There's Only This

It’s impossible not to imagine what our family might have looked like with a different configuration.
We pine for a carefree past with our perfect first born and picture a fearless future with our growing girl.  But when she rested in our laps we didn't do too much of either, because when we held her, we tried mostly to be present with the real daughter who was right in front of us, tried so hard not to miss the very thing we wished we would not lose.
She no longer takes on a sharp shape in our family’s silhouette, but she’s there, floating somewhere on the film.

The first of June marks the annual Batten Disease Awareness weekend.  Our family will attend the Greater Atlanta Girls' Choir concert tomorrow, with gratitude to the organization for increasing awareness and for donating funds for research.