January 4, 2013
Happy Birthday to the sweetest little girl I have ever kissed... I love you still!
You brought me so much joy and my life is forever better because of you. I will love more, see more, feel more, hope more and imagine more because of you my daughter. God blessed us richly with you, and with every single day we enjoyed with you. I wish for so many more, but I wouldn't wish you away from the arms of True Love even though my arms ache with your absence. I was remembering the gift of your first birthday today, on the day you would be two. I don't know that I have ever watched one so close or observed true fascination with life in action as I did while I watched you that day Piper. Your observant nature and emotional transparency created magic as we all watched you so thoroughly enjoy that day and all that it brought. My words will not tell the picture of the treasures of the day as well as your expressions will so dear daughter of mine, tell the story as you will.
(how pleased you were to be woken up from your nap)
(what you thought of your cupcake)
(what you thought of the audience watching you)
(what you thought of the cupcake after you tasted it... better as artwork than food)
(what you thought of the phone Daniel picked out for you)
(the crazy love you had for the doll you got)
(the way you wouldn't let that doll go and just kept checking out her face with that intentional little finger of yours)
(how you wanted to examine every detail of every gift you received, all while loving the interaction with each child that helped you experience their gift)
(the way you wanted to examine the skirt you received)
(your feelings toward what would become your favourite toy, the glow worm)
(the joy you found in people that loved you - you weren't smiling at the camera, you were smiling at your daddy!)
(your excitement over a new experience... tissue paper and bags... in and out... along with...
... beautiful shiny things like this beautiful bracelet created with love)
Pipsi, you taught me more than I realized I could learn from a child. Who holds the greater knowledge, the truer perspective of what matters most and the richest form of love... my adult mind or the gifted mind of a child? Thank you for teaching me Piper. I will love you forever.
As simple as it sounds, I have at times found myself praying thankyous for photographs. I am so thankful that we have such access to pictures in this time we're living. A few generations ago, that wasn't quite the same story. Seeing Piper's story through her pure expressions in these pictures sends the most precious message to a heart. (Even when just waking up from a nap, she was still surrounded by arms of love, as I imagine God is ever doing to us when we are weary. I love His understanding, beyond our understanding.)She has always been covered by amazing love. We see so much of that love through what you share. I am always in awe of that overwhelming theme. You reflect love. The heartache is only a portion, the true message is real LOVE. I think of the Proverbs that remind us not to let kindness and truth leave us, but to bind them around our neck, and write them on the tablet of our heart. I love that your tablet is more of a scrapbook. Thankyou for sharing pictures and words of your heart. We are blessed...changed by its viewing. Faithful in prayers of thanksgiving for you my friend!
ReplyDeleteThe sun is coming up and as I look out I think about what today will bring. Seeing these pictures and experiencing Piper's birthday reminds me to really notice and experience life today. Thank you Piper for showing that, and thank you Kari, Jordan, Peyton and Drew for sharing that with me.
ReplyDeleteI just want to say that i am so moved by your beautiful children and the sincere posts about your beautiful children. We were in the same group lastnight and i was truley moved by you and your husbands courage. We too lost our angel to what they think is Mitocondrial disease in Jan 2013. His name is Hayden. Reading your stories and seeing the pictures just makes my heart break for you both as i too know what you have and still continue to go through. I hope that we can sometime chat and meet again outside the group setting. I can be contacted at faith.perez@yahoo.com.
ReplyDeleteTake care and godbless