2017 was the year of You

we dreamed of you
we planned for you
we made you
we watched you grow.

we took care of you
we celebrated you
we talked to you
we felt you move.

we prayed for you
we named you
we fell in love with you
we kept you close

we lost you.

we held you
we kissed you
we hugged you
we admired you
we crumbled over you
we said goodbye to you
we buried you

we try to imagine life without you
and cannot.

we will remember you
and honor you and love you
as time beats on
into the new year

as snow continues to fall on your grave
and we wipe it off
as more snow falls
and we wipe it off
as more snow falls
and we wipe it off.

we will remember you
and honor you and love you

as the snow melts into flowers
and 10,000 smells of spring circle the air

as summer wraps us in its warmth
and offers us long days of gentleness

as those lazy days begin to shorten
and autumn surprises us with colors we have never seen

as winter knocks with its cold, cruel hand at our door again
reeking of unpredictability but bringing hope for another year.

we remember you
we honor you
we love you,
our sweet Baby Tinsley

all the earthly days, and weeks, and months, and years ahead
be damned in their finality–

as you knew long before we did
our eternal life together

has only just begun.