Our Girl

Day 13:  Today's doodle is in honor of my daughter, Analiese Danae.  She would have been 13 today, had she not been called Home.  Analiese died from bacterial meningitis at 14 months old.

I admit, I'm not very good at people drawings...kind of hard to take artistic liberties or they just look weird.  But, my heart was there.

After all of this time has past, I thought I would share from our experience:

• Love your children, your spouse, and your family and never take them for granted.  
• Everyone goes Home when it is the right time.  We obviously won't like it, the circumstances may be unfair.  But our days are numbered and we go home right when we are called by the One who made us.
• It does get easier over time.  Our daughter is never far from our thoughts, but we know where our Hope lies and we have every expectation of seeing her again.  
• You have a choice every day...you can stay in bed and wallow or you can get up and live the life God gave you--choose the latter!
• Sometimes you will feel like you're doing ok, and than it will hit you when you least expect it; Hang in there--you'll make it.  
• Life really is short.  Do the things you enjoy with the ones you love.  Experience things, make some memories.  They are more precious than anything money can buy. 
• Pray, pray, pray, against anger.  It will only make you bitter and ruined.  

Here is an excerpt of the letter Danny and I wrote for her memorial service.  I can say God has answered our prayers, and for those going through similar circumstances, I pray the same for you.  

When we close our eyes, we don’t see what might have been.  We see that beautiful girl with big rosy cheeks…the brown hair with just twinge of red. We see her little outie belly button. We see the little ringlets in her hair.  We see those long eyelashes that made all the other ladies jealous, and those big blue eyes with just a little green.  We see our perfect little girl with 10 fingers and 10 toes, up in heaven driving the Lord Jesus crazy—pulling stars off their shelves, playing ball with little puffs of clouds, maybe even splashing the waves into the oceans as she did in the bathtub!

Thank you for your prayers, because he has heard them.  Each day gets a little bit easier as long as we lean on each other and we lean on Him.  Please continue to pray for us, as this holiday season will be difficult for us, and know that we are in God’s hands—all of us.

"This is what the LORD says: 'Restrain your voice from crying, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work,' declares the LORD. 'They’ll return from the enemy’s land. There is hope for your future,' declares the LORD. 'Your children will return to their own territory.' "  Jer 31:16-17

Inspired by "365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life!" I decided I should be more conscientious of my creative side. I chose to modify this one year challenge (9/23/14-9/24/15) to create something each day that would also force me to focus my perspective on a Godly world-view.