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Thursday, January 3, 2013

A Letter To Gun Owners and a Heavy Heart

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about gun responsibility for In The Powder Room. It runs today. 
Today. Today, I am going to a visitation for a friend that was shot and killed on New Year's Eve. 
Instead of arguing about guns, I want to share some of my favorite memories of Emily.
1. Every single time I sent out a room parent plea for holiday parties, Emily was the first to respond with offers to help. 
2. In the car pick up line after school, other moms would ditch their cars to hop in Emily's car to yuk it up.
3. Emily worked in a pharmacy. My kids and I loved to go through the pharmacy drive thru, lay on the buzzer and watch her reaction. She would say into the microphone, "I hate you, Rossow."
4. Wherever we saw Emily- at soccer games, school parties or birthday gatherings, she would have everyone laughing.
5. This fall, Emily and her girls beamed as they proudly introduced their new baby boy to our community. 
Today. Today, I remember Emily.
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56 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. She sounds like an amazing woman.

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    1. Thank you, Shell. If you look up "spitfire", you'll see Emily's picture.

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  2. Kids without a mom. In Newtown there are dozens of parents without kids. Why, why, why can anybody defend the right to own a gun, over the right to LIVE? I'm so sorry you lost your friend. I'll keep her, her family, and you in my prayers.

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  3. Wow. I am so sorry to hear about your friend. The more stories like this that I hear make me feel so helpless and angry. We are broken.

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    1. Helpless is exactly how I feel. There is nothing to do or say for her family that can take this away.
      Thank you, Jen.

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  4. Katie@SomewhatSaneMom has left a new comment on your post "A Letter To Gun Owners and a Heavy Heart":

    I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend Emily. That is horrible :( Keeping you and her family and friends in my thoughts.
    And your letter on In the Powder Room was spot on. I 100% agree with you...and your decision to key the car.

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  5. I'm so very sorry for your loss. She seemed like a wonderful person.

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  6. SO SO sad! I'll be thinking of her family (and yours)!

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    1. Thank you, Anna. It is so heartbreaking. She has a very loving and supportive family that has rallied around her babies.

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  7. Oh, no!! This is terrible!! Wow, what a huge loss. My heart goes out to you and her family.

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  8. I am so sorry for your loss! It is so sad and tragic! Praying for you all!
    xx
    Anne

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    1. Thank you, Anne. It is a tragedy on all levels.

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  9. This makes me so sad and angry. These children have to grow up without their mother because a deadly weapon was in the wrong hands because of our backasswards gun control laws. I am so sorry that gun violence touched your life this way. I am so sorry for your friend and her family.

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    1. Thank you, Allison. It is so senseless and sad. She has a very close and loving family to surround her children.

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  10. I'm very sorry for your loss.

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  11. Well said, Kerry! Unfortunately I didn't know Emily all that well since Taylor and Brennan were never in the same class, but what I always remember about her was her smile. Every time our paths crossed she smiled and greeted me and when I was pregnant with Ava and Hayzel she would flatter me with compliments. She was a sweet, sweet person. Contagious smiles and kind words go a long way. Thanks for remembering her and spreading her goodness!

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    1. Thank you for sharing your memories of Emily. That is exactly how we will remember her, huh? Contagious smiles and kind words. Thank you, Lori.

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  12. I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, Kerry. She sounds like an amazing woman. {hug} Her family and friends are in my prayers.

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    1. I just got home from her visitation. Truly heartbreaking. Thank you for your kind words.

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  13. So sorry about your friend . Keeping her friends and family in my thoughts. So sad.

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  14. Life is not safe. I feel for the loss as I feel for all those victims of crime that have been disarmed. I feel for those killed by drunk drivers too so many more than to guns the comparison is ridiculous. Save your angst for the really horrendous problems we face in this world like crime, poverty and starvation.

    Blaming an inanimate object for bad human behavior is ludicrous.

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    2. Wow! That anonymous email is ludicrous! I think you should delete that one.

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    3. That perspective is part of the discussion, no matter how strongly I disagree. (And, no matter how hurtful it was to hear in this arena and on a day that is about remembering Emily.) Thank you, Nicki.

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  15. Oh my heart is broken for you, for her, for her children and family, Praying!

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  16. Kerry, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. She sounds like an amazing and wonderful person.

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  17. Sorry about your friend, my dear Kerry. She sounds wonderful.

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  18. Kerry,

    That is so sad. My heart and prayers go out to you, and her family. I cannot imagine their pain, and pray I never have to.

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  19. Just read your post from in the powder room. Have I told you lately that I love you? Don't know ya, but love ya! For sure! We are totally meant to be BFF's! (I hope that cheered you up just a little.)

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    1. I LOVE YOU, NICKI! Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

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  20. I am so so sorry for you, your family, and Emily's family, Kerry. She sounds like she was such a fun person and a great friend, as I know you were to her. I will never understand why such horrible things happen to such good people, but I'm going to imagine Emily in Heaven, yukkin' it up with the teachers from Sandy Hook Elementary. I hope they'll save a spot at the fun table for us someday. :) XO

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    1. Thank you, Leslie. Your support this week (as always) was so appreciated. When I couldn't face anyone, I texted you. Thank you.
      Emily is def at the fun table right now.

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  21. I am writing with such a heavy heart... I just read your post from in the powder room and was very moved by your words. Beautiful and brave is what you are. A touch of humor seems like just your writing style but I can only imagine how you agonized over getting the right balance and respect for the issue... I think you did beautifully!
    I am sorry that you have lost a friend so brutally... I am sorry that yet another friend, mother, person has been taken by a gun.
    I am from Canada and last month when the school shooting happened we were told on our news that even taking into consideration the population differences in the USA from Canada... for every 1 Canadian that is killed by a gun 10 Americans are killed...

    Canadians are great people but we are not that different... what is different?

    We have less guns.

    No one dies by a gun when there isn't a gun in the room.

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    1. Thank you, Cynthia. I did, indeed, struggle with what to say, if anything. Thank you for your thoughtful words.

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  23. What a horrendous loss. I'm so glad you decided to pay tribute to her in this way.

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  24. I hope that there will continue to be a push for change - because it has to change. It's broke and it isn't going to fix itself. Don't let it linger, fight and yell and scream for it. Just as you would if it was your daughter, son, mother, father, friend, ..... Until your voice and conviction is heard loud, clear and together - it won't change. So very, very sad to hear about your friend, very sorry. As a Canadian, know that I support you in your voice for change. Patty/BC

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    1. It is a complex issue, but something really needs to change. Thank you, Patty.

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  25. Heart breaking, I don't even know what to say, children without their mother..

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  26. Leslee in TennesseeJanuary 4, 2013 at 1:52 PM

    So very sad to read this news about your friend.
    There are no human words to sufficiently express my sorrow for you and your friend's family.

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  27. I live in Denver where we've been unlucky to have two horrible, horrible shootings - Columbine and the Aurora Movie Theater. But even a single shooting is horrible.I don't know what the answer is - it is a complex issue but it needs to be dealt with. Maybe if they'd start with heavy regulation of gun ammo especially for an assault rifle. Unless you are a soldier, you don't have any business with an assault rifle - period! Maybe if the shooters at Columbine, Aurora and Sandy Hook hadn't had assault rifles maybe the number of dead would have been less - I don't know. I'm so sorry for Emily and her friends and family. Just a waste....

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    1. Thank you, Jaye. I think we are all trying to find answers and make some sense of the senseless.

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  28. What a tragic loss, but, such a lovely tribute to your lovely friend. There are no words when tragedy like this strikes. My heart breaks for her children and the community who loved her.

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