walk by my side

today is a difficult day.

bittersweet.

it is my beautiful mother's birthday;

a day to celebrate new life.

family

loved ones

brought into existence

by this wonderful woman.

a day to look forward to the memories ready to be made

in life

growing together.

today also marks one year since the death of sophie rose barton,

my sister's friend.

it's difficult to look forward to the future,

when confronted with the reality of death.

reminiscing.

mistakes made,

regrets hovering.

but i think something beautiful happened in sophie's passing.

she's created opportunity.

opportunity

to change

to celebrate life in a different way

to express your love all around

to reexamine your life

to smell the roses.

in saying this,

i want to express my love for my mother.

she is one of a kind.

she is strong

in heart

mind

& spirit.

20 years ago she was pregnant with me.

she had no idea what kind of struggles life, or i, would bring to her.

& here we are 20 years later,

mother & daughter

friends.

life has left us climbing mountains to get to this point.

but here we are.

mother & daughter.

together in life.

& though we don't know what kind of mountains we still have left,

we can do it.

i love you mom.

happy birthday.

 r.i.p. sophie rose