That much closer...

Today is 2 months since Hadley went home to Jesus.  

I received a card in the mail from my sweet friend Jamie this week.  Her husband lost his brother 3 years ago (he was a soldier who died fighting for us in Iraq) and she mentioned something in the note that really has brought me peace this week.  This past Saturday was 3 years for him being welcomed into Heaven and she said as they were thinking about him they couldn't help rejoicing that they were 3 years closer to being in Heaven with him.

Isn't that the truth??  

I am now 2 months closer to being in Heaven with Hadley one day.  I'm going to be honest...the next few months are going to be very hard for me.  Even thinking about her original due date in June is VERY difficult for me right now and I know I'm going to be a mess when it comes.  I know He expects this because I can't see what He sees in Heaven and I'm not holding my sweet little girl in paradise...yet.  However, I am 2 months closer to being with her in Heaven.  I'm going to keep that in the back of my mind when I'm struggling over the next couple months, year, and years to come.  I hope that brings comfort for you if you have lost someone, or maybe you can share it with someone who has.

We released 2 balloons this evening at her grave like we did last month and will continue to do until her 1st birthday.

Beautiful pink rose for our beautiful Angel!!

I love that you see Briley and then Hadley's balloons in the background...my sweet family!!

Sending a kiss to Hadley in Heaven

She didn't want to leave :)  She loves playing with her Nonnie (Daniel's Mom) and Hadley...they are buried under that beautiful tree right next to each other.

Something else happened today...

Yep, that's my hospital bracelet.  I was putting Briley's bag together this morning and my arm started to feel funny, like it was missing something, and I looked down and saw it on the bench.  I gasped when I saw it, though honestly I don't know how it lasted this long on my wrist for over 3 months.  Can you believe it fell off today by itself on her 2 month birthday in Heaven??  I told Daniel that it was Hadley and Jesus that made that happen...I don't think I could have ever taken it off and they both knew they would have to do it for me :)

I want to end my post tonight with a poem that my Mom wrote the day Hadley went to Heaven.  It was put in her memorial card at the service that was given to everyone and it is absolutely perfect...I'm so grateful to my Mom for writing it. 

In His Arms

God Welcomes you, arms open wide

With Nonnie standing by his side,

Your precious smile lit up God's place

As Jesus knelt to kiss your face.

God places you in Nonnie's care

And leads her to a golden chair,

She gently whispers in your ear

"Oh sweet Hadley, Nonnie's here".

The Angels come to sing and coo

As baby wings are placed on you,

Forever we hold you in our heart

Our love for you will never part.

Heavenly Father, I am missing our sweet Hadley tonight.  I am so thankful she is in your precious care and that Nonnie is holding our angel.  I can't believe it has been 2 months since I held our precious gift, but I have realized tonight I am closer to being with You, Hadley, Nonnie, and other family and friends that are in your presence.  Each day brings me that much closer, and it's because of you that I will get to spend eternity with Hadley.  I am forever grateful to you.  You are my everything and I'm that much closer to you because of what you gave me 2 months ago.  Amen.

In Christ's Love,

Wordless Wednesday

 

In Christ's Love,

Our Word Cloud

So I have made word clouds/wordle's before and I L.O.V.E. them.  

Last year, I did it for my kindergarten student's Mom's for Mother's Day and we put it in a handmade frame.  I had the Mom's fill out a questionnaire and then we used their answers for the word cloud.  They were adorable!  I recently just found out, thanks to my wonderful friend Tracy, that you can type in your blog address into wordle and it will create your very own word cloud.  If you have never used wordle before, the more one word is used the bigger it will be in the cloud.  

Well imagine my expression when our word cloud turned out to look like this...

God, Hadley, Daniel, Briley, family, sweet, thankful, love...does it get any better than that?

Our Pastor spoke on Easter about looking at the "Bigger Picture" in life.  He asked Daniel and I if he could read the announcement we sent out for Hadley during his sermon and we humbly said yes.  It was very overwhelming to be at church, on Easter Sunday, and hear him read about our Hadley.  He said our family understood what it meant to think and look for the "Bigger Picture" in life.  I was again humbled by his compliment but I was more thankful that he told Hadley's story.  

I want the whole world to hear about her and how she has changed lives...

Hope you are having a wonderful week!!

In Christ's Love,

Easter Weekend...He is Risen!!

Wonderful, Glorious, Holy and Righteous, Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and Mighty, Healer, Deliver, Shield and Defense, Strong Tower and My Best Friend, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Soon Coming King, Alpha, Omega, Lord of Everything!!!

Christ Is Risen!!  Praise be to God!!!

We had such a wonderful weekend and I took over 300 pictures so excuse my extremely long post of pictures :)  On Saturday, we started our Easter weekend off with the Easter Bunny arriving early to our house because Daniel had to work Easter this year.  Briley was so excited to see what the Easter Bunny had brought her :)

 We spent our Saturday afternoon with Hadley and had a picnic lunch as a family.  We also gave her, her pink Easter basket filled with eggs.  Can you imagine the Easter celebration she is having in Heaven?  Brings peace to my heart...

That night, Briley's Auntie and Papa were headed over to have dinner and hunt eggs with Briley...but before they got there we had to make rainbow chip cupcakes :)  Mmmmm, mine and Briley's favorite!!

Papa and Auntie time!!

Time to hunt some eggs!!

Opening my Easter present from Auntie and Papa...

Time to dye eggs!!

Briley's egg went through a lot!!!  :)

An egg for our sweet Hadley...in the arms of her Jesus :)

 

Briley and I woke up Easter morning and headed to church... but not before a little Easter dress picture time!!

Mega (my grandmother) and Briley at church

After a wonderful church service, we headed to my Mom's for Easter lunch and more egg hunting of course!!

 More Easter presents to open...spoiled little girl, but a sweet one at that!!

She LOVES her Gigi!!

Our 2nd Easter egg hunt of the weekend and a wardrobe change :)

Playing with her sweet cousin, Jake

After spending time at my Mom's we headed where else???  The fire station!!  We had to spend time with Daddy on Easter!!  There were several other wives and children that came who were around Briley's age and we all had the best time playing with the kiddos, eating dinner, and more egg-hunting of course!!!

Briley and her adorable friend, Braleigh :)

Briley and cutie Ethan!!

Time to hunt some eggs...for her 3rd time!!

Sweet firefighter babies :)

Congrats...you made it to the end of my picture madness :)  I loved all of our pictures this weekend and I had to share them all!!  

Have to end this post with a Easter picture from last year and this year...

I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter weekend as well.

Our Redeemer Lives...how blessed we are!!

In Christ's Love,