We have received some of the MOST AMAZING gifts from family, friends, and people that I would have NEVER expected to reach out to us. We can't thank you all enough for these beautiful gestures. We got excited every time we came home and found something new on our doorstep or in our mailbox. We still do (some of these gifts arrived this week). Although we were excited we knew tears were sure to follow. It became a routine for us to open the mail together because we knew we both didn't want to be alone. Almost every one of these gifts had brought us to tears and most of the time they were happy tears because we were so touched to see who had sent them.
I hope you enjoy looking at these gifts as much as I do....
This first one is an amazing personalized frame that has all of Micah's digits on it. I COMPLETEY love love love the colors and the fonts/design. The funny thing is I have two of these lovely frames because two friends of mine, that don't know each other, sent them to me. How crazy is that? They both picked the same colors and design. Great minds think alike!
<3 Thanks Carrie and Alicia <3
This frame is SOOOO my style and I love this pic of our baby girl! Perfect match.
<3 Thanks Debbie S. <3
These Willow Tree Figurines are so meaningful to us. I get so much comfort from them.
<3 Thank you to Mary Ellen, Leigh and Lori for sending them our way! <3
This was the very first framed pic we had in our house and I actually picked this one up for us. I am so happy we took SOOOOO many pictures of Micah. We have at least 1 picture for every one of her miraculous days with us. I love surrounding her with these angels. She is our angel and it seems as though she has found her home with them.
The night we received this book Bill read the first couple of pages and before I knew it he was handing it over to me so that I could read it. Yup, he read that bad boy in about 3 hours.
Thanks to some great friends we've received two copies of this book!
<3 Thank Jessica and Laura <3
After reading this, we KNOW Micah is sitting on Jesus's lap and hanging out with all of our loved ones that have passed. If you've never heard of this book it is a MUST read, it is about a 3 yr. old boy who was having an emergency surgery and he goes to heaven for a short period of time. His parents didn't realize this until months later when they had a discussion with him in the car on their way to their vacation spot. They had passed the turn they would normally make to go the hospital and they said to Colton jokingly, "Hey Colton, if we turn here, we can go back to the hospital. Do you wanna go back to the hopsital?" He giggled and said, "No Daddy, don't send me! Send Cassie(his sister) to the hospital!" They all laughed and then his mom asked him if he remembered the hospital and he said "Yes mommy, I remember. That's where the angels sang to me." Both parents looked at each other in SHOCK, like "did he just say what we think he said?"
I still get chills every time I read that part. If you want to know what happens next
BUY the book. It's awesome!
While I was reading I was using this adorable bookmark. Yup that is Bill at 5 months. Bill had told me that he didn't have any of his baby pictures in his possession and I don't remember organizing them, as I do all of his stuff. So I asked his sister Sue if she had any and she knew exactly where they were. She found a whole stack and this one stands out in my mind as "OMG that is so Micah."
These are the only pictures I could find that captured what I see in my mind. Micah looked so much like Bill in person. You can sort of see her cute little butt chin in the pic on the left and then they both have those "heart shaped" top lips.
This next gift is so much fun. It's an awesome necklace for me(which I love) and a ball marker(genius) for Bill. What a cool way to remember Micah, so thoughtful. Bill, as you all know, LOVES golf and he is out for the first time today playing with his brother. He left saying "pray that I make contact...LOL." We all know that he will and he will probably come in under par(he is soooo good). I'm sure he is using this ball mark as I type.
<3 Thanks Alicia <3
You all read
here why this gift is so special to us =)
<3 Thanks Shirley<3
Another beachy gift that is fun and whimsical. This one was purchased the week Micah was born and we truly believe that God made our friend buy this for us knowing that Micah would eventually be swimming with the dolphins one day. So CRAZY!
We can't wait for summer so we can go swimming with her and it's only Sept. 23rd...grrrrrrr, it's so far away.
<3 Thanks Leigh <3
This poem was specifically written for our Micah girl. Our friend Carol thought of everything when writing this. It says it all....
<3 Thanks Carol, this means the world to us! <3
A poem for Micah...
We never dreamed about you;
we never imagined you would come to be.
We expected someone entirely different.
So we weren't prepared in any way
for what you would bring to our lives.
It has been said that the greatest gifts
are those we don't expect.
And you were exactly that:
Our Greatest Gift.
You came perfect into an imperfect world:
one that didn't have the answers,
one that wouldn't explain the why,
one that couldn't give you what you needed.
Yet your purpose,
though clouded in anguish
at the beginning,
became crystal clear:
you were Heaven on earth,
an angel with invisible wings
sent to teach us about
the length others would go for someone in need,
the beauty in the simplest of accomplishments,
the joy in a flowered hat,
the safety of a nap on a doting father's chest
or the pure delight of being rocked in a mother's adoring arms.
You stayed long enough for us to learn
what pure devotion is,
what family truly means,
what genuine sacrifice is,
what unknown strength and courage we have
even when the odds are not in our favor,
what true love is.
You have changed us forever.
We will take nothing for granted,
not even the most insignificant thing.
Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks
will all have meaning and purpose.
People and what they can and will do
will matter more.
Family ties and friendships
will feel deeper, longer-lasting,
more loving.
And heaven will be a bit closer
because that's where angels are,
perfect beings with dreams, and wishes,
and joys all their own.
It's where they can dance in the sun,
run in the grass,
jump in the puddles,
and hold their mouths wide open
to catch the glorious raindrops.
It's where you are.
You were our Heaven on earth,
Our Perfect Angel.
We will live each day
remembering you and
cherishing who you are.
With grand and beautiful wings
you soared to the place
where we know you need to be,
where you have been made well and will be kept safe
until we can come
to hold your hand again.
If you were all wondering what food I dove into after I had Micah, well you guessed it....FRUIT and tons of it. I was still craving it like crazy even after she was born so when we received a number of these arrangements, I was in HEAVEN!
<3 Thanks MomMom Nestel, Johnny, Dave & Nancy <3
One of my ex-students/field hockey players from RV sent me this "remembrance" necklace and I think it is beautiful. It was so meaningful to receive this gift from her because it made me feel as though I had touched her life in such a way that she felt a need to send this.
<3 Thanks Katie <3
You are a great kid =)
If you look up in the sky you can now see a bright shining star that has been named Micah Dylan Turner. That's right people, this next gift is a certificate from the International Star Registry and it states that Micah has her own star. We couldn't help but smile from ear to ear when we got this in the mail. We are so interested in learning about the stars now and we have the Sweeney's to thank for that! Coolest idea everrrrrr......
<3 Thank You Alyssa, Dennis and Luca <3
There she is.....
We can't wait to read more about her star and it's location.
This necklace here is so tiny and perfect and it was given to me by an old high school field hockey teammate. I haven't spoken to her since high school so I am sure you can imagine the shock it was to receive this. (People are amazing!!!!) It has these adorable baby footprints on the front and then Micah's name on the back. It also has her birthstone, which is Ruby. I <3 it
<3 Thanks Missy <3
I'm sure you are all saying "OMG... another necklace?" I know I know but I am so happy because I now have OPTIONS and any girl loves having options in the morning. I know I will be too scared to wear my heart necklace every day to work, so now I have these 3 different necklaces to choose from. And let's not forget about my "push gift" that I got from Billy when I had Micah. So that makes a total of 5 Micah necklaces. I am one lucky girl.
Here is a beautiful Wind Chime that has the most comforting saying on it. It also has Micah's name on the back. I love hearing it out on my porch.
<3 Thanks Aunt Joanna <3
We got our first Christmas ornament for Micah!
I lost it when I saw this and read the inside. The words say it all, " 48 days of Pure Courage." We feel like that sums up Micah's entire life. Up until her last breath she refused to give up or quit. It was like she just wanted to know that we were going to be okay before she left us and that is EXACTLY what we told her and then she soon passed. This ornament reminds me of that moment and I think it's amazing how Larissa thought to have those exact words engraved. We love you Larissa! I don't think you know how much this gift struck a nerve with us.
<3 Thanks Larissa <3
Here are some pics of the flowers that were delivered to us. They are all just so pretty and it DOES brighten my day when I walk downstairs to see them blooming in the sunlight.
Thanks to the following people for taking time out of your day to send us these beautiful flowers!
<3 The Abrams, The McAlpins & The Lutzs <3
This next group of girls sent me these pink roses and a generous donation to CHOP. They are my brother's group of girlfriends from high school. No.... he didn't date all of them they are just friends...LOL!
<3 Thanks Ladies <3
Lauren V. Diane D. Marisa H. Renee S. Laura L. Erica L. Lisa T. Dana M. Krissy M. Angie P.
I can't forget all of the incredible cards we have received. It is REALLY REALLY overwhelming to look back at these stacks and know that we are loved by SOOOOOO many.
<3 We love you all <3
Yup, these two piles are growing every day and we are so touched. It helps us get through the days when we know someone out there is thinking about us. Thanks for all of your support.
This is the last and final gift I am going to share and it SURE IS a very special one. My Aunt Cindy, who has also experienced a loss similar to ours, has been a HUGE help through all of this. She has continued to reach out in many ways and one that I will always remember is this poem she sent me. She has it framed in her house and she reads it often. She explained that it helps her and it WILL help us remember that we were the lucky ones to have been chosen to parent God's special angels.
Here it goes....
To ALL Parents
"I'll lend you for a while a child of mine,"
He said.
"For you to love while she lives and mourn for
when she's dead.
It may be six or seven years, or twenty two or
three,
But will you, till I call her back, take care of
her for me?
She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and should
her stay be brief,
You'll have her lovely memories as solace for
your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay; since all from
earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there I
want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over in My search
for teachers true
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes
I have selected you.
Now will you give her all your love, not think
the labor vain,
Nor hate Me when I come to call to take
her back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say, "Dear Lord,
Thy will be done!
For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the
risk of grief will run.
We'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll
love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've known, forever
grateful say;
But should the angels call for her much sooner
than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and
try to understand."
<3 Thanks for helping us remember this, Aunt Cindy! We love you <3
We heart Micah!
