~His Smile ~

                                  
              

                    Travis & Dad on their Harley's


                   Travis & Dad in Las Vegas


                              


 
                        

         

                 

Walk in my Shoes

If you walked in my shoes
Lived with what I have lived through.
Then you would finally know firsthand
There is no peace from where I stand.

In a world that thinks I'm over it..
Or believes I somehow will forget
There are no words that can express
What I have learned to keep suppressed.

The loss of my child has left me numb
I haven't a clue who I've become
I've learned to mask this pain I hide
To bury it way down deep inside.

Others don't see the tears that flow
They cannot know how I've wished to go.
How each day has been met with grief
And years have brought me no relief.

Imagine lighting a candle for your daughter or son
Living a life where you feel you're shunned.
All you have left are your memories bittersweet,
And tomorrow you wake to another repeat.

So until you have walked within my shoes
Lived with what I have lived through
Do not tell me how to feel...
Do not tell me I should heal.

Lyndie Sorenson
August 2007

              


      
              




 Here's your Harley..."Old Man"

Stepfathers are a rare breed,
They are called upon to do the tough deed.
Saying "No" to children Mom wants to stay clean,
Leaving you as the bad guy and also called mean.

No one stops to think of the love you have for the child,
Its been going unnoticed for a long while.
It's time we speak up and let others know
The children are also ours and we love them so.

In tough times Moms reply "This is my child"
We don't retaliate because that's not our style.
Yes, Mom, you gave them a life, it's true,
But we Stepfathers gave our lives to them and to you.

Just remember we are grieving too,
Maybe as much as you, yes it's true.
Your tears may come more frequently
But ours comes most in secrecy.

This is because we are grieving for two,
Our child and yes a life anew.
We have lost our wives and the life we once knew.
It's unbelievable but unfortunately very true.

Just remember we love just like you do,
Deep in our hearts and souls through and through.
There is no "step"in a Fathers love,
We are the guys sent from above.

Written by: Wayne Bell

                                             

                        

    

A pair a pair my Stepson and I

I may not have conceived you
but I did conceive someday of hopes of a son like you.
Nor did I carry you in my womb,
but I did carry you so many times as a child.
My body may not have fed you like a birth Mother
but my heart fed you with so much love.
I may not have prepared nine months for your birth,
but I was prepared for you in my life.
I may not have felt in my body the movement of your growth.
But watching you grow gave so much peace
and joy to my soul.
My flesh and bones you are not,
but flesh and bones of my husband you are.
My eyes see through your eyes
my feet try to walk before yours,
though separate paths we may go, no one else
could understand or even know because we are a pair.
A man you are now, a wife you now have,
she's the love of your life.
So I now step aside and give her my spot in the pair.
A pair is two people that share a bond
that not just any two people can share.
My mind and heart can now take a rest
because of the other person that makes up your pair.
Day by Day life's trails the two of you will share,
you'll over come together as a pair.
A pair a pair my Stepson and I
we will always be and will always share.
A special bond no one else can share,
the bad times or hard times life brings our way.
My prayers are that friends we'll stay.
My son you will always be.
I will always be your friend first then StepMom.
My son you are not my flesh and blood,
but my heart and soul you are.
Love you always,
StepMom Jacque

Written November 10, 2004
To my Stepson Travis


  Brad Lee a gift from Travis    
          

                              
          
                                 
                                


               


         
            

              



                
                                                  ~ Travis & Mamaw ~

       

              

                 We Love you & Miss you Uncle Travis

                                      Tessa

                                                  Bailey

   
                                             
                
Country Cemetery
In a quite Country Cemetery
Where the gentle breezes blow,
Lies my son I love so dearly;
He died a few years ago.

His resting place I visit,
Placing flowers there with care,
But no one knows my heartache,
When I turn to leave them there.

Though his smile is gone forever,
And his hands I cannot touch,
Still I have so many memories
Of the son I loved so much.

His memory is my keepsake,
With which I will never part.
God has him in His keeping;
I have him in my heart.




              


If roses grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me.
Place them in my Angel's arms
And tell him they are from me.
Tell him I love him and miss him.
And when he turns to smile,
Place a kiss upon his cheek,
And hold him for awhile.
Because remembering him is easy
I do it everyday.
But there's a ache within my heart
That will never go away.
~ Author Unknown ~

                          
           
               
              
 

       

                                    

              
          
               

Song I sang to Travis growing up..

You are my Travis
My only Travis.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear how much I love you.
So don't ever go away!!


                            
                                                    
                      


       

              
Gift of Laughter
He had a gift of laughter,
a gift to make you smile.
So when you saw him you knew
you'd be laughing for awhile.

He had a smile of sunshine,
to always brighten your day.
That sunshine smile is what we so dearly miss,
now that you're away.

Your home now feels so empty
without your laughter in the air,
but even though you can't be heard
you're still felt everywhere.

Your Mom so loves you Travis!!
To keep laughing she will always try
cause when she laughs 
she knows you laugh too,
looking down from the sky.

So until the day comes,
when we see you smile once more.
Your laughter we will carry on,
through us your spirit will soar.

Written By: Zana Maxwell Jeffries
August 12, 2006

 
              
           His hobby: Car Shows & Rod Runs


                    Car he led the Christmas Parade with..



                    Making it shine..

                Travis & Friend at Pigeon Forge

                Sitting in chair enjoying life!!

                     His Favorite Color

     Coming home from Florida with friends...

                 His favorite car...Tennesee Orange!!

                        Daytona Speedway


                

        



I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free.
I'm following the path God has laid you see.
I took His hand when I heard Him call,
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day.
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found that peace at the close of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Oh yes these things too I will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much.
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don't lenghten it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee.
God wanted me now; He set me free.