I came across a blog the other day of a darling young mother who passed away recently at the age of 28 from Lukemia. There were pictures of her with her handsome husband, and a beautiful 5 year daughter. You could see the disease taking its toll, she didn't look like herself in the most recent pictures. My heart ached for her family. So many feelings re-surfaced for me upon reading about her death. My thoughts went out to her parents, her sister, her husband, her daughter, her friends...everyone who loved her and will miss her so much. I wondered to myself how different dealing with death is when you are anticipating it....knowing it is imminent watching a loved one suffer in pain. What I know for sure, is that it is the hardest test I have ever had to bear, but did not bear alone or without comfort.
I have been thinking a lot about how my soul is comforted...every single day. I know this young mothers family will be blessed with that same comforting spirit. I can't help but share an incredible story of comfort for us after Natalie's passing. It was the day after her funeral, and the phone rang, it was a young woman from our Morningside Ward. Kent had been her Sunday School teacher over the years. She asked if she and some of her friends could come and visit us. Of course we said yes. Shortly thereafter the door bell rang, and there stood Laura Caballero and about a dozen of her friends all dressed in their Sunday best. We invited them in where they proceded to form a large half circle in our family room and sang to us these three hymns:
"Be Still my Soul"
"Families can be Together Forever "
"God be With You"
We wept. Not out of sadness, but out of complete assurance and joy that we knew without a doubt that Natalie was not gone forever, but that we are seperated for a short time and we will be together again. What a incredible gift of the spirit that these kids brought into our home. No doubt they have all gone on to serve missions, get married, and perhaps could even be parents now. But I am forever grateful for the peace they brought to my soul that day. I list their names below in hopes that you might know them or they might even see their own name and know what a incredible gift they gave us that day. Never again can I sing any of these Hymns without it profoundly touching me.
Laura Caballero
Rachel Crosby
Maloree Hunt
Laura Wintch
Kindra Pectol
Peter Anderson
Erin McClean
Elliott Bueler
Ashley Wilkey
Gregory Anderson
Vannessa Garcia
David Oliver
Cindee Perry
Lex Howard
Denise Cyr
After leaving our home, they let us know that they were going to go to Natalies grave site to sing to her also. I know for a fact that it comforted her as well. What a beautiful tribute to her.
8 comments:
I left a comment on the Dixie Reunion homepage, but thought that I would leave one here as well.
I am one of, I guess, the few who had not heard of Natalie's passing. It came as a shocker and as I looked at your website for her, I cried and cried. My poor children couldn't seem to understand why mom kept hugging on them and crying.
Natalie was such a fun person ... always. She seemed to always have a smile ... even at 7:00 a.m. as we practiced and laughed at Madrigals.
She will be greatly missed on this earth, but, as you, I also have faith in Eternal Families and know that you will all get to be with her again too.
May the Lord bless her little son, family, and all who knew her.
~ Brianne (Lystrup) Ellison
Sherie,
Oh how I wish you didn't have to miss 'your' Natalie. I never even knew her... although Melanie has shared stories of her. I have not lost a child, but knowing that your Mother is going to die... thinking back on it I remember how cheated I felt...and then she reminded me that when my littlest sister was a baby when she got her breast cancer how she poured out her heart and soul to the Lord, begging him to stay awhile longer with her little girls, all seven of us. So when her terminal diagnosis was given 25+ years later... she let me know that she would not be going to the Lord again, she was going to accept his will. EVERYDAY I miss her and I so wish I could have one more day... but I am thankful for all the 'one more days' He gave us. She was a great Mother, she saw three of her girls go on missions and all seven of us go to the temple...what a blessing it was to know and love my Mother for she taught us that Families Are Forever! Thank you for stirring such tender feelings inside my heart. toodles, Sheila
Sherie, It is so funny that you would post about this amazing woman. Robin Rozier Groff's (the young mother I am guessing you are talking about) younger sister Lindsay Rozier, (the one who stayed with her day after day in the hospital) was one of my dearest friends from BYU. I lived with her for 3 years in Provo. I have been wanting to call you and tell you about this story to see if you had any comforting words I could pass on to this amazing family. Robin was an amazing person. I can not imagine fighting the battle she did. Hearing about the loss of her fight, and her situation made me think about Natalie. The Roziers are now in the exact same situation as your family. My heart aches for Robin's family and her sweet daughter Hailey, but I have to tell you that I find comfort for their family as I watch yours. Thank you for this sweet tribute to Robin and her family. In this time of extreme sadness I have felt for my friend Lindsay, and her family (that took me in so many times like I was their own) it made me smile.
Thank you thank you thank you...this is all I can say after spending some time here today.
I am so touched by the Spirit. My testimony is strengthened and my desire to love my children every minute is strong.
This is such a wonderful way to remember a wonderful girl and her family.
I too had found your beautiful link through Alice. I feel so blessed and thankful that I did. Your tribute to your daughter is beautifully done. It is not sad but encouraging and uplifting in every manner. Yet, I sit here bawling and feeling connected to a woman that I have never met.
I did read the other links to DVT and factor V. I found it hard to clearly understand what this travelling blood clot is and where it stems. How to prevent it or is it mainly inherited. I read every last word on this page. Thank you for creating this beautiful tribute to life. Mine is richer because I have been here.
One last comment. I wanted to say it is so important to take pictures. I never do, because I always wanted to be thinner. Then I had a health scare too, and realized my children do not have a picture of their mom, smiling and loving on them. I now take and am in thousands of pictures. Usually new parents are too poor to have professional pictures taken. This will be one of my gifts to my children after each grandbaby is born. (that and a scale) LOL, it was getting to serious).
I too had found your beautiful link through Alice. I feel so blessed and thankful that I did. Your tribute to your daughter is beautifully done. It is not sad but encouraging and uplifting in every manner. Yet, I sit here bawling and feeling connected to a woman that I have never met.
I did read the other links to DVT and factor V. I found it hard to clearly understand what this travelling blood clot is and where it stems. How to prevent it or is it mainly inherited. I read every last word on this page. Thank you for creating this beautiful tribute to life. Mine is richer because I have been here.
One last comment. I wanted to say it is so important to take pictures. I never do, because I always wanted to be thinner. Then I had a health scare too, and realized my children do not have a picture of their mom, smiling and loving on them. I now take and am in thousands of pictures. Usually new parents are too poor to have professional pictures taken. This will be one of my gifts to my children after each grandbaby is born. (that and a scale) LOL, it was getting to serious).
What a beautiful blog. Such a wonderful tribute. (I clicked over from alice's blog.) Thank you so much for all that you have written.
Sherie I have been reading Natalie's blog for months now and am usually too emotional to leave a comment. Crazy, because it isn't like I didn't know what happened. I love your letters in the sand. This is an amazing sight of love, hope and promise. Such a testimony builder of forever. An awesome example of love. I am so glad that you are able to continue to be a part of Noah's life. Natalie is defintely blessing everyone from above.
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