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6/7 The Flower Fades

June 7, 2018 | Day 7

Today is one week since Mila entered and then left our world. One entire week. The longest week of my life. Thank You, Lord for bringing us through this first week. Tonight, as a family, we watched all of Mila's videos and looked at all of her pictures. The kids hadn't seen these yet.

During the day, some sweet local friends offered to take all 6 of my kids to the park for a few hours. I am thankful for the time and space they provided for me to pray, cry, reflect, and have much-needed solace.

I spent time going around the house and caring for the flowers we received. I used to think that caring for flowers was a bit of a nuisance, but today caring for the flowers made me feel like I was caring for my Mila. I gave the flowers fresh water, which is like bathing Mila. I trimmed them, which is kind of like changing Mila's diaper. I rearranged them, which is like getting Mila dressed.

Being a very practical person, I never really saw flowers as being very useful. Flowers need to be taken care of and then they just wither and die anyway. I see them differently now.

Flowers are beautiful and we enjoy their beauty while it lasts, knowing that they will die. Mila was like a flower, so precious to us and so beautiful to us while she was with us, and now she is no more. We have nothing but sweet memories of her and of everything on that day she was born. She was a beautiful sight and a sweet fragrance to us while she was with us.

I feel like Mila should still be here with us, but the truth is that she was never supposed to remain. Psalm 139:16 says that God knew all her days when as yet there were one of them, and He ordained, before even time began, that May 31, 2018 would be her one day with us. We are thankful for that one day. We are thankful for all the weeks we had with her while she was still in my womb. We have nothing but love and sweet memories of her.

All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

-Isaiah 40:6-8

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