It was an unusally warm November day when we laid Addyson to rest. The wind was calm and the sky was completely clear. It was a beautiful day...a day our family will never forget.
That morning started with Addyson's uncle, Timmy, digging the grave for our angel. He wanted to do it.
Family and close friends gathered at the First Baptist Church in Pawnee for a lunch. Timmy had car stickers made for us that said "In memory of Addyson July 30- Nov 2 2007"
As the time grew near to go into the church, things turned quiet. The crying started as the family walked in the church. The slideshow of Addyson's short life was so moving and heartbreaking. We all wanted more time.
But it was time to say goodbye. As the pallbearer came to take this little pure white porsalin infant casket, the guys were shaking and crying. They hesitated for a moment as if to say, "We can't take this baby out of the church like this! Babies should never be carried out of a church in a casket!"
As Timmy, Addyson's uncle, and other family and friends, carried her out and placed her in the hearse, audible cries and sobs filled the air. Timmy said, "I got to carry an angel today!"
At Addyson's grave site, Cory & Lindsay released a dove. As it flew away, people gasped and cried. The little girls release pink and white balloons up to Addy.
Our family lingered at the grave site. It was as if we couldn't leave her there. My aunt said she would just walk home. My aunt said "I just want to hold her one more time, I want to rock her one more time." I thought, but one more time would turn into one more time and one more time...we weren't ready to let her go.
Timmy asked Cory, in a bit of a light hearted moment, said "Hey, Cory, you want to go find that dove?"
Addyson had her pink camoflauge blanket and a bear that she had in the hospital after her surgery. They have placed a nightlight at her grave.
And in the middle of ALL this sadness, God answered my prayer. My prayer was that I would say something encouraging or be an encouragement to my family.
Before Addyson's heart surgery, I had given Lindsay a card with a lot of scripture. She said they tore the house apart looking for that card to use scripture for her slideshow. She emailed me a few days before the funeral and asked for more scripture. I started crying and got on my knees and prayed for the right scripture.
Then at the funeral, my aunt Ginny said, through her tears, "You don't know how much strength you have given us!"
I know that strength wasn't from me, but from God. He just used me. I pray that He will use me like that ALL the time. What a bittersweet day! We will miss Addyson, but we know she is not afraid, she is in the everlasting arms of our Lord! We will see her someday and she will know us and we will know her.
"He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blamesless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I Corinthains 1:8
