The struggle to compose this entry has waged a war within my heart for many weeks now, as the agony of conveying these thoughts have weighed heavily within my soul.

Only days after Brian died, a first cousin of Jessica's father also left this earth.  At age 43, Nick had battled his own demons for some time, but his love for others gave him reason to continue his fight - not only for himself, but for his family and the many others who  knew the struggle as well.   And as much as he is missed, knowing that he is now free of pain will hopefully give his loved ones comfort.  My prayers for strength and peace continue for all of his family, especially his parents and children.

And now, I would like to tell you about Justin...
Jessica and Justin knew each other for quite a few years before she was diagnosed with Hodgkins.  They had lost touch but when he learned of Jessica's battle, their friendship was rekindled....and it wasn't long before love came into bloom.  Living an hour away, he became a part of our family as he spent more time with Jessica - and with all of us.  They shared many happy moments together which spilled over into my life as well.  I always imagined that the day would come when I would dance at their wedding, just as we all did at her sister Stefanies...but it wasn't meant to be.  A few months before her death they parted ways but remained in touch, and shortly before Jessica died they made amends. 

Justin's mom and I have always stayed in touch so I knew of the many stuggles he faced after Jessica died.  He yearned for the love which could never again be his.  Life tormented him as loved ones could do little more than helplessly watch.  But there were times when God smiled upon him and Hope stood near by.  And then, more recently, Justin began to speak about Jessica more openly...and more often... 

On April 20th Justin had gone out with friends to watch his "Penguins" (hockey)  play and again, he was reminiscing about Jessica. The boys all left separately after the game ...and that's when the horrific motorcycle accident occurred.  The entire story is not mine to share, but the witness who was with Justin spoke of the peace that embraced him as the sky gave way, allowing the stars to shine ever so brightly.. and how Justins eyes calmly stared into its beauty...  Within hours he was gone.  April 21, 2012

There was a time when I secretly hoped that Jessica and Justin would somehow, someday, find each other once more - but that wish was buried with my daughter - or perhaps they were destined to be together again after all?  We want to believe that they are with each other and happy, and that they will be reaching out to greet us when we come upon the gates of Heaven.  But as we wait for that reunion to transpire, we hold each other close as we grieve together for the children that we will always love, and who we were honored to have had in our lives...even if only for a mere moment in time.