A handwritten note

September 25 has become a hard day for Ryan and his family. It was on this date, 10 years ago, their mother Kris lost her battle with cancer and left this earth. Although she is in our daily thoughts, a milestone date like this brings pain and sadness back to the surface. I wish so much there was a way I could bring her back to her family, even if only for a day. But, we all know that’s not possible.

So I try to find ways to make her present in our life together. Whether it is making her recipes, hanging photos of her on our walls or asking Ryan to share his favorite memories of her. Recently, with the help of my creative friend, Emily, I found one more way.

Emily is the owner of Birch & Bauble, a laser-engraving studio. She creates beautiful wood pieces, and I knew she'd be able to pull off the perfect project for me. I took an excerpt of a note Kris had written to Ryan, created a quick mock-up, and sent it along to Emily to make it happen. I am more than happy with the final piece.

The sign features only a small portion of what Kris had written to Ryan, but I think it summarizes how much she loved him and his siblings. She loved being their mother, and they were her greatest blessings.