A New School Year

As everyone starts the new school year, I can't help but miss my Charlee that much more! Instead of her walking to her first grade class, her beautiful picture hangs on a memorial wall at her school. What a treasure her memory is indeed! #charleesangels

A True Beauty

With the Charlee Challenge under way, I thought I'd share Charlee's before and after pics from a year ago. We have 12 inches to donate, but I just haven't been able to part with it yet. Her hair will also be donated at her 1 year mark in March.  She had the most beautiful hair, but it became too hard to control. She was a true beauty inside and out!

Charlee Challenge

March 15, 2015 will mark 1 year of our Charlee girl going to Heaven. So to honor her, Cashlee & I will be donating our hair...we have 7 months to let it grow, grow, grow!
What better way to honor our girl than to help someone else fighting a hard fight!
We challenge any and all of you to join us in this Charlee Challenge!

We Were Blessed

I've been thinking a lot about something that was said at the Batten Conference during the memorial service.
The pastor spoke about a lady he used to visit in a nursing home. During one of his first visits, she told him about her late husb...and. They had only been married a short time when he was in horrible accident leaving him severely disabled and even bed ridden. She was his care taker for many, many years. When he heard about her trial he said "I'm so sorry!" She said "don't be sorry! I was honored to care for him and learn all I did from him!"
As we heard this, we thought the very same thing about our Charlee girl! What an honor it was to be her care takers. As hard as it was to watch her lose ability after ability and have her become completely bed ridden, we would do it a thousand times more. We were proud to help her through all she endured. The things she taught our family, changed our lives for the better! All of a sudden the little petty things in life didn't seem to matter. We enjoyed the simple things in life. We became more compassionate and more loving.
She was truly an Angel. She was perfect! She was beautiful, strong and had an enormous spirit. Anyone that has ever seen her sweet face has been touched. So I tell you now, don't be sorry for what we went through because we were blessed to go through her trial with her! We were honored to take care of her and learn all we did from her! She taught us more in her short 6 years than most learn in a whole life time. We love you Charlee Bear!

5 Long Months

To my dearest Charlee, it's been 5 long months since I've held you in my arms, felt your heart beat for the last time and had your physical body in our home. We miss you more and more everyday. Our lives will never be the same.
Like the words in your chorus say:
You'll stay right here inside our hearts
Holding us in your sweet hands
We love you so and we know you know
How you've changed the world for us
Yes, you've changed the world for us
Charlee
We love and miss you baby girl.
We know where you are and only can imagine how happy you are. You have a much greater mission on the other side and I'm so proud to be your mom!

Every Teardrop

HE GATHERS EVERY TEARDROP

Regardless of the circumstance,
Regardless of the fear,
Regardless of the pain we bear,
Regardless of the tear,...

Our God is ever in control,
Performing as He should,
And He has promised in His word
To work things for our good

But as a loving Father would,
He sometimes lets us cry
To cleanse the hurt out of our heart,
To wash it from our eye.
Yet gently gathers He the tears
Within His hands to stay
Until He turns them into pearls
And gives them back someday.

Glenda Fulton Davis

The day we went to dress Charlee a lot of tears were shed by all in the room. I leaned over her and just let it out. Later that night I was looking at the pictures taken and noticed a tear fell perfectly on her face like she was crying with us! This is a treasure I will always hold near my heart. It made me think that maybe she would miss us just as much as we'd miss her!

The hurt fills my eyes and the tears come daily for my Charlee. I miss her so very much, but I know she is dancing in the sky and perfect in every way. I went to her grave today for the first time all by myself. I talked, I cried and I sang to my sweet girl. A very peaceful feeling was felt today.