Tender Hearted

I've always thought that Brandon has a very tender-hearted spirit. He's very loving, gives his sisters lots of hugs and kisses; Jason can't even walk out the door for work unless he gets a hug AND a kiss. If Jason forgets Brandon is usually pretty upset. We have learned that it's just best for all of us if Jason wakes Brandon up before heading off to work, Brandon needs his morning goodbye. Whenever we have guests over (usually relatives) and they leave to go home, Brandon is instantly sad. He talks for the next hour (sometimes days) how much he misses them and how sad he is and how they need to move closer. Last night the babysitter left and he told me how much he missed her and didn't want her to go home :).

Brandon is not one of those kids who will run away from you at the grocery store, or hide under a clothing rack. He never wants to have me out of his site when we are at the store. One time I could see him but he had turned around, lost his bearings and couldn't see me. It shook him up pretty badly.

The last 6 months or so Brandon has been asking lots of questions about death and heaven. I think some of it started when London began sitting up. I told Brandon I couldn't leave London by herself in the tub because she could fall under the water, and the whole not breathing thing really concerned him.

Today Brandon and Tayler found a picture frame of Jason and I on our wedding day. Tayler was focusing on mommy's white poopy (poofy) dress and Brandon was wondering why he, Tayler and London were not in the picture. I told him they were still in heaven and hadn't been born yet. Tears started to fill his eyes and he said he didn't want to be up there without his mom and dad...he wanted us all to be together, all at the same time. I try to explain to him about how we are all born at different times and that is why mommy and daddy are older than he is. I never realized how hard it would be to explain things to children, especially when each answer is followed up with another "why"?

I am so grateful for Brandon's spirit because he helps me to remember why it's so important for us to be together forever. He wants us to ALWAYS be together and I don't ever want to imagine what it would be like if we couldn't. He doesn't like to imagine it either. I am grateful for Brandon's spirit because he reminds me every day how hard I need to work to keep our family together forever, so that we will never be apart.