Sometimes

it does us good to put on a brave face, it makes us feel like we are stronger than we are, even for a short while.  This was wise advice given to me by a friend who also recently experienced the loss of a child.  She's right.  Sometimes it helps to wipe away the tears, shower, get dressed and put on makeup and go into the world when all I want to do is crawl in my bed, bury my face in a pillow, and cry until I can't breathe anymore.  I do plenty of that, I can't put on a brave face all of the time, but she's right, pulling it together and putting on a brave face now and then makes me feel stronger.  Even if I'm not really there and just going through the motions, it makes me feel stronger. Even if it's just for a little while.

(My cute friends talked me into getting out, we went to a park that my kids have been anxious to try out :).  Mason was so proud of himself for making it to the top of this pyramid - he's in the bright green shirt at the very top)