"He is moving farther away in people's minds."

Every single one of my ancestors was someone's child.  Obvious, right?  But it's not an objective thought for me.  It's very, very personal.  And that thought is always with me and has been since I started this quest.  It's why I'm obsessed with including all of them in my tree.  Every child mattered.  Each one made an impact.  It doesn't matter how old or how young they were when they died.  They all changed the world, if just a little bit.  All of their loved ones changed because they knew them.

Each member of my tree should be known and remembered.  Every mother of each of those children would ask us to not forget her child.  After my cousin PJ died, my Aunt Janny said to me, "You should never have to bury your child.  It doesn't matter how old he is.  He's still your baby."

It is my responsibility to make sure that I remember and honor each one, and my sister Karen's most recent blog entry reminded me of this.

"I am also concerned that he (Brandon) is moving farther away in people's minds."

A Sorrowfull Mother

I can only pray that we don't allow any of our family members to move further away in our minds.

George Kerkhoff, Grandpa Joe's older brother

Edna Geisen, died at 3 1/2 years of age

Grandma Elsie's older sister

Ester Helen Elizabeth Meyer, died at 5 weeks of age

Grandma Ada's little sister

Buried in the Heger family plot

Infant (Boy) Geisen, Stillborn

Grandma Elsie's baby brother

Buried in the Geisen family plot

PJ Maurer

with Grandma Elsie

Al Meyer

with his sister, my Grandma Ada

Brandon Gromada

My darling nephew

Sarah Catherine Kerkhoff

23 July 1991

Edward Kerkhoff (twin brother of Inez Kerkhoff Perkins)

24 July 1891

Bernadina Antonetta Lisette Kerkhoff (older sister of Anthony Kerkhoff)

02 March 1848 - 11 October 1862

Lorraine Kerkhoff (older sister of Dad's)

05 March 1924 - 10 March 1924

Martha Amanda Purcell (Mom's aunt)

18 May 1889 - 29 July 1889

And many, many more.................................................