Legacy of Love

Our first Fun Run in Kendra's memory

When you lose a loved one, especially a child, it really causes you to stop and look at all the aspects of death.  You think a lot more about Heaven, about your own mortality and worries of more loss, most of all, it has caused me to think about what we leave behind, how would we want others to remember us?  I choose to leave a legacy of love.

In starting the annual Fun Run in Kendra's name, we first chose to do it because we had found her bucket list and we wanted to fulfill as many items on it as we could.  Plus, once we decided we wanted to do that, it really helped with our grief. Instead of just dwelling on our own grief, we had to work on all we had to accomplish in order for this event to take place. In doing this, we felt like we still had Kendra with us too.

I try to do things in her name, sometimes just random acts of kindness, or sending Christmas gifts to the Rehab where Kendra went, in her name.  Losing Kendra has really made me set my priorities straight and made me realize that we can not take anything for granted.  We should live every day to its fullest and show love to others.  Jesus set a perfect example of how we should live and treat others, and even though we are not perfect, only saved by grace, we should still strive to live our lives in a way that honors Him.

Heading into our third year without our Kendra, I find myself thinking about what I would want to leave behind and I am not talking about material possessions, but what will my legacy be.  I want to leave a legacy of love.  And Kendra, you left us so many memories, some funny, some sad, some heartbreaking, but mostly we knew you loved us more than anything and isn't that the best legacy of all?  Kendra, we miss you today as much as the day you left us and until we see you again in Heaven, we will always honor your legacy of love.

Our 3rd Annual Fun Run

Kendra Dawn