Friday, January 08, 2010

Yesterday

In honor of our sweet Chloe's 6th birthday yesterday, I want to share with you my favorite Christmas gift that the girls got this year:

These are the PBK dolls that I had wanted to get the girls for awhile. They've always had a CHLOE & SOPHIE doll. About a year ago, I wrote PBK & told them our story about our sweet baby girl in heaven, Chloe, whom God used to change our lives forever! I asked them to name their next doll LIBBY, so we could have all of our girls "together". They didn't come out with a LIBBY doll, but they came out with JOY (their Christmas doll). Since our Libby's birthday is two days after Christmas, we thought that was close enough! :) THEN they came out with twin babies, MAX & MEREDITH!

Here's SOPHIE, CHLOE, & LIBBY JOY
And here's the girls with their dolls (classic Libby face)

Sophie was playing with SOPHIE & CHLOE the other day. I overheard her saying "Come on, CHLO". This brought tears to my eyes because Sophie always calls her sister, Libby, "Lib". Libby always calls Sophie, "Poph" (sounds like "foff"). Anyway, I just thought it was so sweet that Sophie had already nicknamed CHLOE like she was one of the girls! :)

**For all of my 5 blog readers ;), if you were impacted by Chloe's life, let me know how by leaving a comment :)

9 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh my, where do I begin?!? From the day you guys found out about Chloe's Anencephaly, I've been a changed woman. I remember that I was at work when Kirsten called me to give me the latest news and I had to pull over once on the way to Arlington to get my self together from crying so much. I was completely and utterly broken-hearted for you, Aaron, & the grandparents. It was my first up-close-and-personal experience with infant loss and it rocked me to my core. Yours and Aaron's decision to trust God in the most devastating of circumstances was amazing and awe-inspiring to both Rhett and myself. I'm certain that it made me evaluate my walk with God and forced me to lean on Him and not my own understanding regarding your situation. One of my FAVORITE memories as an aunt was when you and Aaron came over to our little Arlington apt. one night (for dinner maybe?) and it was around Christmas time. I had my face leaned against your tummy and was "hugging" and talking to Chloe. She kicked. I felt it. And I will NEVER forget it! I felt connected to her in that one instant and my heart began to bleed all over again knowing how connected you were to her feeling her move inside of you everyday.....knowing that, more than likely, she wouldn't make it. :( I hated that for you and Aaron. I hated so many things about the situation, but through my anger I was so encouraged that you both leaned on the Lord and drew strength and peace from the ultimate source, our Father and Creator. The blind faith you both displayed was transformational for me and for Rhett. It was a blessing for us to walk alongside you through that difficult time and we are so thankful that it brought us closer. Y'all are some of our very best friends and the fact that you're family to boot is awesome! We love you and all 4 of your precious children so much! Chloe Marie did so much for so many in such an incredibly short amount of time. I am honored to have known her from the beginning and to call her my niece.

Love,
Aunt Becca

Anonymous said...

Well, I am tearing up thinking about little Chloe right now. Like Rebecca, I was completely devastated. I remember I was supposed to go into work that night, but I called in and said I couldn't come.....I was that upset. It was like a death at that moment. We ended up coming over to your house that evening to spend time with you and Aaron. I was truly amazed to see you guys already consumed by God's grace. To say it was difficult is an understatement. I was so sad for you both, but was so thankful for the bond that God formed within the entire family as we walked alongside you in Chloe's journey. It really did make me even more thankful for every moment of pregnancy, even the discomforts and such. Really, it made me just thankful for life, even the shortest of lives. And, it made me thankful to call you my sister in love as I watched you so ever graciously smile when someone asked you when you were due. To see you happy for someone else having a baby. Honestly, I am still amazed at how loving you were toward me during that time, since we were both pregnant together. It could have been so painful and strained, but you didn't let it be.

I love you Melissa!
SO cute about the dolls....will you get Max the twins?

Love,
Andrea

Anonymous said...

"In a moment..you touched our hearts forever!" is so true..our sweet little grandaughter in heaven showed her Grandma how to grow up with God...I am and glad not to be the same person before Chloe came into our lives...

As for my incrediably, strong, enduring and faithful daughter..At first thought when we found out about Chloe is that there is no way Melissa can survive this for another 160 days!! But silly me,God took over and gave Aaron and Melissa the Grace to carried them through this season...And as bad a season it was...it was just as good too...We all learned so much during our "Chloe Season"..I thank Chloe for the love and togetherness she gave our familes over those 160 days...it was a hard and sweet journey...

I look now at Aaron and Melissa and see them with their beautiful family ...Sophie ..Libby ..Max...but I know Chloe is there with them too...in their hearts!!

We are truly blessed...

Proud to be Chloe's Grandma Bicki

Anonymous said...

I don't know if I can type this without being overcome with tears as it was when the news came of Chloe's anencephaly. Watching you and Aaron during that painful time was truly inspirational and such a testimony to God's provision of strength and comfort in such a time! I, like many others, look at you 5 today, knowing Chloe is near to your hearts.....and think what an awesome testimony to God's faithfulness and blessings.....you are such a beautiful family!! Chloe's story made an impact on me personally as I watched her young parents display so much courage and not give up hope.....also it was an impact professionally as a nurse that has spent the last 10 years working with mothers/fathers and babies. Love you so much!
~Danny, Karel (and Cole)

Anonymous said...

what precious comments - bringing tears to my owns eyes. :)
i remember when chloe was diagnosed i told someone i worked with about the situation and coincidently they'd had the same thing happen with their first child, but sadly they terminated their pregnancy. i felt so sad for them - there was such emptiness in their eyes when they told me, and watching you guys lovingly honoring your child's life and the Creator of her life and grieving in such a healthy way - i could see how much this co-worker had missed out on by choosing a path of death (figuratively and literally). i was just so "proud" of how ya'll walked through it - as John Piper words it "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". you were satisfied, at peace, and joyfully glorifying Him every step of that journey. and later when we walked through our own journey you were the most understanding of my feelings and you comforted me in such a unique way. i love you so much!
-tennah

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