Celebrating life after death...in spite of death

My big sister is so special!

Oops one balloon popped!

Daddy is writing a love note to his girl

Today is Tuesday, 9/11, so many people are remembering, missing someone, wondering, pondering, or crying...and my heart breaks with them. And with the millions if not billions others around the world who has questioned the meaning of death and with that the meaning of life.

I meant to post this a week ago, on our daughter's fourth birthday. We call it her birthday, although she was stillborn. September 4, 2003. Can you believe we would have a four year old? It is hard to imagine. Harder to imagine what is she like to day. It is just hard to envision her existing, somewhere, where we can't see her, touch her, feel her, hear her...What is heaven? Is it the answer to our mysterious longing for a better life?

I know I shouldn't start all philosophical, not so late at night, because I can go round and round and round and never get off this merry go round. (On a side note: I am sorry I haven't posted in a long time...still getting in a routine now that I am back from my extended vacation and 'my' personal computer is a little old, a little slow, and doesn't work like the one I am used to...It is an antique as far as computers go, it's a windows 2000!!)

Above are some pictures of what we have done this past week for Gioia on her birthday. I would like to throw her a real party, and someday I hope I will be living the best party of my life with her by my side, but for now we can celebrate her with a few baloons and some homemade butterlfy-shaped sugar cookies. Celebrate her life that she lived, we wished she had lived more of, and the life she has, that I believe (Lord, help my unbelief) we all do in Christ, we all do in Love.

Once again, Happy Birthday my sweet Gioia, I hope you know that we love you, sometimes more than we can believe possible. We miss you so much and wish you were here. And in case you couldn't ever possibly wish you were on our side of things, that is okay. This is all I know for now and it is perfectly okay baby that you want to be where you are. I can't wait to be there with you too. I am so thankful for the gifts I have in your daddy and baby brother, family and friends, I dont' know what I would do without them. But it probably doesn't compare with Heaven. I love you sweet girl. You will always be my baby and I will always love you.

P.S. Thank you for all who have celebrated her this years and years past by letting me know how you haven't forgotten her either!