Do you remember a few months ago when I shared about one of my good friends from high-school, Kristen? Her first child, a son, was born healthy on Lily's exact birthday, and her second child was stillborn a couple weeks before her due date in August, on Life for Lily Day. I was visiting Virginia the very week sweet Ryleigh was born, when Kristen's mom Susan reached out to me, and my grandmother and I were able to put together a comfort box for her and attend Ryleigh's service.
Well, Kristen and I have been staying in contact through the months since then. She had shared a beautiful photo of dear little Ryleigh and in the photo, the birds on her outfit looked familiar. It turns out, my sister-in-law Kala was given the exact same outfit for my niece Harvest who was born in the Spring, though she can't remember from who. Ryleigh was buried in this outfit, and since it was given by the hospital, Kristen has no idea where it came from.
When you are a bereaved parent, you cling to anything and everything that reminds you of your precious baby... especially when your baby was stillborn, because there are so few things of them. I have always wished and expressed my wish that I had an extra of the outfit and little brown shoes that Lily was buried in. I wish I had them as a keepsake to keep in her memory chest.
Kala was so generous to say she wanted to offer the outfit to Kristen, especially if it had been her burial outfit, which we didn't know if it was or not at the time. I asked Kristen, and she said yes, it was. And she would love to have it. I'm so glad she sent me that photo showing the outfit and that we were able to put the pieces together. We all just think it's amazing that it's the same outfit and recognize that God is in the details. I'm so glad Kristen can have this outfit to remind her always of her sweet first-born daughter.
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