It's not lost on me how much I have to be thankful for each day. I'm so blessed to spend my days with these two love bugs.
We celebrated Jamie's birthday this week twice. Lilianna is getting good at blowing out candles because her daddy gave her lots of practice.
Also, we have been taking advantage of the warmer weather.
Jamie has high hopes for Lilianna's athletic abilities, so I'm praying she takes after her dad! :)
This is Uncle Bubs! We love him!
Lilianna's pop taught her how to ride this. I was so impressed.
This is the sweetest face in the world!
So, I let Lilianna dress herself. Needless to say, we stayed home that day. :)
But, the girl does know how to shop, and she loves shoes!
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more! Amen."
Jude 24, 25
Hallelujah for all that God has done and will continue to do to fulfill the purposes for Brynlee's life.
I'm finally feeling better. I'm just a little congested still.
Thank you for praying for me to get well this week. Hopefully, I'll stay well for awhile.
I've been super busy typing for my NBPTS. I'm hoping I get a lot more done in the next two weeks.
Lilianna has actually been the only one healthy in the house, so it's been nice that she has not been sick. She is full of surprises, and we are enjoying her so much.
Overall, there's not much new going on because I've been sitting in my computer room every night this week typing.
I was told it might take three months for all of my numbers to go back to normal and that has proven to be true. I now have my second sinus infection within the last month. Also, I have a double ear infection.
I can't wait to feel 100% better again because Lilianna has been so much fun. I love her so much!
I want to be real - honest. God has carried me through this experience, but there are times when I still cry and feel deep pain. I'm mean it is not always well with my soul. There are times when I break because I wish I still had Brynlee and she was healthy and whole. She will never be replaced in my heart. It's not possible. She is in my thoughts daily. February 23rd will always be inscribed on my heart. I plan to buy an ornament to celebrate her life every Christmas, and I hope I think of many more ways to celebrate her life. I say celebrate because I know children are a reward from God, and I greatly value life. Also, Brynlee's life had many purposes and that's something to celebrate!
But back to my point, I want to be realistic with you and tell you the truth. There are times when I'm worn, especially when it comes to one prayer request I've had for five years.
We had a wonderful weekend. Friday night we took Lilianna to watch the Naturals play, and Lilianna had a great time with her dad.
Lilianna had so much fun that Daddy gave her some extra practice on Saturday. Then, we went to a birthday party at Fast Lane for one of my students.
Today, my friend, Ashley, and I took our girls to see Sesame Street Live. It was Lilianna's first concert, and we had a blast. I loved every single moment.
Thank you Ashley for a GREAT day!
Overall, I'm continually blessed by everyone around me, including my Harp family. I pray God blesses everyone for all they have done for me. Thank you for your continued prayers as well. I get better each week.
On March 30, 2013, we had a small service with our immediate family. After a lot of prayer, we were blessed with beautiful weather at 4:30 on Mount Sequoyah. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us during this service and the weather.
Brynlee’s Baby
Dedication and Celebration of Life Service
Brynlee Sharon Green
Born into
Heaven on February 23, 2013
4
pounds, 12 ounces; 13 inches long
Opening Prayer from Lolli and Pop
1 Samuel 1:26-26 "[Hannah to the Priest Eli] As surely as you live, my lord, I am the
woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child,
and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD.
For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD."
Daddy’s Dedication Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Your world is full of life and wondrous mystery. In the joys of birth and sorrows of death, we have come into contact with the heartbeat of Your glory. You give and take away, and so we count Brynlee Sharon Green as a gift and miracle from your heart. Thank you for this treasured child of ours. Although You entrusted Brynlee to us for a short period of time, we know she belongs to You. Like Hannah offered Samuel, we dedicate our child to You, Lord. We recognize that she is always in Your care. Even though she has walked through the valley of the shadow of death, we praise You that she did not fear evil, You were with her, and Your rod and Your staff comforted her. We thank You that one day we will dwell in Your house as a family forever.
We pray that Lilianna and Brynlee, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep Your love is for us. We commit our lives to raising Lilianna and remembering Brynlee to the glory of Your name because their lives will forever testify your love and faithfulness.
Amen
Psalm 139:13-18
For
you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I
praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was
made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of
the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me
were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Blessings with Flowers
Gigi and Daddaddy
Lolli, Pop, and Uncle Bubs
Mommy, Lilianna, and Daddy
Mommy’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Brynlee’s life, and we thank You she was given to us to bless our lives. May we remember this on days of sorrow when our hearts are breaking. May we always remember her life as a gift from You and anticipate the day we will see her again among her family. We thank You she was greeted into Heaven by her siblings, Milledge Aubrey and Buster Watts (Grandfather's names...long story. :) / Also, I had two miscarriages before I had Lilianna.), grandfather, Tim Braddock, great grandmothers, Louise and Chelsea, and grandfathers, Buster, Aubrey, Milledge Watts, and Charles, as well as countless Angels and Your marvelous and wondrous love. We pray that she will always know how much we love her even though we did not get to snuggle her in bed each night with Bebe (Snoopy), laugh at her adorable quirks, marvel at her endless beauty, cherish all the special memories she could have made with Lilianna, or get to see the world through her eyes. We know she is showering us with love from Heaven above where she is healthy and whole. Dear Lord, please help us to fulfill every purpose for which she was given to us to the glory of Your name. We dedicate our lives to fulfilling these purposes and raising Lilianna to fulfill all of the purposes for which she was given to us as well. We know children are a gift from the Lord. Bless us as parents as we raise Lilianna. May she always know as well how wide, deep, long, and high your love is for our lives. May she live her life knowing Brynlee was a gift to our family and understand that all things work together for good for those who love You.
Amen
Psalm
137:3
Children
are a gift from the Lord;
they
are a reward from him.
Releasing of Balloons
Lilianna’s Prayer
Proverbs 22:6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will
not leave it.
You
shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these
words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them
diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,
and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
(I plan on having her buried with me in my arms when I go to Heaven.
The song "I will Carry You" gave me this idea and has greatly comforted me.)
(This is my grandma's favorite song. I can still hear her singing it.)
Thank you for blessing us with your prayers on this journey.
