The First Week Without Kelsey (and Family Around)

There have been so many good things and bad things about the first week without our sweet Kelsey girl. We are still getting cards and encouraging words from family, friends and some we don't even know. It's been amazing to see how many people Kelsey's journey has touched and in so many wonderful ways. One of the things Chris said at the funeral that I loved, and was reminded of this week by a friend, was that "Kelsey touched so many lives and she never even said a word". God used Kelsey's short life to touch so many lives and hopefully change lives for the better (and permanently we pray). Andy and I are blessed to be apart of that and see first hand how God does what he says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose". We would love to hear more stories, it brightens our day and memory of sweet Kelsey.

Now, on the bad side of this past week. I think about Wednesday I started missing and crying more and more for my Kelsey girl. The crying started in small moments when something reminded me of her and then I would just start missing her. I'm sure this will go on for a long time but part of me felt like I was holding back some because I'm afraid I would just lose it all together. I kept very busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday with lots of friends, family and fun. And then Sunday night, when I was back home and completely exhausted, I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Poor Andy didn't know what to do with me but to hold me and love me. After letting go I felt better but I also feel like that wasn't the last time that's going to happen. All I can do is keep praying for God to help me through this time and I know He will. The verse of the day on biblegateway.org was 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “[The God of All Comfort] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” He knows how to comfort me the best and He does it in so many ways and through so many people. This journey Andy and I are on is a long way from being over, it's going to take a while longer for us to adjust to the loss of our sweet Kelsey girl.

But on a happy note, The Up Family now owns some land in Hillsboro, Texas. Andy has been wanting some land to do some four wheeling and shooting and to just have some basic outdoors fun for a long time, and we finally found the right land for all of that and more. Saturday, Andy, Keeton, Uncle Al and my cousin Jeff started clearing a place for a kind of base camp place. They also started working on a four wheeling trail with cowboy Tim and his daughter (I think she's in second grade). They led the way and Andy and Keeton were right behind them, let me say Keeton was having big fun with daddy. But, my favorite thing they did that day was put up the Kelsey sign. We already had the big M Place sign (that's another story) but Andy had the rest of the sign made just for Kelsey, and in hot pink no less. The Up Family loves our sweet little Kelsey Marie!!!!



I'm planning on continuing to blog so keep checking on The Up Family. I'm sure we are going to have lots of pictures from the Kelsey Marie Ranch,soon. There's a lot of work to be done but as soon as possible we want everyone that wants to come visit and enjoy the outdoors with us, Come on!!

Patti