Broken

I try not to take life too serious.  It's how I cope with it.  If you start to focus on everything that's "wrong or messed up in the world," you will find yourself going down a long, dark, rabbit hole with no end.   I realize there are lots of serious circumstances, but my natural disposition is trying to find something happy and humorous in the midst of serious.  All that being said, this week was a dark (rabbit hole) one and incredibly heavy emotionally.  There was little laughter.  We lost a special person, and the word "special" doesn't even touch the surface when it comes to Karen Lou.  She was exceptional.  When I met Matt 19 years ago, I met his entire family not long after.  Mamaw and Karen Lou were at the top of the list.  We spent many hours, days, holidays, celebrations on Broadview - everything from Halloween, wedding showers, huge Easter egg hunts, large Christmas's on Christmas Eve, birthday parties and sometimes getting together just because (no specific reason at all).  Because my grandparents were in Louisville, it was a unique experience getting to see how the Deaton family dynamic was.  Mamaw and Karen were there for every single event in my life since 1996 - college graduation, marrying their grandson/nephew, having their first set of great grandchildren - laughing with them, crying with them, kissing them - nothing they loved more than kissing people hello and goodbye.  The time we spent with them was never enough - "what's your hurry?" "come back and see us" - those were phrases you'd always hear.  So many memories.  We lost Mamaw in February of last year, and we lost our dear Karen Lou in the early hours of July 2, 2015.  Cancer took her life.  Watching someone dear to you suffer for months is simply difficult.  Karen essentially was the family matriarch with Mamaw's passing last year.  It's truly like losing another grandparent.  I ask for your prayers for our family during this time.  We will have a celebration of her life on Sunday, July 12 at the church from 2-4 p.m.

I am thankful the my children had a relationship with both Mamaw and Karen.  They made an imprint on their hearts and spoiled them immensely.  We are all better people because of their influence in our lives.  My hope and prayer is that my children are as close to each other as Karen and Colvin are - attached at the hip and the best of friends.  We will miss you Karen!  Our hearts are broken.