November 13, 2011

Dearest baby boy,

Two years have passed since you left us...

While you are not here with us, we remember you on a daily basis.

You are never far from our thoughts.

You still are, and will always be, an important part of our lives.

A lovely woman in Australia has a special beach where

she writes in the sand the names of sweet little ones

who have left this earth too soon.

She took the most beautiful picture of your name in the sand at sunset.

The sky was so incredible.

It was as though the glory of heaven opened up and poured forth!

The colors are so royal and the ocean seems to be at peace.

She also gave us one of her special butterflies in your name.

Gramma and I have these pictures framed in our bedrooms,

alongside your cousins and your baby brother's pictures.

You see: you are never forgotten.

The summer before last, we planted a rose bush in your honor.

After a long cold winter, your rose bush was the only one that survived.

When we moved into our new home this past spring,

your rose bush came with us.

It still produces the most beautiful of roses:

each blossom unique, each a slightly different color.

Yellows, oranges, scarlets, pinks...

We save all of the petals and dry them.

Their scent is heavenly.

We save them for our now yearly memorial for you.

We go to the same park where we sought solace after your death.

We stand on the arched bridge in silence and scatter your petals into the water.

Last year the water was still and calm.

This year it was full of gentle ripples.

Last year, many of the trees had lost their leaves

by November 13th.

But this year most of the trees were still clad in wonderous colors!

Gramma and I stood side by side and took in the beauty of it all

while we thought of you.

We slowly let our rose petals fall from our hands...

...and drift away...

Despite people crossing the bridge, it was still a very peaceful time.

Later we noticed that some petals had fallen not into the water

but onto the bridge at our feet.

It reminded me of your Memorial two years ago...

when we were to blow out our candles and

say goodbye to you...

I didn't want to blow mine out.

Instead the wind blew it out for me.

 Love you, sweet one.

~Auntie M

PS~The tree in the picture above stands at the park

where we go to scatter your rose petals.

It reminded me of a heart and seemed apropriate for the memorial card

I make each year for Gramma and me to store with our

other special keepsakes of you.

I was happy to see that it was still standing strong where I had

photographed it a year ago.