He would have been two tomorrow. Cayne Aaron Brown. He was a cute little stinker who ran around stealing our hearts until his stopped forever on January 29, 2026. I’m so glad we had a chance to meet him and get to know his happy little self and we will forever remember his snuggles, belly laughs and blue, blue eyes.
I’ve learned more about grief this year than I wanted to. Watching our son and daughter-in-law face this together with such love and grace has been a love story unto itself. The way they deal with their grief head-on is both admirable and heart-breaking.
It will always feel like someone is missing. Stairstep cousins will have an age gap where Cayne should have been. Aunts and uncles will never get to rough house with our family’s first boy. Harley won’t know what it’s like to take his first grandson for a ride on the back of his bike, or teach him to play the guitar, or watch him grow into a man as wonderful as the sons he raised himself.
It’s a helpless feeling to not be able to make things better for our family. But I can help by remembering Cayne. We all can.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Do you see the little bluebird at the bottom of all my posts this year? That’s my way of honoring Cayne’s memory.
He loved birds. And his eyes were so blue. So when I was thinking about how I wanted to represent him symbolically, I naturally thought of a bluebird. Once I settled on the idea, I did a little reading up on bluebirds and found that they are messengers of joy and optimism … just like little Cayne. They represent joy and hope, as well as resilience and determination.
I love the sweet image, knowing what it represents. It carries the happiness and curiosity that embodied Cayne. Some say that bluebirds are the connection between the physical and spiritual world. Others say they symbolize a guide through hard times. I can’t think of anything more fitting than for a cute, perky bluebird to remember Cayne and the joy he brought to our family.
So look closely, my friends. He’s everywhere. He’s at the bottom of this post. He’s on the open tab of your browser. He’s in places you haven’t seen yet, but when you do, you’ll know who it is and why he is there.
Thanks for reading ~ Roxie 💙
Roxie Rides Again 