The Short Life of Sparrows (32 page)

Mark
, thank you for all of the musical goodness you sent my way. “And We Run” by Within Temptation/Xzibit set the tone every time. I used the headphones responsibly.

To
Mom, Tony, Kaye, Ma, Catherine, and Margaret
—without being surrounded by women who have such soft hearts and steely backbones, I couldn’t have imagined a force and protector like Lil. You’re all ferociously loyal and your acts of love in my childhood (and still) go unmatched by any other mamas.

To
my parents
as a team, I am beyond grateful for how you’ve both helped to shape me as a person. Even when we differ on a few of the deep thinky-thoughts, the point is that you taught me to think and believe for myself. Thank you for that. And thank you
to my husband’s parents
for your support during these last few transitional years.

J.M. Murdoch and A. Murdoch
, your story will always inspire and haunt me. Because of everything you sacrificed, I have more than I deserve. I hope Murdoch lives up to the family name.

To Pop and Grandpa Mack, the sparrows are for you
. You showed me how to sit and be one with the quiet, whether it was by the garden or in the boat on a lake—to appreciate God’s great love and grace, without ever preaching a word.

And with all of those ridiculously sappy but necessary thoughts added,
readers
—you rock socks! Please know it’s all about you, and you make it all possible for a daydreamer like me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. -
Emm