I had written posts for Tuesday and Wednesday, which was Nora’s official birthday. But since then I received the very sad news that little Rosalie who I had requested prayer for on the Praying for Nora FB page has gone on to heaven yesterday (April 17th) just 4 hours after she was born. Like Nora, Rosalie was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 while she was still in her Mommy’s, Krystal’s womb. Despite the laundry list of very frightening statistics, Rosalie’s parents also made the decision to carry her to term, and to put their trust in God. Reading the words of Krystal’s blog are almost a direct parallel of my own thoughts and emotions that I was experiencing exactly a year prior. As fate would have it, Nora Rose and Rosalie would come to share the same birthday. Fervent prayers for strength and peace for this sweet family were amalgamated with my rejoicing over my own sweet baby’s one year birthday. I wanted so badly to hear that Rosalie made it and felt that maybe if we hoped and prayed, wished and pleaded hard enough that God would answer that prayer for them too. I was sitting outside watching Gavin play basketball this evening when I got the news in an email from Krystal that Rosalie had gone on to heaven. I sat there numb with sadness staring up at the three birds who happened across the sky. “How is it that I got to bring home a baby, and other families don’t?” I wondered aloud. In that moment I remembered a correspondence I’d shared with another Mommy of an Angel. In her email to me she had pitched the same question. Through the loss of her own baby girl (also named Nora Rose!) Alison pointed out to me that God tailors each experience and each outcome lovingly and specifically for each person. She is able to see now that God was saving her from the hurt and worry that I deal with regularly in regard to my Nora’s health. It is just differently distributed afflictions of heartache, differently distributed opportunities to draw closer to God. Because we are all unique individuals, we are given unique individual experiences. There are no cookie cutter prayers to be said, and no cookie cutter answers to be given. Only God knows what is best for us, even though we think we have it all figured out for ourselves. Alison’s Nora and now little Rosalie won’t get to be raised by their parents here on this earth — but PRAYERS WERE STILL ANSWERED. That might not feel so obvious to Rosalie’s family right now in the fresh anguish of their loss, but through their unwavering trust and faith in God it will.

A wise woman once said back in January, “Every day from here on can be hard if we let it. But I’m learning to trust in Him, that he will direct my life, my circumstances, my day to day. He is capable. And He is more than capable of caring for my Rosie whether it’s watching her grow here with us or holding her in His arms in Heaven.”

We’re all praying for you Krystal, Chris and family!

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

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Tuesday

“Oh, hi! I’m worried that my hair might be a little fuzzy this morning. Maybe I’ll order up a baff.”

“I could sure use a wash and a rinse…”

“Maybe get my nails did up?”

“Yeahh.”

“That looks like a fun time!”

“Hey! Did you hear about these piggies? It says here they got woken up. They were in the hay it says.”

BIRTHDAY Wednesday

Incase you haven’t seen it on the Praying for Nora FB page, here is the video I created in celebration of Nora’s birth.

Go, go, go, go, go, go
Go Nora, it’s your birthday
We gonna party like its your birthday
We gon’ sip milkies like its your birthday,
And you know we might have some cake, it’s your birthday!

“You can find me in the tub, bottle full o milks…”

Nora and I had a sweet day together just she and I after Daddy and the big kids left for work and school. After her birthday baff we had a few special visitors and then we played in her new rocker chair.

“Well now dis is kinda interesting!!”

Then we went on a short walk to the mailbox before heading right back home because someone got upset about it all. (I won’t name any names…)

This same certain little somebody did, however, enjoy sitting out on the deck for over an hour.

It was so CUTE watching her little wisps blow in the warm breeze.

She was very amused by the wicker pattern of the bench we were lounging on!

“Dis is kinda funny!”

After dinner we sang Happy Birthday to little Nornor. She would have preferred that we sang the song at least 20 more times.

(whispering) “I get deez people to do whatever I want just with a couple of fusses and some super-extra cuteness. Haha!”

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
(Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Thursday

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
(James 1:17 NLT)