A Weekend of Remembrance

Part of this week was pretty normal. Autumn actually napped at school on Tuesday. Seriously, this is something she hasn't done in...well...possibly ever? So we celebrated by going to Jerry's to get a snow cone. Terrible idea. About 50 other people had the same idea--including a daycare! Fortunately the daycare had phoned in their order. Anyway, Autumn was all "I want a rainbow!" So we waited in line in the blazing sun and then ate our snow cones in the air conditioned car. It felt vaguely wrong.


My mom came over Wednesday. Autumn got a pedicure. She's pretty stylish right now because mom put this crackle nail polish on her toes. When Autumn first saw the polish breaking up she said, "you messed up!"


Thursday I got to spend some time with Elizabeth Wiggs and we talked about everything from adoption to photography. I haven't had a chance to play much with what she showed me but hopefully next blog post I'll have some fun pictures.

Friday was Garrett's due date. I expected the day to be really hard but I'd had such a good day with Elizabeth and had a great day planned Friday that it really wasn't that bad. In the morning Autumn and I ran errands and visited with Stephan and his family. And that night, Penny and Cathy and I went out and just had a really great time. It was so nice to catch up with them, talk a little about Garrett, and just celebrate his little life. Really, I have some of the best friends ever. Oh, and this week I ordered a few birth announcements for Garrett just to give to our parents and to put it in the memory box I am making. I made it because I couldn't find a non-picture announcement that I liked and didn't cost entirely too much.


Saturday, Mike and I went to the cemetery to visit Garrett's grave. It was really, really sad because we got there right as a funeral had ended...a little girl was buried next to Garrett. We walked around a bit, looking at the gravestones, talking about why things happen the way they do, and we put together a pinwheel for Garrett.


The last thing we did this weekend to remember Garrett was take some treats and a thank you note up to the hospital for the nurses who took care of me while I was in the hospital. They were so great and I'm glad we finally got around to taking care of that.

So that's our week. I think Mike might do a post later this week so I'll leave it there. I was going to end this one with a verse we saw on one of the other stones at the cemetery. It was pretty awesome but Mike and I can't remember enough of it to find it online. Next time I'll take a picture or write it down. So, I'll end with some lyrics from Twila Paris. My friend Matt's mom brought over the cd. I haven't been able to bring myself to listen to the song yet but I did read the lyrics...

Visitor From Heaven
A visitor from Heaven
If only for a while
A gift of love to be returned
We think of you and smile

A visitor from Heaven
Accompanied by grace
Reminding of a better love
And of a better place

With aching hearts and empty arms
We send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go
But we're so glad you came
We're so glad you came

A visitor from Heaven
If only for a day
We thank Him for the time He gave
And now it's time to say
We trust you to the Father's love
And to His tender care
Held in the everlasting arms
And we're so glad you're there
We're so glad you're there

With breaking hearts and open hands
We send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go
But we're so glad you came
We're so glad you came


Thank you all for your prayers, emails, and texts this week. We couldn't do this without you.