I have been raw and open about the journey through Kristen's illness, but there is one thing that I will not show you in this blog. I will not share my grief. It's too raw and too personal and I don't feel called to lay it out there for the world to see. I have decided that I will try to tell you stories about Kristen or share something I know she would have found funny. Occasionally I will post pictures, memories of her that will make you smile, laugh, or shake your head. I may not post every day. Somedays it just won't come to me. We'll call it writers block. I promise though that when I come to a conclusion I will let you know. It won't be like your favorite television series that gets cancelled between seasons and just leaves you hanging.

Today I'll share a story that many of you have already heard. It's really Devin's to share but... Between 2000-2003 we lived in Dakota Dunes, SD. This is the little point in South Dakota where it meets Nebraska and Iowa. We lived in SD, Devin worked in Nebraska, and we shopped in Iowa. Of course living in this area you would expect some great snow. One winter the snow was awesome for sledding. Devin and Kristen headed into Iowa to an area by the mall where there was a big hill for sledding. Now as you drive I-29 south towards the mall area you pass what looks like a minature version of the Washington Monument. This monument is dedicated to Sergeant Floyd a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. (If I remember correctly, it isn't relevant to my story so I'm not looking it up!) As Devin was driving by either before or after sledding, Kristen looked up at the monument and asked her dad why they only painted one side of the monument. His response was, "Hunh?" "Why did they paint one side of the monument white?", asked Kristen very seriously. As Devin realized what she was asking he started laughing and said, "Kristen, that's snow!" The snow had stuck to the one side of the monument and created the two tone effect. We always get a chuckle remembering this story. Kristen was a bright girl but sometimes...