To those who have loved and lost

This is an entry I am writing mainly for my dear friend Melissa. I take my dreams seriously-to an extent. Some of my dreams are very realistic and some just plain don't make any sense. I had a dream last week of a friend loosing a child at birth-a little girl. I told Mark and a few people about this dream because I didn't recognize the friend. The following day I found out that my friend Melissa was going in to be induced because her little babies heart had stop beating. She was not full term but far enough along that she had grown to love the little one in her and to accommodate all the new changes for her and her family. I visited with Melissa the day that she found out her loss and my heart ached for her-Not only because of loosing a special baby but because she saw this as the end. Never being able to see, hold or raise the precious little girl. My heart aches for her still and I know that it will be a long hard haul back to "normal". But the one thing I am very grateful to know is that there is a forever- there is a time when we can love and be with those we have lost. A time for the eternal family. I know Melissa will miss baby Riley and I know her heart will long to hold her every day. I also know that the love she has for that child will never END. The message is there-Christ died for us and suffered everything that we have to endure on this earth. He did this that we could live again, he did this so we could face our own challenges and see how well we endure them.
I bought Melissa a willow figurine on the day induction, it was of a lady holding a baby, titled "guardian". I thought this would be an appropriate little gift to remember her baby-that her baby would always be watched by a guardian-whether on earth or in heaven. Melissa and I talked today and she wept to me that the gift I gave her meant so much because she had bought her other 2 sons each a willow figurine when they were born. I think sometimes we are inspired for reasons. I am still trying to find and grasp what my reasons are but my dream and the gift tell me that things are not just a coincidence-they have a purpose.
I love you Melissa and Kyle and know that you can make it through this.