All's Right with the World

When Katie's hair grew back the first time, it became a huge blonde 'fro! We loved it.

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!
~Robert Browning

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"When I Finally Make it Home"

Photo by Spring Hill Merchant

MercyMe is one of my favorite contemporary Christian bands; I love all of their music. This song in particular is amazing - “Finally Home.” I can’t listen to it without shedding a tear, but they are cleansing ones.

When I attempt to sing along, I tweak the first couple of lines just a bit:

“I’m gonna wrap my arms around my Katie’s neck
And tell her that I’ve missed her.
And tell her all about the mom that I became
And hope that it pleased her.”

~~~

Cancer Can't...

Katie in the red wagon at UNC. It was her favorite mode of transpo at the hospital.

Cancer is so limited that:

It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit

~Anonymous

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A Valentine Memory

While at UNC Hospital, Katie would spend hours drawing and writing and coloring. She loved to make valentines for her loved ones. Since she loved everybody, she always had a lot of work to do! Because of Katie, I learned that you can make a perfect valentine by folding the paper and cutting the folded edge into a half-heart shape.

I can imagine Katie making hearts in heaven...

There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder. ~Charles Morgan

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The In-Between

A few days after Katie left us for heaven, I had a dream about her. It was one of the many dreams that would come... The poem below came from a very special message I received from God and Katie.

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The In-Between

I see Katie standing alone
She is in-between
This world and the next
Standing alone in the middle
The in-between
On one side
There’s mommy and daddy
On the other side
There’s the Lord
He is standing there patiently waiting
Waiting for Katie to come home
His arms are outstretched, beckoning
From the in-between Katie turns
She waves to mommy and daddy
Blows them a farewell kiss
She is sad, but also happy
And she runs . . .
Runs faster and faster
She runs to her Lord
Jumps into His arms
He catches her, holds her high
They walk off into heaven
Out of the in-between
Katie chooses her cloud
She dons her wings
She is free now
Yes, Lord, she is free now

for katie by mom
~~~

Eyes So Blue

Where Did You Come From?

by George MacDonald, 1871

Where did you come from, baby dear?
Out of the everywhere into here.
Where did you get your eyes so blue?
Out of the sky as I came through.
What makes the light in them sparkle and spin?
Some of the starry spikes left in.
Where did you get that little tear?
I found it waiting when I got here.
What makes your forehead so smooth and high?
A soft hand stroked it as I went by,
What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?
I saw something better than anyone knows.
Whence that three-comer'd smile of bliss?
Three angels gave me at once a kiss.
Where did you get this pearly ear?
God spoke, and it came out to hear.
Where did you get those arms and bands?
Love made itself into hooks and hands.
Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?
From the same box as the cherubs' wings.
Where did you get that dimple so cute,
God touched my cheek as I came through.
How did they all come just to be you?
God thought of me, and so I grew.
But how did you come to us, you dear?
God thought of you, and so I am here.

~~~

New Day, New Year, New Hope

Katie loved to draw pictures of her family. In the above, she has depicted herself, her cousins Tommy and James and her sister Shannon, a.k.a. Sissy.

Below is a quote that reminds me of my beloved angel...

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“We can all be angels to one another. We can choose to obey the still small stirring within, the little whisper that says, Go. Ask. Reach out. Be an answer to someone's plea. You have a part to play. Have faith. We can decide to risk that He is indeed there, watching, caring, cherishing us as we love and accept love. The world will be a better place for it. And wherever they are, the angels will dance.” ~ Joan Wester Anderson

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