Took my breath away...

This picture.  Leaves me breathless.  I've never seen this picture until late Monday night.  It was taken at a friends wedding in 2011 and she came across it and shared it with me that night.

I have taken so many pictures, and have seen them over and over - so to get one like this, one that shows Amanda's sweet smile simply makes my heart overflow with thankfulness and joy.  How blessed my life is because of this precious girl.  I am going to have this photo made into a canvas print.  I actually have two other photos from this wedding that I took and they are already framed in our home.

I was going to save that picture for a special post, but every time I saw it today, it just drew me in and made me pause......so I couldn't wait.  I had to share it.

My precious children - how blessed I am.

Throughout our battle with cancer, there have been so many gracious gifts of love given to me.  Gifts meant to be a special remembrances of Amanda. How crazy amazing is it that people see something and think of our story? That is an awesome and humbling feeling.

Jewelry has been one of those gifts that I have been blessed with.  As you can see from the picture, I can't wear them all at once, but I love wearing each one and when I wear the piece, it is a beautiful representation of how much love our family is surrounded by.

Here is a sweet story.  On the box, there is a cluster of grapes charm.  That is a retired James Avery charm that the manager at our Georgetown store has been on the lookout for.  She finally found someone that had one for sale, and when our story was shared, the sweet owner of this charm wanted to give it to me.  So we met, and lo and behold, the owner is from Florence, the city where my dad pastors and my sister lives.  It's a small world and I don't believe in coincidences.  Every time I get to share Amanda's story, my prayer is that a life will be touched and changed.

Each piece of jewelry pictured is another opportunity to share His story and Amanda's life.

My niece added Amanda's picture to her backpack.

 

And she colored this beautiful picture.  It is Romeo in Montana.

Never forgotten.

Another way people have expressed love is by sharing through writing.  A poem was sent to us by someone because Amanda touched their life:

Amanda

Amanda's life was short to live

But life our God to her did give

Her spirit was as gentle as a dove

Her heart filled with the fathers love

Her hair as fiery as the sun in the sky

So young for us to say goodbye

Our hearts all broke at her final breath

But victory she has in Jesus over death

She left this world not alone

To join Jesus by his Father’s throne

To God be the glory we cry and pray

As we wait to see Amanda on that joyous day...

Knowing the time and heart that goes into putting feelings down into words, this is a very poignant and precious gift to me.

This post started as simply a post to share that amazing picture and it got away from me, but before I wrap up, there is one more gift recently given to me that hit me in the heart.  I think you will see why:

This is her actual signature.  It was copied from a card Amanda had signed and then engraved on the key chain.  It is so precious to me I don't want to take it out of the packaging because I don't want to scratch it!

It made me cry.

It took my breath away.

Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.