A Smile and a Memory

Kate smiled this morning. It wasn't a smile for Aaron's sake. It was an actual smile. I haven't seen one of those since Tuesday night, so pardon me if I seem over-excited! I remember after Gracie died, I thought I'd never see a Katie smile again. It took a long time for her to really smile and not just do it because of our son or others to see that she was falsely doing all right. I am still coming back after the Larry King interview last night with the Chapman family. If you are unaware of what I am talking about, I have already commented on this here. Although I was obviously not at the farm that Wednesday, May 21st; I have those images of what took place. As they were talking, the images were running through my mind. I almost felt like I was there that day after hearing them.

The images of Gracie's Homecoming day (as I refer to it) aren't as dramatic and intense as those mental images I have of Maria Chapman's, but one image was the same. I held Gracie's body after she had passed into Heaven, and I remember as I held her, I yelled out to God. I, like Mary Beth Chapman, was angry with God many times. I never doubted His plan, but I was angry with it. It's the human in all of us. However, I know that Gracie is Home. She's cancer-free. She doesn't have pain. She's perfect. The last six months of her life on Earth were so hard. But, I'm glad that this life isn't all there is for us. I miss so many parts of life with Gracie, but I can't feel sorry for where she is right now. I can feel sad, but I won't feel cheated. Although I thought that I would see Heaven before she would, I am so glad that Gracie is sitting with our Creator; the One who knew her days long before we knew her, and the One who will be waiting with open arms on the day of my own Homecoming!