A Time of Relaxation Before the 20th Anniversary

This past Wednesday I decided to enjoy some family time in the midst of last minute errands and preparations. Ed, Mags, and I crossed the last items off the list and then enjoyed some time by the water. Although it was chilly, it was nice to stop and appreciate God's beauty around us. Mags thought an updated photo for Facebook and the blog were a good idea too so we did a photo shoot too. So much fun. She saw Ed and I sneaking a kiss, then said, "Hey, do that again but..." and the above photo came to be.

One thing we have learned over the past two decades is to take time for ourselves so the stress of the anniversary doesn't swallow us whole. This might not make sense to everyone but if you've experienced tragedy or loss, you will most likely relate. There were mixed times of teary eye all week so we made sure to enjoy moments of laughter in the midst. Some of the poses and photos will never be shared publically yet here are a few.

Thursday, April 3, 2014, the 20th anniversary of Heidi's kidnapping was a difficult day. The days leading up to it, and the days to follow hold much emotion. We are so grateful for all of you. Your love, support, and remembrance of Heidi and our family is such a blessing to the entire family. Heidi M Allen will never be forgotten, this we know. Thank you.

I plan to share more this week with pictures form the community gathering and vigil. Too much to squeeze in to one or two blogs. My hope for TOP's Tuesday, is to link the news articles about the 20th anniversary. The rest of the week, I'll share a snip-its of how this double-decade anniversary had its ups and downs.

Thanks for remembering Heidi and encouraging us!