what should have been

<3

thank you dear friend.. love Brenda

We live our lives full of what ifs and could haves. I know I do but all we can do is keep pushing forward. I love this piece of yours. You constantly bare your soul and we love you for it. Thanks for sharing.

thank you my Darkest Lord I love you.. love Crim

They are both beautiful and look happy.

thank you Tim they are happy & if asked don't want it any other way still as a mom I worry.. love Brenda

Beautiful lady, when the day is done and we look back at it, we need to remember...we did the best we could do. I'm sure your lovely girls in this picture never question your love. They look happy and your words ring with love and pride. Could haves and should haves mean nothing at the end of the day. What matters is the love. And you have that in spades. So much love for you, my lovely Dark Angel

thank you lovely one for the love & heart you've shown me they are happy that's what should matter to me.. my daughter is actually an anchor in my own life to this day.. love you lady.. Crim

Oh my love....no no no no no no no......ALL things happen for a reason....your decision was the best one made...YOU were the one meant to be her momma for all sorts of special reasons...and she is her momma for all sorts of special reasons and you are her Grandma for all sorts of special reasons....no other would have been suitable to fill this most special place and have those titles for these two beautiful girls......period....they are just like their momma and Grandma...beautiful, unique and one of a kind...and I love you so very much....

forever & always - Taryn xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

thank you my love you're right of course they do happen for a reason I don't know what I would do without her in my life she is the light that shines in it.. you always have deep insight even where I doubt myself.. I love you deeply.. love Brenda

sadness, yet so much beauty springs from it;
this is illustrious...

thank you graciously John.. love Crim

thank you lovely lady for sharing your own experiences & feelings.. I talked with my daughter about this & she agrees she wouldn't have it any other way.. love Crim

I agree with the above, Crim.  Your daughter and granddaughter probably respect and adore you for your amazing courage. You did the right thing in choosing love over sacrifice.  Your lives are probably the richer for it.  Loved this!

thank you dearest Sir Crow yes my life is richer for them I love them dearly & they bless me daily.. I appreciate your insight.. love crim

One day when they are older and you have given all you can give, tjey will respect and understand. Its what you, we, do now that can still lead to positivity. We can only hope, huh?  
I wish i had the courage to display  my emotions the way you do.  
I commend you for this.  
 
Come on hip,sexy "grandma"!? We got lots to show and tell our kids as they grow. Making them experience all sides, this is how they grow to be what we as parents would want.
Christopher

thank you Christopher for the love you've shown me on this write &  for your beautiful thoughts.. love Brenda

I have made lots of terrible mistakes / bad choices - does that make me a bad or terrible person. You can't conflate the two. Remember you are looking at those choices with 20/20 hindsight. The choice we make are based on what we want and what is best and I know you didn't make the choice with your daughter to cause harm, quite the opposite, you wanted he with you because you loved her. That to me was a good choice :-)

sending 1,000.000 big huge hugs :-)

thank you David since I wrote this i've come to realize I made the right choice in that my family wouldn't be the beauty it is today had I not.. I deeply appreciate the love you've shown me & your thoughts about this write.. love & hugs Brenda

Wow very hard subject to share with us. I hope things keep going well for your granddaughter and daughter. Stay strong. Thank you for sharing.

thank you DP for the love.. love Crim

We all make choices, some good and bad. There are some choices that can't be taken back though. Those ones live with you forever.
The poem saddens me because mental illness is something I have to deal with with someone I care for. I know that keeping a kid knowing how hard it would be to raise them is difficult. To tell the truth I could see myself making the same choice. What's done is done and all you can do now is stand strong. Be there now for them.

Thanks for sharing 🤗

thank you LK for such a beautiful loving comment I will stand strong for them & be there however they need me.. love you my friend.. Crim

Beautiful ladies! Thank you for sharing this, Crim. My story is similar in ways, having my son at a young age(17) being alone, I didn't have a clue. Watching him with his own children, makes my heart happy and full. I know I did the best I could! I truly appreciate this write, you rock! Thanks again for sharing. 😉

thank you beautiful Tommie for sharing your own experience I'm sure your a loving grandma & mamma :) love Brenda

Fantastic ink.  Beautiful picture

thank you graciously FB.. love Crim

thank you she blesses my life everyday she's a strong & fiercely beautiful lady :) love Crim

I for one will not tell you what you did is right or wrong.
In your life those are your choices and your own personal judgements.
Here is what I will say.
You are amazing! You child and grandchild are amazing.
Yes, life throws curve balls but look at today and there is genuine joy in the face of your family that shines beautifully in a picture that shows you, even though your are not visually represented.
I am proud to call you friend.

thank you dearest Ragnar I've been reflecting a lot about this write since I posted even discussed it with my daughter thing is I can't change things hypothetically speaking without erasing all the joy that came with choosing to raise her.. I deeply appreciate the love dear friend.. love Crim

You Rock Girl !!!!

Brenda.. this ink tugs at my heart.. you shouldn't punish yourself, you done what felt right to you.. none of us are perfect, it's easy to second guess decisions.. i'm not a perfect father.. i just try with all my being.. but i struggle with depression, and addiction.. i always think of the what if's.. just let them know how much you love them.. you've got a beautiful daughter, and granddaughter.. just love them my sister.. give your heart unconditionally. if they're as strong as you, they're survivors.. just like you.. don't think of what could've been.. just love them.. time is to short to live in the past.. i love you always, my sister..























Dave

thank you Dave my brother you really moved me with your comment I will do just as you advised.. I love you so much my friend.. love Brenda

thank you dearest Dani for the loving comment.. it's deeply appreciated.. you moved my heart.. love Brenda