Our Grief Story - Six Years In

Taking a minute to share 5 quick updates this weekend on the 6th anniversary of Parker’s passing.

(Most of this won’t be new to our closer friends, but there are over 500 of you subscribed to this blog, so maybe some of these updates will be new to you.)

UPDATE 1 - We still miss Parker very much. Goes without saying, of course, but the gaping hole I wrote about last November is still there.

Life is good again, and most days are full of joy for a myriad of reasons, but it’s still hard to put into words just how much sorrow we carry for the life he lost and for all we lost, too. I know Erica and Kylie would probably say the same thing. He will never be forgotten and will never not be missed.

UPDATE 2 - Erica and I shared our grief story at church back in September. There’s a 5-min intro video detailing the initial part of the story, followed by a 25-min interview with our pastor. It was a hard, but meaningful day for us as we honored God’s faithfulness through the worst season of our lives. I enjoy public speaking but Erica does not, and I can’t tell you how proud of her I was for how well she did.

(Following the interview the worship team led the congregation in a song I wrote about God’s presence through our healing. You can watch all of it in that video above.)

UPDATE 3 - Speaking of that song, it’s called “Everything I Need.” I wrote it in the year or two after Parker passed because the first verse of Psalm 23 went from being an obstacle that I could not get past, to an anchor that tethered me to God through our healing journey.

My friend Bryar helped elevate the song melodically in ways I could not have and helped me tweak a few lines for the better. Back in September, Bryar put together a demo of the song (featuring my son-in-law Luke on drums) so the band could learn it.

It’s hard to put into words what this song means to me. It’s rare that I can listen to it without getting emotional because it takes me right back to that difficult season. I’d love for you to listen to it:

UPDATE 4 - The best update of all? Kylie is due with our second grandbaby in March. A baby boy!

There’s a screenshot of Rowan delivering the blue flowers to Kylie on the reveal day.

Speaking of Rowan, she turned two on November 1st and she is such a gift. She loves her Papa B and Gigi, and we love responsibly spoiling her (mostly responsibly).

We’re so thrilled for Kylie and Luke as their family grows!

UPDATE 5 - Finally, I’m currently writing the 4th and final book in the Lake Mason series. I’ll have it out at some point next year. To the handful of you who’ve been waiting to read this next book, thanks for your patience!

(If you didn’t know, I’ve written 3 novels for middle schoolers that adults love too. You can get them here.)

Thanks, as always, for your love, care, and prayers as we navigate this life without our wonderful son Parker. - Bryan