Many Miracles

It's been a month (tomorrow) since my sweet little niece Mara passed away. I am back in NH now, getting ready to pack our things so we can head to Utah for Tyson's externship. The past month has flown by and there have been so many miracles that need to be documented. This is going to be a long post - just to warn you.

*My mom and dad took Lexi and Jace the week before and the week after Mara passed away. It was such a miracle that I, and my sister Kim were there that first week to help Heather and to spend time with Mara. Thanks mom and dad! We love you!

*We were on the road headed back to Ephrata when Kim called telling us that Mara was not going to make it. It was a miracle that my brother Kyle and his wife were able to take Lexi for 4 or 5 days before the funeral. Lexi and Jace had a ball playing with their cousins! Thank you guys! We love you!

Jens, Lexi, Jace, Maren playing in the leaves

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa

*It was a miracle that Katrina and Jace didn't leave any bruises or marks from each other. They really have a love/hate relationship. There was a lot of tackling, pushing, mauling, screaming, and crying going on. One day it will hopefully just be a love relationship...in a cousin type way :-)


*It was a miracle we could all be there to celebrate Maren's 3rd birthday. The girl's loved their princess crowns!

*It was a miracle that we were able to go see some of our bestest friends in Salem, OR. They had been in Montana the first little bit we were there. When we found out that we were going to be staying longer, they were going to be home! So, we took a little trip to go see them. Lexi and Makenzie were best friends when they were babies, they are only 5 days apart. It was so good to see them! We love you guys, thanks for letting us come!

Lexi, Makenzie, Jace, Jaxson

Jace and Jaxson - aren't they the cutest?!?!

*On the 17th, Mara's school did a balloon release in honor of her and to recognize her year mark of being diagnosed. This was the coolest thing ever! It really was a miracle that we got to be there for that. I will never forget it! When the principal counted to 3, everyone released their balloons and said 3 times "WE LOVE YOU MARA!" It was priceless!!!




*It was a miracle to see all of the things that Heather and Bryan's neighbors did for them. The day Mara died, people had come and filled their yard with purple balloons. It was so special!*That night they also came and lit luminaries around their yard and driveway. This was done the day she died and the day of her funeral.
*Her funeral was perfect and beautiful. It was a very sad and hard day, but it was precious too! You can see her cute little pink casket, and the roses on top were laid by all the kids that were there at the burial. It was a miracle to see how many lives Mara had touched.

*Another thing that people had done was tie these pink and purple ribbons along the sides of the road, lining the drive to the church and funeral service. It was probably a good 4 to 5 mile drive and the whole was was lined with these little ribbons in honor of Mara!
*They had put a couple of these signs up along the way as well.
*The timing of everything was a miracle for me. It was a miracle we got to spend a few good days with Mara and that the kids got to say goodbye to her. This picture was taken the night before.
*Mara and her sweet I LOVE YOU sign.
*It was a miracle that the day before she died, my mom and dad and Kyle and his family came over to see her. During the day Mara had taken a 3 hour nap (which was a miracle in itself) and we all got to take our turns to snuggle and be with her. It was so sweet!
*3rd times a charm! It took 3 times trying to do this hand mold of Heather and Mara's hands. Isn't it sweet? It was a miracle that it worked so well and that they had it done!

*It was a miracle that none of the kids got sick while we were together. I'm telling you that this never happens. Everytime we see eachother, someone is sick. We were there a whole month, and there were no illnesses! These pictures were taken at a little pumpkin patch we went to (obviously). We did the corn maze too, very muddy, but was great to get out and have fun!

*It was a miracle that Tyson was able to fly out for an interview in Spokane...but more importantly, he got to be there for the balloon release and help me fly home with the kids. The flight out was pretty miserable, so it was great to have an extra set of hands! The flight went well, but it was very hard to leave!


I just have to say that I am so grateful to Heather and Bryan for letting us stay with them for so long! It was an experience that I will never forget and will keep close to my heart. Hang in there you guys! You are awesome and you have many people there to help you get through this hard time...especially our Heavenly Father...and little Mara! I love you so much! You are the best big sister in the whole world. Give the kids hugs for us, we miss them already!

Eternally Beautiful

I thought I would share a few memories I have of Mara:

*Mara was a little princess, the cutest thing you’d ever seen. She looked like a perfect little doll, all the time. She wore the cutest clothes and her hair was always so gorgeous. She grew it long enough to chop it and donate it to locks of love – just before getting sick.
*Her little voice was the sweetest sound and I remember trying to get her to say things, just so we could hear it.
*She was a very big helper. Last summer we came to visit and we had gone to the zoo one day. Mara rode with me on the way home. Jace was just a baby and didn’t like riding in the car very much, often resulting in screaming. It was such a nice car ride that day because every time Jace spit out his binky, Mara was there to put it back in. I thought it was so great to have a helper in the back seat. She not only put the binky back in, she gooed and gahed at him too.
*Mara was just a happy, smiley girl whom everyone loved.
*She was a very good colorer, very articulate, never going outside of the lines.
*When she was little I remember her little radish pig tails at Twin Lakes.
*Tyson and I were walking around the store with her one day. We wandered to the shoe section and found a cute little pair of sandals with butterflies on them...they were so cute on her, we had to buy them. On the way home, I remember talking to Tyson about how I wanted a sweet, cute, adorable child...like Mara.
*I was there the first time she water skiied with Grandpa Bair
*She loved to dance with the kids in their living room

I have many many memories of this sweet girl. She has touched my life and many others. It is so fitting that her name means "eternally beautiful." Here are some cute pictures of her:

 

 

 

 

Precious Angel

Here are some pictures of the last days I got to spend with my precious little niece. We miss her, but know she is in a better place. What a sweet, emotional, incredible experience these past few weeks have been!