A Heavy Heart

Today, my heart is heavy with grief and shock. A precious young woman that I have loved like my very own died suddenly yesterday afternoon at her home. Dawn Michelle was only 36 years old. She was a loving mother to Michael, aged 14, and Chelsea, aged 9, and a dedicated wife to Bubba, her husband of 17 years. She leaves a younger sister, a younger brother, two parents who are lost and wondering how in the world this could be true. She has 2 nephews and 2 nieces who will love her forever. She also leaves a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law. That says nothing of her extended family, which is numerous, her church family and her many, many friends.

I sit here typing and wondering how I can convey with mere words what this sweet girl means to me. She entertained me from the day she entered this world with her beautiful smile and her quick wit. She had grown into a wonderful young woman who loved her family so dearly and thought no sacrifice too great for her husband or her children. In my mind's eye, I see a curly haired little angel baby toddling around laughing. A young girl so ready to share a joke and have a good time. A teen so unsure of herself and yet so incredibly beautiful. A young woman ready to commit to marriage even though many thought it a bad idea. We must have been wrong. The marriage worked and produced two precious babies that loved their Mom so deeply.

Chelle was our name for her. She was so incredibly beautiful, both inside and out. We laughed together, cried together, mourned together, praised our Lord together. When she married, I was there. When her first baby was born, I was there. When she doubted herself, I was there and when she found the truly special woman she was created to be, I was there too. I held her in my arms and changed her diapers when she was a baby. I bounced her on my knees and cuddled her when she was a child. I watched her playing dress-up in my old formals and my wedding gown when she was a burgeoning teen. Then, I watched her walk down that aisle in her own wedding dress when she became a young woman. I watched her tiny little body enlarge by the day when she was carrying Michael and I saw the tears rolling down her face when she first looked into his little pudgy face.

A lifetime cut much too short, much too soon. Yet, she had fulfilled her purpose here and the Lord lifted her to her heavenly reward. And so we are left here to find our way without her. Yet, she lives in the eyes of her precious children and in the hearts and memories of all who ever knew her. We will miss you Chelle and we will love you forever. Our hearts will go on and we will meet again in the sweet by and by.