Happy 18th Birthday

Happy 18th birthday Clayton Samuel Tully!!

Having a summertime birthday, Clay had some pretty amazing celebrations. He had numerous family/friend parties in the hot summer heat in the backyard. He had Western Idaho Fair birthdays. Paint gun parties with friends his Dad, Sister and Gpa. Family whitewater rafting trips, where my Dad was the guide from Banks to Beehive. Several camping trips, some that were combinations celebrating he and my dad's birthday (Aug 12th). He had low key, here at the house birthdays with some of his closest best friends or at my folks with just the family. I believe that he had 17 very memorable birthdays.

As he got older, Clay did not require a lot to satisfy him, his main requests were camo, plaid shirts, boots and wranglers. He wore brand new wranglers out within a couple months of getting them. Probably because when you use them as your own personal napkin for grease, food or whatever, they don't last as long, ha and his boots might have lasted 6 months. Lets just say that boy got very good use out of anything that was his.

In the last 6 months all Clay would talk about was how excited he was to finally be turning 18 years old. How he, Preston and another friend were going to move out together and live in some old house in the country where they could work on vehicles anytime they wanted all while leaving the tools and other items strung about how ever they wanted to and have the radio up as loud as they could. How he couldn't wait to buy the toys that he desired like 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and of course restore a First Gen Dodge pickup.

When a child reaches 18 years old a parent thinks, "Aww, we made it. We survived them and they survived us." It's a huge milestone just like going from elementary to middle to high school and the best of all graduating. Of course parents are worried if their son/daughter is going to be successful out in the real world. Hoping that through those 18 years they have taught them what they need in order to succeed at life.
Those are all things that Mick and I thought of and worried about with each of our kids. We knew with Clay's personality and the way he dealt with things in his life that he may have a harder time than that of his sister. His way was not necessarily wrong but he just went about things differently. Knowing that he wanted to keep himself busy by travelling the road to becoming a diesel mechanic we did think that Clay would become that successful young adult and we were excited to see him achieve those goals.

Never did we ever think that this would be where we are today Grieving instead of celebrating. I do know that I will honor who you were Clay. To keep your memory alive, to not fall into a deep dark hole and to keep living life because I know that's exactly how you would want us to. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy or that it will happen soon, but it is something that I hope to achieve.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes

and death shall be no more.

There will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain

for the old order of things have passed away. Revelations 21:4  

Today, 18 years ago at 4:23pm Mick and I became parents to the most precious 7 lb 5 oz baby boy.

There's beauty in life even if we can't see it.

In our darkest, deepest grief we must believe in the beauty that still exists.

"Leave only footprints and take nothing but photographs."

It's a sign that could be posted on the gates of heaven. For aren't footprints what our loved ones leave behind? Footprints that we try to fill; footprints that sink deep into the soul; footprints that forever change who and what we are.

The death of a loved one teaches us that life is short and we only have so much time to create footprints and memories for those we must one day leave behind.

Make today significant by creating footprints in someone's heart. Create memories by doing something fun with a person you love.