Rose and Her Lily: Baby Rachel's Family Visits Lily's Spot

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Baby Rachel's Family Visits Lily's Spot

As I have shared, my friend Stacy and her nonprofit organization, Baby Rachel's Legacy, helped me pay for Lily's headstone.

Stacy lives in New Hampshire and Lily is buried in Virginia, so we didn't know if she'd ever get to see it in person, or only in photos.

As I posted about last week, her family took a road trip to Florida and I got to meet them for the first time in person, which was such a blessing. On their way back up the coast, heading home to New England, Stacy hoped to stop and visit Lily's special spot. We didn't know for sure it would work out because a snow storm was expected in Virginia on the day she was planning on going.

They ended up being snowed in at a hotel a day longer than expected. However, they were able to go the evening before the snowstorm hit (last Friday). Why did they have to bring the cold and snow south with them lol? After traveling all day, her husband was willing to take a detour and drive a couple extra hours to see Lily's stone.

I didn't know they had been until Stacy texted me photos, saying "Look who we just spent some time with. <3 literally made me cry. It's so beautiful, Hannah... I fixed her little tree and left her a rose... it looked pretty there with all the snow and I could see her spot from so far away, it really stands out with all the pretty decor!" I think so too. :-)

I can't believe they actually got to go! I am so glad they made it. It made me tear up too. The only thing that would have made it better is if I could have been there too. I told Stacy she can now picture Lily's spot exactly when she thinks of it.

The fact they got to go at all is amazing, but what makes it extra special is that they were a part of getting Lily's stone. Stacy wrote, "Took a detour to go visit a special baby girl's special spot. Many of you remember that the year we didn't do a race, instead we raised money to help Hannah Rose finish paying for her daughter Lily's stone. So many of you helped and I've shared the pics before, but I never imagined I'd ever get to see it in person!! Brought tears to my eyes to pull up and see it and be able to tell the kids how Rachel's life spread love all the way down here in Crozet, Virginia. We saw the most beautiful sunset on the way. Truly a breathtaking couple of hours and well worth the trip. Thankful that Matt was willing to drive the extra miles."

Stacy also got to see my Aunt Rachel's headstone which is right beside Lily's. My Aunt obviously shares a name with Stacy's daughter, which I find very special. Rachel Ross was my grandparent's seventh child and passed away at three months old in 1965 because of a heart condition. My grandparent's share a stone with their daughter, which is actually a unique bench, just like Rachel Alice shares a stone with Stacy and Matt. My grandmother "Bumma" also associates daisies with her Rachel, just like Stacy does. My Aunt Rachel's stone has daisies and a lamb on it. You can read about my Aunt Rachel and see her stone by clicking HERE.

God was in the details, making sure the Aube's arrived before the snow hit and before it got dark that night. He even gave them a beautiful sunset! I feel like I got to share my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. :-) Stacy wrote, "We wouldn't have even seen the mountains, let alone the sunset over them if we weren't going to visit Lily. It was amazing! Photos don't come close to capturing the beauty!" I couldn't agree more. So thankful Lily is in such a beautiful part of the country.

One more neat thing Stacy wrote me, "I forgot to tell you that the photo of me with Lily's stone is file #5143 in my camera... since Lily's 5th birthday is coming up and 143 means "I love you" it made me smile. No coincidences!! 5 years of your love in this spot and I know she knows!"

Rachel and Lily must be friends in Heaven. I hope they smile as Jesus tells them how their lives are impacting people on Earth and how much they continue to bless us too.