I planned to write a post last night about our adventure at the doctor for Toddler Boy’s 3 year well child check up. In my head I was planning flippant and silly prose about accidentally on purpose lying about whether Toddler Boy is really achieving all those 3 year milestones. (Turns out he doesn’t dress himself, doc.)

As I sat down to my computer last night after Baby Girl went to bed, preparing to write my silly post, I read the news of a mother’s tragic loss. Shellie is a fellow military mom, a blogger. She found her 2 year old son at the bottom of their pool. He didn’t survive.

I’m finding this post incredibly difficult to write. There are simply no words to express how sad I am for Shellie. How my heart breaks for her. I simply can’t imagine the pain she is experiencing.

I’ve never met her. I know her through the MomDot forum. But, meeting and knowing in person isn’t important. I can relate and feel her pain because Shellie is a mother – a heartbroken mother – and I am a mother. That’s enough for me.

When I put Toddler Boy to bed last night, I laid with him for an hour. I hugged him tight, cuddled him, and loved him. I stroked his hair until he feel asleep. I needed to be with him and love him. I found comfort in the peace of my child sleeping in my arms. I hope that Shellie’s son is now at peace.

Please keep Shellie and her family in your thoughts. I hope that she and her family may find some comfort in knowing that people around the world are grieving with them.

If you’d like to know more…