It has been a long time since I sat down to write here. To be honest, so much time has passed and I sometimes feel terrible for not keeping up with my writing. Life continued to move forward, even when part of my heart felt like it stood still.

Just know that Layla has never left my mind. I still talk about her often. I tell her little brother about her and make sure she is included in his bedtime stories. In our home, she is not forgotten — she is remembered with love every single day.

Her pictures are all throughout the house, quiet reminders of the joy she brought into our lives. Her memory continues to live on in the stories we share, in the love we hold onto, and in the moments that still make us smile.

I want you all to know that grief lives with me every day. It truly is a roller coaster. When Layla passed away, I reached one of the lowest points in my life. The pain was deeper than I ever knew was possible. But I continued to live on because of her — because of the love she gave me and the strength she still gives me.

I carry her with me in everything I do. Until we see each other again.