New life makes losing life easier to understand....

This is my mom holding her fourth great grand baby,

Audrey Lou Looten.

There is a special story here....

Dad loved his flag...

Down the middle drops one more
Grain of sand
They say that

New life makes losing life easier to understand

Words are kind

They help ease the mind

I miss my dad

And though you gotta go

We'll keep a piece of your soul

One goes out

One comes in...

This is Dad above...he died last Tuesday morning after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was a strong man in many ways, but not stronger than the cancer that had him gripped tightly. He died with his eight children and wife beside him.

Thirty six hours after his death, my niece Liz and her husband Josh who were in Illinois for the funeral had their second baby. They had planned to deliver later this week in Missouri where they live but after Liz's water broke it was clear they could not make the four hour drive home to Missouri. So instead they had the baby in Carbondale, Illinois.

The excitement of a new baby eased the burden of sorrow, gave my family a reason to smile if only briefly and I want to think that somehow Dad had something to do with her arrival. The great news is that mom got to hold that baby after my Dad's funeral. It made us all feel better.My son Sam holding Audrey today...below she shows off her dimple after I saw a fleeting smile but was not quick enough to catch it with the camera. Audrey Lou Looten, our special blessing

Lyrics above adapted from the song If I Could by Jack Johnson