I know I haven't posted in a while...

My Daddy was killed in a car accident on Thursday, May 3rd, and everything has been a blur since then.

I hope you don't mind me sharing the obituary that I wrote for him here:

James Terence “Terry” Griggs, 57, was welcomed home by his Saviour around 6:30 pm, Thursday, May 3, 2012, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Madison County.

Terry was born on May 17, 1954, in Humboldt, TN, where he lived the majority of his life. He received a BA degree in Accounting from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a BA degree in Pastoral Studies from Allegheny Wesleyan College, and worked towards his Master’s Degree in Theology from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  He served proudly in the Army for the country he loved. As an ordained minister, he pastored at Concord Bible Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tarentum Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Church in Pennsylvania, and Ogdensburg Pilgrim Holiness Church in New York. For the past several years he was a Sunday School teacher at Andrews Chapel United Methodist Church, which he attended with his wife, daughter, and grandchildren, and he served as custodian at Kirkland’s Warehouse in Jackson. In his free time, he enjoyed gardening with his wife and baking for his family. He loved and lived for his God and his family.

Terry is survived by his wife, Deborah, 4 children and their spouses, Margerie and Eric Visnick, Joshua and Amanda Griggs, Elisabeth Griggs, and Bethany and Brian Wardlaw, and 5 grandchildren, Caitlin McGarity, Evan, Natalie, and Cecilia Visnick, and Porter Griggs, and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Collinsworth Griggs, his father, James Wayne Griggs, and his brother Robert Wayne Griggs.

The funeral was officiated by his wife’s brother, Daniel Hamilton, on Monday, May 7^th, at 11 am at Shelton Hunt funeral home, and he was laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery.

As the oldest child, I found out first, had to tell everyone, including my mom, and then was responsible for a lot of the out of town guests, meals, etc. It has been emotionally and physically draining, and today is the first day that everything is sort of returning to some sense of normalcy. I know I never expected to lose my Daddy when he was only 57. All I can say is, to not take one single day for granted...you never know which one will be the last.  I loved my Daddy, but I didn't tell him that nearly enough.

For all of my wonderful design team "sisters" , thank you all so much for your understanding and kindness! I promise I will get back to doing my part sharing and creating.

For all of my blog readers, I hope this post doesn't offend or upset you-I usually mainly share happy, crafty fun with you...but I feel that it is important to be real, too. I will be back to sharing the fun stuff soon!