Several people told us the same thing: Emmett was waiting for Violet.
“He wanted to make sure you were OK.”
Maybe.
I don’t know. It’s a lovely sentiment, regardless.
I don’t yet have the words to write about Emmett’s life–or his death, for that matter. He himself was larger than life. Over the last year or so, he slowed down. He earned his slow-down. And the end was one of those things… it wasn’t unexpected, but it was a total surprise. I’m still not used to his absence. Not even just the big stuff, the him of it all, but the little dance steps you perform every single day without realizing… I don’t have to climb out of bed to the left side because he’s not asleep in the middle… I only need to take two dinner bowls out of the cabinet, not three… I don’t have to sneak a bag of chips and crunch them as quietly as possible so he doesn’t go nuts, tripping all over himself and the future to get a chip…
Of course, I don’t want to eat my chips loudly. I want Emmett.
Anyway, amazingly, the emotion that can live side-by-side with all that grief, is unbridled, unabashed joy.
Maybe Emmett was waiting for Violet before he let go. Maybe not.
But one thing is certain: Violet has brought happiness and joy and grace and big, squishy piles of love into our life!
John and I adopted this beautiful baby girl, Violet Elizabeth, born April 11, and we couldn’t be happier. She’s a seriously cool baby, and we’re so proud to be her parents.
As you guys know, Cooper’s always been a high-strung little monster, so we weren’t sure how he would do. I’m also proud to say that Cooper is head-over-heels in love with her. He follows her everywhere. I will share more about our plans for “baby-proofing” Cooper, but… to be honest… he didn’t need any of it. It was instantaneous adoration!
A photo gallery of his unending love:
April was an intensely emotional month, from the greatest happiness we could imagine to the deepest grief. Combine that with baby-related sleep deprivation, and it’s sort of a miracle I’m not reduced to tears (more often than I am…).
I have so much more to share about all of this. Stay tuned. In the meantime, thank you for all the kind comments, emails, and cards about dear Emmett. We miss him so much, and we’re beyond grateful to you for all your love and support. There truly are no words to adequately express my gratitude except this: Thank you. <3
Leave a Reply