Happy Birthday in Heaven...

Today would be our son's 20th birthday. The last birthday he celebrated here on Earth was his 18th. He's been gone for 16 months, as of today.
Birthday's are a BIG deal to me. Always have been. They are bigger than holidays or anniversaries. They are each individual's special day. A celebration of the moment in history that you were brought into the world. In that moment, countless lives were altered, paths changed, and a new timeline began. All because of one person's birth. I think we forget that sometimes. We view birthdays as a date on a calendar, or a number of years grown. We brush them off, forget them, or place little to no significance on them. But that day is special. It is the day a life began. And each year should be a celebration of the joy, love, kindness, and wonder that each life has brought. Some people are given many, many years. Others... so few. But regardless of how many you get, each one should be treated with reverence and celebration.
This year, I wanted to honor our son in a special way. I wanted his birthday to mean something. So I asked my loved ones to light a candle in his memory, and send a wish to Heaven.
I was not prepared for the incredible response. As I write this, it is only noon, and already my social media is lit up with candles, photos, angels, and messages of love. I'm overwhelmed. I haven't stopped crying since 6:30 this morning, and I don't see it ending anytime soon.
We knew our son touched many people, but I don't think you fully realize just how much impact one life can have, until that life is taken from you.
Today I want to send a message to Heaven. I want Zachary to know that we love him, and that he lives on in each person who saw his smile, heard his laugh, felt his touch, or knew his kindness. I want him to know that each year we will celebrate his life, and that he will NEVER be forgotten. I want him to know that his father and I are so proud of the life he lived, and so honored to have been blessed with him. I want him to know that his soul burns as brightly now as ever, and that he is still touching lives, and making the world a better place. I want him to know that we love him more than words could ever express, and that we carry him with us every single moment, and we do our best to honor his memory, and continue on where he left off.

Happy Birthday, Boy Child. May you fly among the stars on angel wings, and feel the warmth of a thousand flames burning brightly in your name.

These are just a few of the beautiful tributes to Zachary today...