Thank you so much to many of you for your encouraging comments and most of all your prayers for us throughout this week.
I can truly say that those prayers were felt by us yesterday as we remembered baby Alethia Joy's 1st birthday. The Lord just surrounded us with a peace and strength and comfort that can only be described as "God." I love how He uses friends and family in our lives to show us Himself in a tangible way.
Tony and I went to the cemetery for the first time ever, just the 2 of us. We had been there separately and with other family, but never just Daddy and Mommy.
We released our balloons with our messages written to Alethia Joy, and as we left, through a wave of sorrow and grief, I just rejoiced in the fact that the "real" Alethia is not underneath that gravestone in the cold, hard ground.
She is in Heaven with Jesus and many of our loved ones.
I wonder what kind of a party the angels had for her to celebrate one year in Heaven?!
But we wish with all our hearts that she was here with us.
We don't understand why the Lord wanted her with Him before she even had a chance to open her eyes and take a breath here on earth.
Even after a year, we don't understand why so many healthy, beautiful babies are born every day all around the world, and yet our sweet little girl never made it home from the hospital.
I don't know if we will ever understand...until we meet Him face to face and all our questions will be answered.
We spent the afternoon with Tony's grandma, also remembering his granddad in Heaven who shares a birthday with baby Alli. It was good just to be together.
Last night we took out Alethia's "box" of cherished memories from the hospital and lingered in her nursery room as we gazed at her little hospital bracelet, handprints and footprints, and hand-crocheted booties, among other things.
Tony and I looked back at our photo album of pictures with our baby girl and watched the DVD of the memorial service as well as the slide show that our Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep photographer made for us.
As we watched the memorial service DVD, I was reminded of this verse and the HOPE in the Lord that we cling to:
Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
God has truly overwhelmed us with hope, joy, and peace.
5 comments:
Hey I just discovered your blog, I love it. We are praying for you guys, it is encouraging how much the Lord is using you and is teaching you through your loss. I love how much you talk about your sweet baby girl, I feel like I knew her too. Thinking of you both tonight,
Sallie Harrell
I'm glad you could spend the day together remembering your sweet baby girl. These things are so hard for us to understand, why the Lord takes some before they ever get to take a breath. What a comfort though that she is in the presence of our Savior and never had to suffer the affects of sin on this earth. Doesn't make it any easier, but what a treasure you have to look forward to in heaven. Love you!
Sorry I "missed" Alethia's first bday. I'm glad you and Tony were able to do something special for her first Heavenly birthday and that despite the intense sadness of it all, that you're rejoicing in the fact that she is whole and happy in Heaven.
Praying for you, Charity - that 2010 would hold many blessings for you and Tony!
Been thinking about you, been thinking "what a cool mommy you are" to have a child(children) with the Lord to watch over you and protect you. And, MOST of all she is protected from ALL the evil of this earthly world. Well both girls.....Took a class tonight on parenting and bullying in todays world, its a harsh one. Your babies will ALWAYS be safe!!
I was thinking of you this week Charity and praying for an all- consuming peace.
Praying that 2010 holds a baby for you and Tony!
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