FOR LAURA
 
Our child was born on July 2, 1991.
 
We brought forth a daughter into our world and she weighed a mighty 1 lb, 4
1/2 ounces.  She was not born with the two qualities we knew from the 6
months of life within Mary's womb.  There was not the familiar heart beat we
joyously listened to on our monthly visits to the doctor.  There was no heart
beat at all.  There were not the butterfly like movements Mary felt inside
her body that I only saw in her illuminated eyes.  There was no movement at
all.  Our baby girl was born without life in her body, but with great life in
her parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.
 
Her days of growing were shared with all the people we love and she made
bonds strong between us.  As we planned for her arrival in the now distant
October, there was much joy in the preparations.  The bonds grew stronger.
 And in the days before her birth, the  bonds were strongest of all.  We knew
our little one was coming to us lifeless and we grieved.  The grief was
shared throughout both sides of our family and we cried one to another.  In
the same manner as the unexpected deaths of Mary's brother Phil, Robert's
niece Sara and brother-in-law Doug, the tears of death brought forth
relationships of joy.  In the 36 hours between the knowledge of her death and
the moment of her birth, our bonds of family grew tight.  The bonds, although
forever strong, will loosen with time until the next event of immense joy or
pain, but this treasured time will last in our hearts forever.
 
The love we received from our families, and most importantly from each other,
will be her existence to us and to our families.  On the day of her birth, we
said hello and good-bye to our red faced, dark haired, beautiful daughter.
Her little bitty nose and puffy cheeks will be burned in our minds and
hearts forever.  We have dedicated her life to God - the giver of life and
the taker of souls, no matter how tiny, and we know she is happy.  We thank
the Lord for the time we were given.
 
Our daughter was born unto us - her name is Laura Marie
 
Laura's Father
July 2, 1991 


Reprinted with permission of Robert Hanley

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