Happy Birthday to your son.   Hope you have some comfort and peace on this day.  I too lost a son (39) in 2009.   I have a picture just like the one above when Donny visited relatives in Oklahoma with his Dad and they went cat fishing.  Great memories.

Hugs to you today.

Susan   Donny's Mom

HAPPY HEAVEN:Y BIRTHDAY RICHARD 1/27 Hold your Mom with all your might. Let her feel your love. We celebrate their Birthdays because it was the happiest day of our lives, That hasnt changed just because they are in Heaven. I believe. You are a wonderful Mom, for eternity.

Beautifully said. And I feel the same about my son, Chad. Please read about him at www.chadarthurholbrook.com. I would be honored. And I am so sorry you lost the love of your life. Lisa

Dearest Lynn;
How are you doing? and what have you been doing? I am ok getting ready for Jared's would be birthday is a wonderful thing and is bitter/sweet. It's a long story and i will have to share it with you later i just wanted to check on you and see how you were and am sending my love to you and to your family. I know the holidays will be here before we know it and i don't want to get to busy that i don't remember to drop you a line or two. So here is a line and another will follow. Love you and i am thinking of you and praying for us. Love Daphne

Hello Dearest Lynn;
I have not been on the site for a very long time, some of it is just the business of living, and some of it is the newspaper stuff the DA stuff and the insurance stuff. It's just stuff. I would like to say that i am sorry that i have not written to you for a time we do have a special bond, and i always enjoy sharing with you. I will not promise that i will always be here, but i can say that i am ok for today, everyday is different.As of late it's been a monster lol, but i know that all things come so that we may go through them and come out on the other side of it to see how far we have come with the grace of God and the blessings that come with that time. How have you been? when i came back on the site and saw Richard's pic with the big fish it made me smile, He is so beautiful i have to admit that the day started out rough and seeing him (Richard) just gave me that little extra push i needed, these are the blessings! those little things we miss when we are too busy. When you get a chance write me at my e-mail this is where i seem to be as of late! daphneholtz1@yahoo.com and i will get back asap, Lynn, thank you for thinking of me, and thank you for Richard i am reminded that he and Jared are brothers now with Christ. Thank you so very much. I love you! and am blessed xoxoxoxox! you have no idea of the push you and Richard gave to me today.
Jared's Mom Forever/Daphne

richard is a very nice looking boy, and i see he liked to fish allso, my heart hurts for you, thank you for the comment you made about my boy's and there grand kids, my name is janice i pray that your hurt will some way easy up on you , jush keep praying i know he is up there somewere and i know he's o.k. jush like all the other son's that went to soon, god bless you, he will all ways be with you, as long as you live he dose to, your friend janice

Hi it's been awhile since I've written. Scott will turn 40 on July 29. This is the Birthday I always kid him about being 40. I will take a bunch of ballons to him that has your 40 on them. And I will still cry for him as always. I'll look at his pictures and still say I just can't believe your not here with me. Some days I'll look at his picture and I love you Scott and smile at him. I hate the saying with time it'll get better. Not for me. The lord took my best son. I talk to Scott at times because I know he hears me and I believe he sees me. I believe in the after life. It's written that you choose to come back to earth after your life is over. Not this time if I have been choosing to live again on earth. Life is hard and crule, too many worries. This time when I die I'm staying in Heaven and I'm not coming back to earth. And I tell Scott save a place for me and wait for you mom.

Shirley

dear richards mom, thankyou for your kind words, and am equally as sorry, for the loss of your son also. ben passed over in 1996, and as you read just 17 years old. it took me along time to get passed and deal with the whole ordeal, but with the help of many signs he gave me, and my strong belief in god, and justing knowing that he made it to somewhere, made things a little easier in my mind. also my mind in 13 years never let me do was to invision my boy swinging on the end of a noose. not once has my ming gone there. i call that one of my many gifts from god, he knows my heart could never of took it. after 13 years, i go to the grave, 4 to 8 times a year, as he was barried in his fathers town , his town to, at the local cemetary. 60 miles away. i used to cry, i cry no more. i,m finally at the point i have let it go, and stopped blaming myself for things i had no controll over. i talk to my son all the time, and made him a memorial from me right out side my window, so it reminds me every day. a small bunch of maple saplings, when we moved into out half built house, we had just bought land and was building our home, which was half done when ben died. right out front was a little bunch of maple trees, with a rock in front of them, i made that bens tree, and over the years have put many items, lights, and mostly birdfeeders to let the birds and little animals breath life into it. after 13 years it,s grown into many tall maples still together. i did this i think because it was a fir tree, that ben had done the deed on. and i needed a new tree, a different tree, to help me. as i live a mile in the woods, and our nearest neigbors, a mile away, so it makes sence to me now, it was away to keep him alive, in my heart, and i guess it worked. it was my own therepy. he left behind 3 younger siblings, which 2 i,m very porod to say are us marines, and my oldest son under ben, is a successful musician. they were 16, 10, and 8 when ben died. and yes we all went through it together. how they survived, i,m not sure, because this mom was a train wreck, for a cupple years. and the next years after that just prety much numb.but i pulled myself up by my boot straps, and tried as hard as god would let me to be a good mom for the other 3 children. today i can talk about ben, with out comming undone, with out crying, or the anger, but with a peace of mind, it does, and it will get better. time has a way of healing the broken heart, and though you will NEVER FORGET, you do move forward, it does take time. thanks for sharing, and i,m so sorry for your loss, we're all in this together!!! hugs and prayers to you luv.

Hi Lynn,

Thank you for your comment. I agree with you, no one is going to tell me when and how to grieve. Thank you for your support. It is nice to hear from someone that knows what I am going through. I wish you the best... Big Hug! Lydia

I haven't been on line much but how are you doing? It was two years on March 5 that Scott had died. I went to put fresh spring flowers in his vase, put up new pictures and clean his stone. And then I sat down and talked to him about things going that I'm sure he already knew about. And then his first girlfriend when he was a teenager showed up and I listen to her stories of Scott. It was nice to share with her because she still cared about Scott even tho she has married and has two children. Let me know what and how you are doing.

Shirley

Hi Lynn, first thanks I feel very fortunate. I can now fully & whole heartedly agree with you that we do go on to another life. I think you are also furtunate in the sense that you already have signs, recognize them and know what Richard might say to you. I had nothing just a big blank in that area. John Edward has changed my entire outlook and Yes things feel very different to me. Everytime I pass by her Pictures around the house and talk to her I feel she can really hear me and feel me. Sincerly ever since this last Saturday all I can do is thank her for coming thrugh to us. I am more sensitive to the signs now and even feel her when I talk to her looking at her pictures. All thanks to JE, of course. I am looking for website of his someone recomended and and I am ordering one of his books. *I want to share with you this, Jasmin loves kids and so do I, somehow there has to be a way for me to get involved with helping kids. Along with my new experience and faith I am going to find the way to get involved with kids in some charity, community or likewise type of activity or organization within the community. I think this will ultimately bring me closer to her. Even the look in her eyes in the photos look different than they did before, I guess I must learn to read the signs now instead of retionalizing them. God Bless you Lynn & Richard.

Dearest Lynn;
I will continue to pray for your family and i hope that you mom decides to stay a little while longer. Lynn i know what you mean about the family drifting a part. My family is small and i have been thinking about that, how we are all so busy. And i think about if my mother leaves what will we do? But if find that i will continue to hold on to the faith i have in Christ Jesus, which has always been my strenth. Richard would be proud of you! and yes i think they are both proud young men as we take this journey towards a future we know not of yet, i don't see it yet, but it is out there! Well i was just about to turn in, i have been up and it is becoming morning here. I will talkto you soon and i will take a look at the other web site. Love and hugs,
Jared's Mom forever daphne

Dearest Lynn:
Hi, i am fine! today, I am sorry that everyone is dealing with being sick, and how is your mom? I hope that all things are well? and yes i did get the song save a place for me. Can you beleive it? it lifted me up and helped me. Dear Lynn, what is your mom's name i will be praying for her and i am hoping that you are doing well? it is hard being a care giver i am glad that you have your children. Hope the colds are over soon. what is the weather like out there? i know that you are in Tenn., but is it cold or is it spring like weather? It's been cold here in caifornia. I just came home from a friends 50th birthday party, i did not know how i was going to handle it because he was a mentor for my son and they were very close, i must say that it went well. And i thank God for that! i have had a rough go of it but it seems that i coming to a place of acceptance, that is until i am somewhere and Jared is not there, but what's funny is that it felt like he was! which made it easy for me. Had not been sleeping, but that is part of the journey. I hope that this finds you well. Please don't forget to let me know how your mom is doing?
With Love and Respect
Jared's Mom Forever, daphne

Hi Lynn, I don't believe I've been to your page before. What a good looking young man. (Nice sized fish too). I have been wondering what inspired Matthew West to write "Save a Place for Me". I thought maybe he lost his daughter because I knew he had a daughter named LuLu. I knew someone would go there and be touched. I would definately not be standing if it weren't for the Lord. Blessing, Kathy

Dearest; these past few days have been very hard, My Jared's birthday was nov. 11 and he would have turned 20 i celebrated his birthday and the valentine's day was a reck, which is to be expected, because he loved that celebration. I am glad that you have the other children with you and that is a blessing, they are God Heart songs to us. My house is silent and vast, My Becky was here yesterday and it was very hard she tried her best to comfort me and a neighbor brought me cup cakes, it seems when i am at my lowest God sends someone which is always unexpected to my door to try and help me, i must be honest there was no comfort for me yesterday, today is a little better in that i know that my son lives on in christ jesus, and that is comforting but what would be complete would be that he were here. I have not had much sleep as of late, but this will pass. How have you been dear? I have always been honest about how i am doing and although i love God and He loves me the pain is what we must go through in order to come out on the other side. I am glad that you were thinking about me i appreciate it more then you could explain. I am looking at richard's pic and at Jareds and i imagine them together, walking along talking about all the deep things we don't know because there they have all the answers, and i must say that as i think on these things i am feeling better. I have not had this connection with any others on this site, and i am sure God has a reason for it. I want to encourage you and to continue to stay in touch with you and to keep your hand in mine, for as long as God will allow. I am thinking about moving don't know where yet! pray for me when you get the chance.
Love daphne

Dearest Richard's Mom;
I am glad that you are busy, i for one am doing ok today and i mean today lol, i hope that the snow there will soon be over so the kids can get out and get some air lol, I thank you for writing. How have you been besides busy? i am thinking about you and you are always in my prayers.

Love daphne

Dearest Lynn;

How are you dear? i am thinking about you and i am praying for you and i hope to hear from you soon. We can't spend all of our time on the site, but i wanted you to know that you are thought of and being prayed for.

Love daphne

Dearest Richard's Mom;
I am commenting to the last comment you sent me, about the 20 dollar bill, don't you just love how God will show up when you thing you hope is gone.I know i kept seeing Jared's name everywhere the other day while watching tv, I know that they are making sure we know that they are well and that they are thinking of us to they through Christ Jesus, do give us signs that they know we are thinking of the and that the same is true. It's been six months that my Jared went home to be with the Lord and it seems like it was yesterday it seems that the days are moving faster then i can keep up with. But i will have better days.

Love

Daphne

Dearest Lynn;
It's ok i am 53yrs of age and Jared was my blessing, I know and am blessed to know that you have other children no matter how you may feel about them now there is always a new future in Christ, i not only know this i have lived it lol, never give up seeking Him and His plan for you and your family. I live in south san francisco, and i do have family in the surrounding area but i am along alot because, as you know after the dust clears people go on with their lives, but i am really not alone I sleep in my Jared's room and God comforts me when no one eles can and i don't mind, i don't feel alone, and when i do God always sends someone to take me out or a phone call or a butterfly or a beauitful sunset. I love the picture of Richard i could just eat him up he is so vibrant you can just see the love inside of him and inside of you. Hang in there, you have better days coming we all do not that we don't have awful ones ahead but where there are clouds there will soon be sunshine.

Love

Daphne