Lucy…

…Four years ago, we had the privilege of seeing your beautiful face, of holding you and introducing you to friends and family, and finally, of saying a proper good-bye to you. In truth, we already knew you. While you were still safe in the womb, we spent time watching you move, feeling your hiccups, marveling at your ultrasound pictures and wondering if you would look like your big brother. We knew that this was our special time with you, and we did our best to make memories with you.

Today, I’m feeling a bit sad. I miss you, and that’s a nice feeling, since there are some days when you seem so far away and long ago. I’m spending time with your brother and sisters; we’re eating cake and enjoying the pink roses on our kitchen table, and we had a nice time at story-time and Mass this morning. Christopher woke up with a jubilant “It’s Lucy’s birthday!” this morning, making me smile. Every hour, I’m thinking of what I was doing at that time on the day you were born…Where I was, who I was talking to, what part of the labor I was in. You were born at 4:45, just about an hour from now. It’s nice to remember all of these details again, because on the day of your birth I got to be your mother in a real, concrete way. Since then, I’ve just had the memories and, of course, the hope that I will see you again in heaven.

So happy birthday, sweet Lucy. We love you and are so grateful that God made you a part of our family!

Lucy Rose, pray for us!