11/5, 9, 23, 12, 50, 52, 79

11/5/50 - Victoria Lynn Stroud was born. 07/18/2010, Victoria Lynn Taylor passed away. 59.5 years was just a breath in time. Yet, in these years, the greatest woman who EVER LIVED touched the lives of so many people. The depths of her love... the beauty of her smile... I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful she was.

11/23/1952 - Steven Douglas Stroud was born. 05/26/1996, Steven Douglas Stroud passed away. 43.5 years. That's it? He didn't get to see his daughter graduate from high school. He didn't get to walk her down any aisles for her wedding... he's never bounced his grandchildren on his knee. 43.5 years that was far from a breath in time. It was a gasp for air, a struggle for life. He was robbed of SO MUCH. (Happy Birthday, my daddy!)

11/9/1979 - Jennifer Nicole Stroud was born. 12/29/2006 - Jennifer Nicole Stroud became Jennifer Nicole Durgeat. Let us celebrate the months of November and December - for great things happened in these months!

11. November. The month of great birthdays we can no longer celebrate. Days filled with silence. No one to call or send cards to. Thanksgiving. A house in Wimberley with new people under it's roof. A barn with new animals in it. Someone else's memories.

12. December. The end of another year. Christmas. A month to celebrate new beginnings. New last names. New family. New traditions. Decorations and warmth from cold. A reason to smile.