It's been about 4 months from the day that little baby Eden joined our family. She came quick and she left even quicker, but her spirit is constantly with us.
We were honored to have so many pictures from the hospital, dressing her, the graveside service, and the luncheon afterward. Sunday I was thinking about Eden and and decided I would finally put some of those pictures in a book. It made me so happy to look through them, to see Eden, to see so much love and all the support we have had through this whole experience.
My uncle Bruce took a video of the graveside service and I as I watched it over again I wept. It wasn't a sad weep or an angry weep. It was tears of joy for sweet little Eden. It was tears from the emotional pain I felt from it all. It was tears of longing. Longing for a child we will only see after this life. It was also tears of gratitude to my sweet uncle for taking the time to record it, and my other uncle for taking the time to build her a casket, and all of my family who supported us and gratitude to those who were able to come.
A few months ago a good friend of ours lost her baby. She was about 20-22 weeks along. I was heartbroken for her. Just weeks before it happened she and her husband had been at our house for dinner, talking about names for their baby, how she was feeling, and commenting on how great she looked pregnant!! She was showing:) It is such an exciting feeling being pregnant, carrying a baby, and planning things for their future! And it's amazing how quickly it can all change. She went in for an ultrasound a few weeks after and they couldn't find a heartbeat. I was so sad when I found out. After she delivered the baby they saw that his cord was twisted:/ Nothing could be done about it. We were able to visit her in the hospital after she delivered and got to see their little one:) He was darling:) When I saw her I just cried...I couldn't hold back the tears. I had been right there just a little over a month before. These experiences are hard but I know that we and our friends will see our children again:)
Some people wonder when the spirit enters the baby. Is it at conception? Is it when they are born? Is it at the halfway point of gestation? Is it when you start feeling the baby kick? When is it okay to abort/abandon a baby while in the womb?
Here's a question...would you abandon a living child? If you are a parent and love your kids I'm sure the answer is...no! Would you have abandoned your child in the womb? Would you abort that child? Again, I'm sure the answer again is...NO! Why not? Because it is your child. They are a living being. You love that little one. You love them because you and your spouse (along with the Lord's help) created it and they have a soul. They are a living, breathing, moving person.
In the D&C (revelations from God) it says"The worth of souls is great in the sight of God." The Lord doesn't say the worth of an "old" soul is great in the sight of God or the worth of a "young" soul is great in the sight of God or even that a "rich or pour" soul is great. He said the worth of a "soul" is great in His sight. That means all of us. Every person on this earth is a son or daughter of God. Each soul has great worth to the Him. The scriptures also teach us the the Lord is "no respecter of persons".
Passing on is a sad experience because of the attachment we have to that person, their personality, their spirit...their soul. When someone passes away it is said that their soul leaves their body. People breathe, move, run, dance, and cry because of the spirit inside of them. But if someone dies, their spirit leaves the body and it doesn't function like it once did. It is 'still' or 'lifeless'. Their body stays on this earth and is buried (or cremated) here. In the scriptures we learn that we were made from the dust of the earth. And just as our spirits return to the place they once were, our bodies do the same...return to the earth.
I have the privilege of working with the Young Women in my ward along with Sister Turley (who is amazing!). I loved it when I was growing up and I love it now. The girls are awesome and strong members of the church! A few months ago we saw the play, "The Seussical", at Mesa High. It's about a few Dr. Seuss stories all combined in one show. It's mostly about an elephant named Horton who finds a little piece of fluff (speck of dust) floating in the air and he hears a noise coming from it. He snatches it up to take care of it. He is convinced that there is someone or something on that little speck and that he needs to take care of it. In the show you find out that there is a town of people living on this speck. Horton goes around telling people that he has to take care of this speck and get it to a safe place so these people will be safe. Not everyone believes him so it's a fight between him and others to take care of the speck. He finds out that he was right and there really are people that live on the speck. They are the "WHO's" and they live in "Whoville". He builds a relationship with them and eventually gets the speck to a safe spot and all is well. It's a darling play and great movie:)
You're probably wondering..."Why are you telling this story?" Because:) Because throughout the whole show he continually says, "A person's a person, no matter how small."
And I completely agree. A person IS a person, no matter how small. These babies that we carry and only stay with us for a short amount of time are people:) They are living and moving and have souls. They have a special personality they bring. They are some of the angels we have in our lives;)
I still feel so grateful and indebted to all those who have prayed for us, taken care of us, and helped us out since we have lost our baby. Life is more precious and tender. I feel like, although I am still the same person, I have been more polished and matured by this experience. But life will do that to you. It's not an excuse to be angry and change the hope that's inside of you. It's a perfect opportunity to fight through the sadness and sorrow. It's a time to show our Heavenly Father, who has given us everything, that we trust Him and His timing. It's a time to show our gratitude for all that we do have and all the blessings we have been given.
I saw a video clip of a woman at the hospital after having her first child. Fourteen months later she and her family were in a terrible car accident. Tragically she lost her husband and her baby was in critical condition for a while. There were many people involved in helping her family after the accident. Her little boy survived and is healthy but, sadly, she lost the love of her life. It has been 10 years since the accident and she decided she wanted to find all those that helped and host a dinner for them, thanking them for what they did. She has been positive through the whole experience and said that she is grateful for all she DOES have now. What an example to us all! To be grateful despite our circumstances!! In the Book of Mormon (scripture like unto the Bible) it says, "And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." Alma 7:23
This is a good reminder to me to be more grateful each day. When I am grateful for what I have and the people in my life I see a little bit of what the Lord sees in us...the love He has for us, His children, and...our worth:)
"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;" D&C 18;10
Passing on is a sad experience because of the attachment we have to that person, their personality, their spirit...their soul. When someone passes away it is said that their soul leaves their body. People breathe, move, run, dance, and cry because of the spirit inside of them. But if someone dies, their spirit leaves the body and it doesn't function like it once did. It is 'still' or 'lifeless'. Their body stays on this earth and is buried (or cremated) here. In the scriptures we learn that we were made from the dust of the earth. And just as our spirits return to the place they once were, our bodies do the same...return to the earth.
I have the privilege of working with the Young Women in my ward along with Sister Turley (who is amazing!). I loved it when I was growing up and I love it now. The girls are awesome and strong members of the church! A few months ago we saw the play, "The Seussical", at Mesa High. It's about a few Dr. Seuss stories all combined in one show. It's mostly about an elephant named Horton who finds a little piece of fluff (speck of dust) floating in the air and he hears a noise coming from it. He snatches it up to take care of it. He is convinced that there is someone or something on that little speck and that he needs to take care of it. In the show you find out that there is a town of people living on this speck. Horton goes around telling people that he has to take care of this speck and get it to a safe place so these people will be safe. Not everyone believes him so it's a fight between him and others to take care of the speck. He finds out that he was right and there really are people that live on the speck. They are the "WHO's" and they live in "Whoville". He builds a relationship with them and eventually gets the speck to a safe spot and all is well. It's a darling play and great movie:)
You're probably wondering..."Why are you telling this story?" Because:) Because throughout the whole show he continually says, "A person's a person, no matter how small."
And I completely agree. A person IS a person, no matter how small. These babies that we carry and only stay with us for a short amount of time are people:) They are living and moving and have souls. They have a special personality they bring. They are some of the angels we have in our lives;)
I still feel so grateful and indebted to all those who have prayed for us, taken care of us, and helped us out since we have lost our baby. Life is more precious and tender. I feel like, although I am still the same person, I have been more polished and matured by this experience. But life will do that to you. It's not an excuse to be angry and change the hope that's inside of you. It's a perfect opportunity to fight through the sadness and sorrow. It's a time to show our Heavenly Father, who has given us everything, that we trust Him and His timing. It's a time to show our gratitude for all that we do have and all the blessings we have been given.
I saw a video clip of a woman at the hospital after having her first child. Fourteen months later she and her family were in a terrible car accident. Tragically she lost her husband and her baby was in critical condition for a while. There were many people involved in helping her family after the accident. Her little boy survived and is healthy but, sadly, she lost the love of her life. It has been 10 years since the accident and she decided she wanted to find all those that helped and host a dinner for them, thanking them for what they did. She has been positive through the whole experience and said that she is grateful for all she DOES have now. What an example to us all! To be grateful despite our circumstances!! In the Book of Mormon (scripture like unto the Bible) it says, "And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." Alma 7:23
This is a good reminder to me to be more grateful each day. When I am grateful for what I have and the people in my life I see a little bit of what the Lord sees in us...the love He has for us, His children, and...our worth:)
"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;" D&C 18;10
 |
| This guy is of great worth to me:) This picture was taken during Christmas time:) We flew to Utah and spent the holiday with my family:) They are all very special people to me and I love them so much!! |
No comments:
Post a Comment