I started this entry a month ago and never finished it. 😬

Honestly, I don't know how I could ever thank ALL of you for your prayers, love, messages/texts, encouragement, bible verses, cards, meals, ornaments, gifts, and generous financial support during the eight weeks that Brett and I were in Jacksonville battling his pancreatitis and in the weeks since as our family entered into a period of great sadness and loss during the Christmas season. Because Brett was so sick, he only got a mere glimpse of it during his Thanksgiving recovery period...and he was completely overwhelmed by it.

The multiple layers of the outpouring of love that has been wrapped around our kids and I, Brett's parents and siblings, and my family was - and continues to be - incredibly comforting. It serves as a reminder of how much we are loved, not only by our Heavenly Father but also by the family and friends we have been blessed with here on earth.  Our family was touched and overwhelmed by the number of people who came out for Brett's visitation and service on January 2nd. I heard so many stories of how Brett impacted the lives of so many people. He would have been so blown away and humbled to know in his life what I learned about him through his passing. I would encourage you to take a moment this new year to consider the people in your own life who are still on this earth who impacted you in some way, and reach out and tell them. I think we should all have a Celebration of Life while we are still living! 

I'm so proud of our kids and the big, complicated, beautiful family that Brett and I made together. This is something that Brett would be the most proud of - the way our kids have bonded with one another and loved on and cared for me and each other has been really beautiful. Being there for someone else when you are experiencing deep hurt yourself is a very special kind of love can only be grown during times like this. Brett's sister, Kim, and her husband, Eric, have an overflowing abundance of this kind of love. I will forever be grateful for how they opened up their beautiful home in the mountains in Colorado to me and all of our kids. With very short notice, they made a magical Hallmark mountain Christmas for us with new memories we will cherish forever! Not only did they spoil us all rotten, but they also helped get kids flown in (and out) during the whole airline debacle because, of course, we were all flying Southwest! 

l  am grateful for Brett's parents' friends, family, and church family who have been loving on them and helping carry the burden of this immeasurable loss for them. I am so incredibly appreciative of Brett's big, crazy extended family and for the aunts, uncles, and cousins that came in from all over the country and Canada. We grieve with hope and we grieve with joy because we know we will see Brett again. We also grieved with lots of laughter and silliness, as usual, when family gets together - Brett wouldn't want it any other way!

I also want to thank our Grace church family for their outpouring of love, food, hospitality, and generous financial support during this time, and for the Grace Fellowship Church ladies and Parkview Taste of Truth gals who helped to provide food and kept it in steady abundance throughout the day. You ladies are rock stars! I'm grateful for the love and support we have received from Logan's school, Grace Christian Academy, and his "Steph"mom and Reynolds kids who pretty much adopted him during those months. Our boy has been loved on so much by the school faculty and teachers, his varsity basketball team, and the students and their families, many of whom have become such dear friends. Special thanks must also be given to Jacob Vandenberg and Vandenberg Funeral Home for the incredible care they took of Brett and Parkview New Lenox (and Ricci & Debbie Del Priore) for allowing us to have Brett's visitation and arrangements and making everything go so smoothly.

The generous outpouring of cards and monetary gifts at the service completely wrecked me! Many of you have shared stories of how my faith journey inspired you. Please let me tell you that the generosity and love that was poured out onto our family with flowers, cards, gifts, and monetary donations both in service cards, in the mail, and also through the Go Fund Me taught me about the blessings of extreme generosity and I will be paying this type of generosity forward! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I will probably be writing thank you cards until the cows come home, so please be patient with me as I am learning to navigate a new normal and a life that bears a great deal of responsibility (we miss him so much)). I apologize for those of you who may not receive a card because I did not have an address or contact information. Please know that I will be eternally grateful for you, and that I can still feel your prayers and love!

All my love and gratitude,

Teri Erickson

Never Walk Alone (Hillsong Worship)