Remembering Aleigha - Part IV

This is the fourth and final installment in this mini-series I've been doing this week, in anticipation of Sunday, the day Aleigha Grace was scheduled to be born. In these blog entries, I've been sharing the things I wrote down during the week we learned of Aleigha's earthly fate, her birth, her death and her burial. These are things I wanted to remember and want to share with you so that you can see God's goodness as he worked in our situation.


"Ways God Has Blessed Us In the Midst of Our Pain & Grief"

22. The reassuring words from the mid-wives that there was absolutely nothing Rachael could have done to change the outcome or prevent Aleigha’s death was a huge blessing and brought Rachael great peace.

23. The hospital gave us a number of keep-sakes to bring home with us that we will be able to cherish forever and remember Aleigha by. They gave us a mold of Aleigha’s feet that one of the nurses made while we were in the hospital. This is something they do for the parents when there is an infant death.

24. I’m glad I took the time to create a lifetime memory and rock Aleigha during the final time that I would hold her this side of Heaven at the funeral home just prior to the graveside service at Olive Cemetery. I sang to her the same 3 songs (“Jesus Loves Me”, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children”) that I usually sing to Haley and that I surely would have sung to her if she had lived. We asked David & Theresa Cummings to sing these three same songs at the graveside service for Aleigha.

25. Haley was able to give Aleigha a present to take to heaven with her – a little lamb similar to Haley’s that we named “Gracie.” It had a butterfly on it. We told Haley that every time she sees a butterfly from now on she should remember her sister who is in Heaven now with Jesus.

26. There was a teddy bear in Aleigha’s casket when we got to the funeral home. We told Haley it was a gift from Aleigha to her. She carries it around just like she does her Lilly. In fact, often we will catch her giving it a big hug, as if to say, “I miss you Aleigha!” It will be a good way for Haley to continue remembering her sister.

27. And lastly, all those people (whom there are too many to name them all here) who brought us meals, those who sent us cards (many of which shared of their own painful loss of a child and how the Lord had brought them through it), those who stopped by, those who sent us plants and flowers and maybe most meaningful of all, those who have shared with us how Aleigha's story ministered to them and impacted their lives in one way or another.

In all these things and more, we find reassurance that Aleigha's life and death were not in vain but in fact had meaning and great significance. It is for this, that we are most grateful!