Have you ever witnessed a toddler mourning?

Makenzie has been in love with her Papa since the first time they laid eyes on each other on April 1, 2006. Papa was one of her first words and talking on the phone like Papa was one of her first acts of "make believe." Papa could calm baby Makenzie down when noone else could....
.... and he had this magical sleepy time touch (or was it Makenzie that had the touch?)....
As most of you know, Papa passed away in a car accident this past February. He had been living in our home with us since December--right across the hall from the short person who loved him most in this world. Her first act every morning was to run across the hall, knock on his door, and say "Papa?" and her last act every evening was to kiss Papa goodnight. The night I got the call about his accident, my heart immediately broke at the thought of having to explain to my innocent baby girl how her Papa had been taken and she would never see his earthly shell again. Never have a late snack with him, never cuddle up against his round belly, never kiss his scruffy beard and never sit in the rocking chair while he read her Finding Nemo for the fiftieth time with just as much enthusiasm as he had the first time.

The first couple days were very rough--Makenzie would run across the hall and ask where Papa was when he didn't answer his door. When Tim and I cleaned out Papa's room, Makenzie thought it meant Papa was coming home from a really long trip. But as the days passed, she mentioned him less and less....until the past few weeks.....

Tim gets Makenzie dressed in the morning, and a couple weeks ago he came back to our bedroom a little freaked out. Makenzie had asked to look in the mirror so she could tell Papa hi. It's not the first time she's done something like this--she says hi to Papa in some very strange places. But the mirror thing has stuck--she does it pretty much every morning now. At first, I was a little freaked out by it. But honestly, if Papa's spirit is hanging out in Makenzie's mirror, I think I'm okay with it. It means he's there watching over my baby girl as she lays her precious head down at night and it means that he's there to wake her gently every morning from her slumber. And most of all, it gives her comfort and a place to go to see her Papa.

Rest in Peace Papa--see ya in the mirror in the morning!
Matthew 5:4 (New International Version)

4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.