Coming up to the 2 year....

It is now March 7th and Josh's 2 year death anniversary is around the corner.  After March 18th, we will be living in the third year without him.  For some reason, this feels significant.  I don't know why. Perhaps it is the same sort of feeling that a cancer victim has after enduring invasive surgery, days of chemotherapy and rounds of radiation.  It feels like our family has survived the worst of the unimaginable.  Not that we are done, but the worst is over.  And now, we are in the process of moving forward with our lives while taking Josh with us.

My fear that his death would be in vain is unfounded.  With the tragic death of another young teen who was also subject to the disciplinary process within Fairfax County Public Schools, there is finally some movement to examine the effectiveness of the policy and make wholesale changes.

I also feared that Josh would be forgotten by his friends.  Nothing could be further from the truth as evidenced by the numerous birthday messages on his Facebook wall two months ago.  Last month, I heard from a mom whose son went to South Lakes HS and played football and lacrosse with our boy.  She shared how much Josh is still loved and missed. With their permission, the photo below is a picture of his desk.  So we are not the only one who have pictures of Josh around our home.

We love and miss you Josh.
R.I.P. my beloved son,
Love,
Mom