">
">
">
">
To our dearest Noah: We love you so much, and we always will. That is the one thing that hasn't changed in the past week, and you should know that nothing will ever make us forget that you are a part of our family. Though it won't be evident to others, there will always be a place in our home that is yours and there will always be a seat at our table that is unfilled. On Friday, June 4th we officially became a family of four, and though you are no longer here physically, you will always be with us in our hearts. We want you to know that everyone was impressed by the way you fought so bravely to hold onto life, to beat the overwhelming odds against you. You proved them wrong when they said you'd only take a few breaths and then pass away immediately after your birth. Despite the neonatologist's assertion a few hours after you were born that your death was imminent, you rallied and surprised everyone with your determination to live on. In the short time you were here, you made us so very proud. We're so sorry we couldn't have done more for you, Sweetheart. We desperately wanted you, and would have done anything to save your precious life, but we knew that heroic measures wouldn't have done anything but draw out the inevitable, and even though we never wanted to let you go, we knew that it was better for you to leave when you were ready, with dignity and grace and without suffering. It was because we love you so that we found the strength to do just that. It was the one last thing we could give you, and we couldn't deny this gift to our beautiful son. Now we are faced with going on without you here, and while we don't know how we'll do this, we know we must. Time stood still for us when you passed away, but the world marches on in its inevitable fashion and together with your big brother, we will have to find a way to rejoin the procession. Still, even though we will continue in your absence, and even though we may someday be able to make our way in an apparently normal manner, you must know that we will never, ever forget you, and there will always be in us a sadness that you are not here. Our love for you was meant to last a lifetime, and so it will, the only difference being that it will be for our lifetimes, not yours. With our love always, Daddy and Mommy |
