Fly High Flynn

If you're a regular follower of A Squared, you may have noticed that things have been quiet on the blog and social media over the past week or so... I'm back today, but taking a break from my usual content to honor a very special little boy: my nephew Flynn, a baby that was unexpectedly taken from this earth too soon last Tuesday. He was a sweet, serious, inquisitive baby who had the most infectious belly laugh, big beautiful eyes, and the cutest tuft of dark hair in the middle of his head.

Flynn was just over 5 months old and his passing was sudden and it has hit this family very hard. He and his big sister Maeve were adored by their parents-- and by their grandparents, aunts, and uncles as well. While his passing has been incredibly painful for all of us that loved him, it is most painful to watch his wonderful parents-- my brother and his wife-- grieve in a way that I hope to never understand myself. It's something no parent should ever have to experience. And on Saturday we gathered with a group of friends and family to celebrate Flynn's short, but happy life.

I don't really know how to put into words how this all feels, except that it was sad, and also bittersweet. And while social media can feel annoying and invasive a lot of the time (even for this blogger), it has been such an amazing source of inspiration for our family while we grieve Flynn's loss. When one of my sister-in-law's fellow Army wives heard the news, she started a GoFundMe page which raised thousands of dollars (including many donations from anonymous donors or even strangers) for my brother's family in just a few days. Another friend who lived too far away to attend the celebration decided to release 5 green balloons on Saturday to honor Flynn's 5 months. She asked other far away friends and family to do the same and it was so amazing and emotional to see those photos pop up all weekend long tagged #FlyHighFlynn from family members, our friends, and even from our coworkers all over the country. It's been truly amazing to see how one little baby's life created such a ripple effect and brought together so many people...

So, to all of you that expressed your condolences, made donations to Flynn's family or to the Children's Grief Center of the Great Lakes Bay Region, or who released balloons or lit candles in Flynn's honor, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please continue to keep his parents and sister in your prayers... and give your babies an extra kiss goodnight.