Christmas 2002

This was the manger scene at Warner Christian Preschool in Florida. The picture is part of an ornament she made. It hangs to a ribbon that connects it to cutouts of her hand prints. Teachers, never underestimate how precious these little gifts are that you have students make for their parents. This is now priceless to us. This is our second Christmas without Emily. How thankful we are for the memories!

Emily loved cats. This one, Sugar, was birthed by our other cat, Thalia. Emily liked to "recite" the genealogy by regularly saying, "Thalia-mommy, Shoona-baby!" (Note the ever-present beads.)

The coming of the second autumn without Emily reminds me of the autumn of her 13-year life. What a special few months those were! She had been off treatment for six months and was full of more energy than we had seen in a long time. We always took her on walks in her wheelchair, but that fall she would ask us to stop so she could get out and run. It brought us great joy to see her run. Now she's running in Heaven.

Elena, Abbie's friend, recently drew this picture and wrote these words on the drawing:

You make me laugh.
Thoughts of you--thoughts of you spinning those beads round and round, hours and hours.
I'll never forget that sound.
Thoughts of you singing those tunes in the car.
Laughing, giggling, playing in the back seat--my little angel you are.

Thoughts of you watching that show many times.
Ha, I do not know, but every time it would play, you would find something new to enjoy looking at.

Your kisses and hugs are unforgettable.
Your laugh, sweet medicine that could heal all my pain.
How is it you're the only one that could make me smile on a rainy day?
Is it the way your eyes light up and sparkle when you look at me?
Is it your warm smile? That smile others wish they could capture the love behind?
Your love--that love you have is unique, precious.
Every little thing is so special, special just like you.
Oh, if only the world could have what you had.
My Emily.

This was a sand sculpture that Sonja, Abbie, and the Wyborny girls did in Daytona during a recent visit.

Happy 15th Birthday, Emily!

We planted this dogwood tree on Emily's birthday last year, so it was special to see the first blooms on it this spring.

This was our last picnic on the Blueridge Parkway together October 2007. Tomorrow would have been her 15th birthday.

Sometimes Miracles Hide

This 5-minute web video is of a Bruce Carroll song called "Sometimes Miracles Hide." It really expresses how we feel about the 13-year gift we had of Emily. (Click here if you want to watch it.)

This tapestry was a gift from Emily's Aunt Connie (Sam's sister) and Uncle Ron. It hangs in our living room and reminds us that Emily is now in the presence of Jesus.

Someone we went to church with in Moore, Oklahoma, found this old picture and posted it on Facebook, so I stole it to put here. Every time we see a picture of Emily that we've never seen before, it's like we're having a new encounter with her. Her memory ministers comfort to us. (She's the one in the middle holding the teacher's hand. Another Down syndrome girl, Kylie, is on the left.)

The butterfly has come to be symbolic for us. It represents the transformed body and life Emily now has. This butterfly was a special gift from a friend. We placed it at Emily's grave.

December 30, 2008, was a year since we said goodbye to our Emily. The family that was with us the night she died came all the way from their home in Florida to be with us on the one-year anniversary of her passing. That meant so much to us.

This picture is from when we lived in Oklahoma; she loved to dress up. Some people think that it makes us sad to think or talk of Emily. It's just the opposite. We might cry, but keeping her memory alive is important to us and brings us joy.