Jesus

One of the reasons I love Jesus is because even in my darkest moments, He is with me.

I'm so thankful for Jason and my little ray of sunshine. ; )

Cheese!

Chillin'

Zach even makes an appearance in Reese's name gallery.

Seriously, Mom.

I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.

Psalm 116:1

Reese's Name Gallery #7

Oh, my sweet Reese. I'm missing you so much. Life shouldn't be passing us by without you here. Sometimes the burden is just too heavy to bear, but what choice do we have? You have brought such meaning to my life - more than ever before, but it's also less sweet without you in my arms. Praise GOD He is still on His throne.

More pictures of Reese's beautiful name. Thank you thank you.

Letter stamps

Makeup

Peanuts and M&Ms

Fall leaf

Necklaces

I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the lowest pit.

Lamentations 3:55

Prayers

I am so glad GOD never tires of hearing our names being lifted up in prayer to Him. How sweet are your words to Him as well as to Jason and me.

It's an honor that the LORD places us on your heart. In the middle of the night, the early morning, throughout the day, when you are with your baby, when you lose your patience with your child, when you hear a certain song or read a verse...thank you for being sensitive to Him. Through your obedience you are helping me slowly heal. Through the Scriptures you give to me, poems you share, even through dreams and visions.

Someone recently emailed, "Those who have loved on your family seem to be guided by God and truly know how to be an extension of His comfort." This is exactly how I feel.

I am also very touched by your children who are praying for us or want to know about our family and Reese. Thank you for sharing Reese's life with your children. I love hearing their reactions to writing her name or their thoughts about Heaven. How refreshing Heaven is through a child's eyes!

Someone prayed this for me ~

Perfect, extraordinary Father,

Coming to You now on behalf of Katie. I don't even know her but feel the depth of her pain; sometimes as if it were my own. Only because we are connected in You would I be able to feel on her behalf. Even when we intimately know the depth of Your love for us, the beauty of Your heart and the surety of Your will for our lives, it doesn't stop us from buying into the lies and burdens that Satan lays on our hearts at tender moments. God, I'm begging You to be a shield of truth all around Katie right now. Lord, just as You're holding Reese in your arms, hold Katie too. Hold her so close that she finds perfect freedom in Your strength. Sweep her away so deeply that Satan's lies shatter against the shield of Your Truth over her heart. I pray against the battle in her life and that Your crazy amazing grace would wash her in the sweetest peace. Even if just for two minutes today, God, give her a moment of complete rest and freedom from the pain of Reese's death. Give her just an ounce in that moment of happiness, joy and sweet surrender. Though I know she knows You are ultimately good, please remind her of Your tender promises in Isaiah 43:1-5. Be over her, raining Your sweet mercies on her head. Be under her, holding her up when her strength fails her. Be through her, giving her the sweet breath of life when her own fails her. Be before her, so that when the lies of Satan blur her steps, she can merely follow Yours.

In Your name, Amen.

Another sweet sister in Christ emailed,

"I will forever stand and proclaim, HE IS JEALOUS FOR YOU! He is

relentlessly pursuing you, and asks for nothing more than your cooperation - He has all the rest figured out already - let Him surprise you; let Him

amaze you; let Him love on you; let Him give you life...to the full!"

Another friend wrote,

"I believe that GOD will impart completion and wholeness to you, nothing broken, nothing missing."

Prayers, words, Scriptures like this you are sharing drive me to my knees in humility.

My amazing family, treasured friends I have known standing by us, new friends I have met through the internet, other precious moms who have babies in Heaven ~ thank you for reaching out. Believing with me. For me. My tears are not in vain. GOD will restore our broken hearts.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Romans 8:24-25

Fall Fun

This weekend was full of Fall festivities. Friday night we went to our small group's pumpkin carving fellowship. It was so refreshing to be with these precious friends. It was the first fellowship we had been to since Reese was born.

Cody, Shannon, me, and Jason

Beautiful friends (inside and out!)

Jason and I got really creative this year. The "R" stands for Rowe (or Reese). ; )

Yes, Cody is holding a knife...brother-in-laws!

All of the pumpkins

At the pumpkin patch Z picked out the medium sized pumpkin for himself and the little one for Reese.

Jaime made this cute Halloween bucket for Zach. I love it! She also surprised me with this little one for Reese. I will love getting it out and seeing it year after year during fall. Wow, such an amazing thoughtful gift honoring Reese.

Saturday we went to a little Halloween party. There was a monkey, jack-in-the-box, chicken, princess, elephant, ladybug, all sorts of fun characters. ; )

My little duck duck holding a chick

We had to trick or treat with the baby chickens, too. ; )

Thankfully Z only threw it down once. It was ok, I promise!

That my heart may sing to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give You thanks forever.

Psalm 30:12

Reese's Name Gallery #6

The thought and creativity each person puts into Reese's pictures are unbelievable. I love how many of your children are helping you. Precious.

Red balloons being released to Reese ; )

Texas bluebonnets

Pumpkin candy

Jewels

Tootsie rolls

At the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth...

Philippians 2:10

Thoughtful

Sarah and Richard made a video honoring babies who are in Heaven. It's just perfect. They are siblings who have a very special place in their hearts for those of us who have lost a baby. They wrote babies' names on flower petals shaped in a heart. To see the video go here.

Reese's name is in the middle to the left.

Such a beautiful gift. Thank you!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jason with Reese. It takes my breathe away. He used to do the same thing with Zach when he was a baby. It's like Jason is simply taking in the sweet smell of Reese and her soft skin. Savoring every second. A father's love. Stunning.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.

Psalm 28:7

Punkin'

Jason and I took Z to a pumpkin patch and amusement park on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous.

On a mission somewhere...

Found one!

Fun in the leaves

Z & Jason

This ride was hilarious. Since it is a kiddy ride, we expected it to go fairly slow. Oh, no. It jerked him around and around in circles! It surprised us all, but I don't think Z minded. ; )

Choo choo!

All done.

People are so good to us. GOD is good to provide such love and support (above and beyond!) through our families, new friends, and old friends as we fumble through all of these emotions. I've been amazed at how many of you are just "enough." You know when we need time, you know when to call, email, or just pray. It's such a blessing, and I am confident that it's the LORD impressing you one way or another. Thank you!

Some of you are concerned about talking with me about Reese. Please don't be! Just think of it as if you were asking me about Zach. It should be that normal because I don't mind, I promise. She is our daughter just like Z is our son. I want to make this comfortable for you, too, because I know you love us and are desperately trying to understand and walk with us through this pain.

You will not turn a good day into a hard one if you ask me about Reese. I'm thinking about her anyway, so it won't take me by surprise. Everyone responds differently to death, but it is healthy and healing for me to talk about her.

I am a curious person, too, so I understand. If you have any questions about Reese, don't hesitate to ask me. If you wonder things like if I have gone through her closet yet (no way, not for a long time), what it is like for me to go into her nursery, if her marker has come in yet (no), or what I think about having more children, it's ok to ask.

Every day is different. If you feel the need to hug me, then do it. ; ) If I'm having a "good" day, it will make it even better. If the day is a hard one, then you'll lift me up a bit.

It's a breathe of fresh air for me to talk about Reese. I love it. I truly value those friends who can talk with me about fingernail polish and in the next sentence talk about Reese. I know all of this takes time, but you'll find the more you do it the easier it will become. ; )

Jason and I love the LORD from the bottom of our hearts for providing us with friends and family who make us feel safe. Who seem to understand even though you've never been where we are. You help ease our pain. Thanks, LORD.

He will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with His hand.

Psalm 37:24