Book Talk Thursday ~ A Place in My Heart

Today's Book Talk Thursday is in loving memory of my amazing mother-in-law, Suzanne.

Last Wednesday my mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly. She had gone on a trip to fulfill a dream of hers by going to the Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. It was tragic, to say the least, but I want to always remember the good times we had with her.

When my daughter's preschool heard about the passing of Ginny's "Gram", they gave her a beautiful book to help her understand what has happened a little more: A Place in My Heart.

In the book, young Andrew's grandfather has passed away, and he is not sure why everyone is so sad. He remembers that he and his grandfather loved to look at and learn about ladybugs. As he goes through his days, he has many reminders of his grandfather, but he is reminded that he will always have a place in Andrew's heart.

What a sweet way to remember someone who has passed! And it makes it so much easier for a child to understand during such a tough time. Even I need to remember that Suzanne will have a special place in all of our hearts. If it weren't for her, all of us would not be who we are today. You see, she was actually my stepmother-in-law. When I married my husband, I had no mother-in-law since his mother passed away years ago.

I loved having Suzanne in my life because we shared so many same situations in life ~ teachers, a love of reading, and many other loves. She loved our family as if my husband were her very own son, and she didn't have to! My children were her grandchildren first and foremost! So, here are some reasons she holds a special place in my family's heart.