"I'll Build You a Rainbow"
Song written by: R. Scott Strong
I'll build you a rainbow, way up high above. Send down a sunbeam, plumb full of love. Sprinkle down raindrops, teardrops of joy. I'll be happy as spring-time, watchin' over my boy.
(Narration)
Once there was a boy named Jami. He had some great friends, but his greatest was his mom. Not in some sissy way like that. She was just different than the other moms. While they were busy going to their fashion shows and bridge parties, she was. home with him. They'd play in the backyard together, go on bike rides, have long talks, She was the best football player on the whole block. At least that's what the other guys said. They really thought she was special. You know, they wished their moms were more like that.
Then one day Jamie was called home from school. There was a big white ambulance in the driveway. When Jamie walked into the front door, his dad was talking to the doctor, and Jamie was scared. They said he could only talk to his mom for a minute, and when he tiptoed into the bedroom and saw his mother lying on the bed, she smiled and whispered, "Hi, Big J." that's what she always called him, even though he wasn't very big. she said he had a big heart.
She said, "Jamie, I'm going away and I won't be coming back. I'm dying." Big tears came to Jamie's eyes and he said, "Mom, you just can't die," And she said, "It's OK Babe, there's no regrets. I've been with you more in eleven years than most moms are with their boys in a whole life time." He said, "I know mom, but you just can't die, you just can't" And she said, "Jamie, there's a secret. It's a special secret, and I never want you to forget it...
Families are forever, and even though you won't see me, I'll still be there watching over you and waiting for you." And he said, "But mom, if I can't see you, well then, how will I know you're there?" She thought a minute, and then she smiled and answered..."
She kissed him, closed her eyes, and she was gone. As Jamie and his dad stood in the driveway watching the ambulance drive away, his dad broke down and started to cry. They hugged each other real tight and Jamie felt his dad's teardrops on his own cheeks and cried too. Then he remembered the secret and he looked up and sure enough, there it was, right over their house, a big rainbow, just like she said. And he said, "Dad, dad, it's alright..Families are forever."
(Verse)
I'll build you a rainbow, way up high above. Send down a sunbeam, plumb full of love. Sprinkle down raindrops, teardrops of joy. I'll be happy in heaven, watchin' over my boy.
Tiffany's Story:
It was a Sunday, Colby wanted to make dinner for my family to sort of get the "O.K., or the in" with them. After we had eaten and they had all left, we finished cleaning up and I had walked out the front door for some reason. I stood there for a minute and then happened to look up toward Snow Canyon and saw the biggest, brightest rainbow ever. I went back inside to get Noah to come see it. When I said there was a rainbow I wanted him to see, Colby came too. We all just stood there and admired it. I didn't really think anything of it, just that it was a cool looking rainbow.
Later, I think after we were married, Colby told me the significance of that rainbow to him. During Natalie's funeral the song "I'll build you a Rainbow" was sung. For Colby, the song let him know that Natalie would always be there to watch over Noah throughout his life. Colby had been praying for answers, mainly to know that he had made the right choice in wanting to make me his wife, and more importantly, a mommy for Noah. This rainbow confirmed that answer.
Sherie's Story:
August 1, 2007
Preface to the story;
We are considering a larger home. We are thinking about upsizing so our children and grandchildren will be more comfortable when we are all together. We have started to look all over St.George, and the surrounding areas but I am uneasy whenever we venture too far away from where we currently are. I can only explain it this way;
Natalie does not want us too far from Noah, and she does not want us too far from the cemetery. I know that may seem strange to some, but I have had a strong confirmation from Natalie that she is aware of all of us, where we are and what we are doing. After weeks of driving and looking for a home, we have found a home literally 2 minutes from our current home. This home is beautiful and new. It is large enough for all of us to gather, but small enough to be cozy.
It is perfect, and we have made a offer.
Below is a testimony that our loved ones on the other side of the veil are still very much a part of our every day lives……
I have been praying that if this house is supposed to be our house that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to and it will happen.
So yesterday morning as I was getting ready for work, I’m praying in my heart that if this is supposed to be….let it work out. Then I left for work. (early…by the way, I never leave early…) I went the opposite way to work that I normally go, I went south on Dixie Dr….I always go north on Dixie Dr.
Anyway,
As I turned the corner onto Dixie Dr. going south, I looked up and there was the biggest Rainbow…right there in front of me. Rainbows have a special significance since Natalie died, because we had the song "I’ll send you a Rainbow" sung at her funeral. The song is about a mother who tells her child on her death bed, that she won’t be far, and that whenever he needed something, to look for a rainbow, and it would be from her. Although Noah was just a baby, I knew that this would be significant to him one day.
I got chills when I saw this Rainbow, because the sky was mostly clear with only a few clouds here and there…no rain … and the first thought that came into my mind was that Natalie sent the rainbow and was telling me that YES, that is your house, and that is where you are supposed to be. I continued on, and ended up at the light on Hilton Dr. and bluff street. I was going to turn onto Bluff street to go to the Albertsons on Bluff street to pick up some cookies for work, but I forgot to get in the left hand lane, so I had to go straight on Main street, so I thought to myself… I’ll go to Harmon’s instead…even though I don’t like Harmon’s cookies….I like Albertsons cookies……but I ended up at Harmons.
I went in, and instead of getting the cookies first, I needed some yogurt, so went back and picked up some yogurt. While I was picking out my yogurt, I heard a woman’s voice call out "Sherie!". I turned around and saw this woman who looked really really familiar, but I could not remember her name…she came rushing toward me, and put her arms around me….she was teary eyed…and as she was hugging me, her name came to me it was "Tanya"….she was Young Women’s President when Natalie was a Beehive or Mia Maid…..I was one of her Counselors. This was over 13-15 years ago so forgive my bad memory. Immediately she asked me if I remembered this quilt that I had made her when she was released from that calling. Again, my bad memory, I couldn’t remember the quilt. She explained that I had made her a quilt with all the young women’s names on it when she was released and I gave it to her. "Natalie’s name is on it", she said, along with all of her friends that she lived around, and grew up with. She proceeded to explain that ever since she heard that Natalie had passed away, she wanted to find me to give me this quilt, but she never knew how to get a hold of me….she didn’t know where I lived, or my phone number…..so she would just look at this quilt everyday and think…someday I’ve got to find Sherie and give her this quilt.
Well, yesterday morning, she said she woke up early, and the very first thought she had was….I really need to find Sherie and get this quilt to her……she couldn’t go back to sleep, so she finally got up and decided to go to the store and pick up a few things…she expressed how she NEVER shops at 7:45 in the morning…but she couldn’t sleep, and she thought she might as well go to the store. She walked in Harmon’s, went to get a gallon of milk…and looked up, and there I was…….getting yogurt……..
We both left Harmons, I followed her to her house, and she got the quilt out….as soon as I saw it, I totally remembered making it….it’s got Natalie’s name on it….(right in the middle by the way) and ALL of her friends names all around it too…Stefanie’s name is on it…she must have just started Young Women’s….Melanie isn’t on there, she must have still been in primary. We just stood there and cried…..while we were standing there, Tanya said "Oh my gosh, look at that beautiful rainbow"…..I turned around, and there was the biggest rainbow with every color in it….I told her about the Rainbow song we had sung at Natalie’s funeral…and I told her…..that Rainbow is from Natalie…she’s been very busy this morning…
Here is what I’ve learned……NOTHING happens by chance. People that we know and meet along the way in our lives are not by chance… Not any part of what happened yesterday morning was by chance. I know that both Tanya and I were directed to be at the same place at the same time so that I could get this quilt. It is incredible, to see this quilt with Natalies name, and all her childhood friends names on it…girls who were in her life at that time for a reason…..Natalie was in their lives at that time for a reason. Who knew that by making a wrong turn, and going to a different grocery store at 7:45 in the morning would put me in the path to get something that I will treasure forever.
I also know that answers to prayers come in many ways, and the answer came that the home we were considering is in fact our home. It is where we should be. This home is close to the cemetery where Natalie is buried. This home is close to where Noah lives. This home is big enough for our family to gather together and to be together and to make more memories.
The end to the story;
The offer was accepted the day I received this incredible gift from Natalie, a quilt with her name on it, with all of her friends names on it...to go in the new house. We moved in September 2007. We don’t ever plan on moving again. We have seen many Rainbows over our new home.
Now the snow begins to melt;
