Elizabeth Kay

This weekend my brother and sister-in-law (who I spoke of in the last post) delivered their first daughter, stillborn. They knew that she had passed a few days prior and have handled these past trying days and weeks with amazing grace. We were blessed to be there with them for much of the past few days and I am grateful for their willingness to share themselves and Elizabeth during this very personal trial. I am grateful to them for the lessons I have learned over the past week. We feel the loss of this little girl very strongly right now. Her parents are grieving the lost opportunity to raise their daughter in this life, but remain eternally grateful for the knowledge that Elizabeth is their daughter, that her spirit is real and that she is theirs forever. We have all received a strong spiritual witness that Elizabeth is an important part of our family. She is the oldest granddaughter and a leader in our family. It was so hard seeing her little body, knowing that she was the exact age of the little boy I could feel moving inside my body, so very alive. I know that Elizabeth and James were great friends in heaven. My heart breaks for Kami and Tyler. I know them and I know their strength, and I know that Elizabeth will be a part of what makes them strong now. I know that she is looking after her parents and her brother, Douglas. Yesterday we were able to gather together as Elizabeth's family at the hospital where Tyler and our combined families' priesthood holders gave his daughter a name and a blessing for their family records. The blessing was sweet and we all know that Elizabeth was present. I think the thing that stood out for everyone was that he blessed her spirit with comfort. I had never thought of the fact that even as a spirit she must be grieving for her mother, her father, her brother and for all of her family. Perhaps she even grieves for the loss of the body she was blessed to have for such a short time. I am sure she is grateful for all that her mother sacrificed so she could receive her body, even for such a sort time. I know that her spirit and her perfected body will be restored and reunited and that the reunion will be sweet for all. I look forward to that great day. It is so hard to understand the Lord's plan, so uniquely designed for all of us, but I know that He truly does have a plan for each of us and that if we will follow Him and submit ourselves to his will, the rewards will be greater that we can imagine.

Elizabeth Kay - as my mom said, her tiny feet have left footprints on our hearts.