never been so ready for Friday.  Between Granty's and Damon's birthdays, this has been a week of emotional highs and lows, and I have spent countless hours thinking about what transpired over the past twelve months.

I think the most poignant moment of the week was unassumingly provided by Alexa last night.  After she helped Damon blow out his birthday candles, Damon asked her about the birthday wish she'd made on his behalf.  Without hesitating, she replied, "I wished for Granty."  Damon and I shared "that look", one to which we have become way too accustomed, and said nothing else.  Alexa said it all in those four simple words - - we all wish for Granty.

Given Alexa's age, I oftentimes worry that her memories of Granty will fade as she gets older, so I encourage the conversation whenever she mentions him.  I do this not only to revere Granty and his remarkable life, but also because I do not want Alexa to forget how much she loved her little brother.  Some of the most vivid memories I have of the past twelve months are of the expressions on Alexa's face when she interacted with Granty.  She never complained when he pulled her hair, she smiled from ear-to-ear whenever she made him smile or laugh and she absolutely melted when Granty would give her one of his infamous open-mouth kisses.    It is exactly this sibling bond that I want her to remember and cherish for the rest of her life.  Without a doubt, she loved being Granty's big sister.

It's still hard to believe what happened during the past 12-months.