Happy Birthday Rhys and Reese!

This week we celebrated Rhys' 4th birthday on the 17th. It is an emotional time in so many ways. My baby boy is growing up.....he's 4 years old! I remember when we found out. It was so exciting. We had moved back home to Tennessee less than a year prior to finding out and really had been through a lot (relatively speaking). So this was exciting times for us. Turner was 3 and would be almost 4 when this baby came. We had made some friends where we had moved from who also had a son Turner's age. So it was even more exciting to find out they were also pregnant with their second child. We didn't talk daily but we kept in touch. We were even brave enough to put on bathing suits that summer together at her mother's pool to catch up on our son's and baby/pregnancy stuff. It was really fun to be pregnant with a friend (I was about 1 month ahead of her). At no point did we ever discuss baby names....ever. Then we found out what we were having and decided on names. We were talking on the phone and it was at that point we found out that she was having a girl and naming her Reese. I was having a boy and naming him Rhys. Isn't that weird?? We couldn't believe it....we laughed and of course griped about normal pregnancy stuff.
Well, time passed and it was time for my Rhys to come on Nov. 17th. Scary and exciting times!!! We called everybody that was on our list.....exciting times. We brought our precious little baby home on the 20th. Later that night my friends mom called us to let us know that baby Reese had died and was born on this day. This is a dark day.....how could this happen....why would this happen....my heart was heavy with saddness, frustration, guilt (for having this perfect little baby to hold).....so many emotions....I couldn't stop crying....not for me, for my friend. There just isn't a week that goes by that I don't think about her and her family to this day. I think about her just about everytime I look at my Rhys when he's playing or pestering his brother......when he's in trouble (which has probably saved his hiney a few times). My friend has been blessed with another beautiful little girl since then. I stand amazed how she has allowed God to work in her life through this tragedy! She has truly been an inspiration to me and many around her. I use to think...."how do you over something like that??"......it wasn't until recently when another friend lost her husband tragically (he was in his 20's and their baby was only 6 months old).....that I realized that you NEVER get over something like that....you just have to let God carry you through it. He promises that He will, you just have to be willing to give it up to Him. These two friends are doing that and God is AMAZING. I can just see Him up in Heaven tapping every passer by ...."Hey...come her....you see that woman...yes, that one....she's Mine...look at her shine in My Glory, look at her....." He must be beaming with pride when he sees my friends.......just like a proud Father. When I lost my dog this summer...it hurt, I was sad.....but (and this is gonna sound weird) it made all of these feelings more significant.....when my friend who lost her husband told me how sorry she was for my loss I started crying...not for my loss, but for hers (I couldn't tell her that or I would cry even more...just what she needed!!). Yes, I am a cryer....don't talk to me about it....I'll cry. They are amazing women with the strength of God behind them.
So I would appreciate your prayers for my friends...God knows their names...and everyone else dealing with the pain of losing someone.....pray for the ones that know God and pray for the ones that don't......
So here is a big Happy Birthday wish to Reese who must be having the greatest birthday party in Heaven today! And a big prayer for her mom who can't be at that party today......but will see her again!