Even though Eli's life was short, I know it impacted so many people. I created this page not only so I could document my own memories, but to document the memories of those who were touched by his life. I would like anyone and everyone who has even the smallest memory of Eli to document it here. It will truly touch my heart to hear how he impacted you. Please share everything you can think of. Don't feel like it might make me sad. I really do want to hear your stories and have them here for me to always remember. He was a real person and a life. If you just heard about us and it touched you please share that also. Anyone who was blessed to meet him please share your experience. Thank you all so much!!
PS It is a little confusing when you try to leave your post. You can sign in with a google account but you don't have to. Just choose name from the drop down box and fill in your name. You don't have to fill in the url box. Thanks again!
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I will never forget seeing that little sweetie for the first time. It was the afternoon of the day he was born. He was kept in the nursery that day, so I could only see him through the glass windows. He was very pink and very beautiful. The nurse saw us all looking at him so she went over and turned his head so that he would be facing us. That really ticked him off. He then showed us how well his lungs worked. :) I was sad that I wasn't able to hold him that day, but luckily I was able to a couple days later. Even though he was a 7 pounder, he seemed so, so tiny. I remember smelling him, kissing him and snugling him. He was perfect. The next time I saw him was in the hospital at Kosair. He was hooked up to a million machines and tubes, but he was still just as beautiful. He was a little fighter. The nurses kept swadling him tightly and every time he would get his little left arm loose and they would have to do it all over again. I remember him opening his eyes and looking right up at all of us standing around him. I remember seeing his mommy and daddy never leaving his side the whole day. It was so beautiful to see such love, but the circumstance was so cruel. Family and friends were all around. I remember seeing him go from breathing over the ventilator to it taking over for him. His eyes would still open occasionally, but it was different than earlier that day. I remember gathering with the family to say goodbye to a life that was about to leave us entirely too soon. Eli felt the love in his final hours. I know it.
ReplyDeleteHis life touched me. It has forever changed me in ways that I can't explain and even in ways I don't think I realize yet. There isn't a day that I don't think about precious Elijah James and his parents. Richie and Brooke have been through so much tragedy this past year. The way they leaning on one another and how are seeking Our Great God for comfort has shown such strength. They amaze me every day and I have never been more proud of anyone in my entire life. I love you guys. -Laurel
Although I never got to meet Eli, I have had the pleasure of knowing his ever devoted and loving parents for over 5 years now. I know how excited Brooke and Richie were when they found out they were pregnant again after the previous miscarriage. Having gone through a miscarriage myself, I knew the pain they felt. I felt horrible for them, but know that God does things for a reason and that they would get another chance....of course, never knowing how that would turn out.
ReplyDeleteWe have come to love Brooke, Richie and Grant and could not imagine not having them as neighbors!! And as much as I wanted to be able to comfort them, I know that there were no words, no actions, nothing that we could do to ease their pain....all the pain and suffering and loss they had endured over the past year. I can only imagine how they felt....But as Brooke has shared, all we can do and all I could do was to send out my prayers and trust that God would ease their pain, and I know that he will...in time.
For now, we will continue to be as supportive as we can, lend an ear, provide comfort, share a meal, watch the dogs (well, only me as the dogs have a strong dislike for my husband!!!), have playdates with Grant and Landan (as long as Landan promises not to pee in the sandbox), or whatever it takes!
I know I have rambled, but it is still hard to know what to say...sorry!! LOL
We love you guys!!
Julie Lee
Hi I am writing this to say several different things.One is that I have the most amazing daughter in the world.Another is that I was so happy when they told us that they were pregnant again. In late 1983 I had a terrible motorcycle accident when Brookes mom was pregnant with her and so she dealt with the last part of being pregnant mostly by herself but I could not wait to see what we were going to have as a child. It also was a bittersweet time in that I had a brother and Brooke had an uncle who was fighting for his life in a terrible battle against cancer. He was not supposed to live 6 month after he was dianosed but he made it 5 years. In his last 6 months he fought so hard because he knew he had a little niece coming and he wanted to meet her so bad.We took Brooke home from the hospital after only one day so that we could take her to meet her uncle. When we took her to his house and layed her in his arms in the bed he was so happy that he got to meet her and you could tell he was relieved that he didnt have to fight anymore.He passed just 5 days later. This little baby had made his last days so worth the fight he had put up,and now this baby has grown into an amazing woman. When I went to the hospital to meet Eli for the first time all I could do was look through a glass window at him but I thought man that is my second Grandchild and he is perfect just like Grant was when he was born.When I went back the next morning I was finally able to hold and love him and I was planning all the things that he and Grant and I would do in my mind. I held him only a few more times before i went to Indianapolis for the weekend following his birth. I couldnt wait to get home and I longed for the day that Brooke went back to work so I could have him all for myself on Saturday mornings like I did with Grant. Then I got this call while I was in Indy from a very frightened new mom and she said to me dad you better come home quick something is wrong with Eli. Dottie and I packed up in record time and headed home to go to Kosair hospital. When we got there it started the worst two days of my life. I saw the two kids that I watched grow up together at Portland Christian School become the two strongest people I have ever known. Neither Richey or Brooke would leave Elis side not even for a moment. In the rest of that night and the next day I only saw Eli laying in a bed fighting so very hard for his little life but I saw such an outpouring of love from so many of my friends and especially from one of Brookes friends. That friend was you Blondie and I will never forget what you have done for my family by being there for Brooke when she needed someone the most.On Sunday when the kids decided to turn off the machines I saw a strength in them that only God could provide. I knew that Eli would go home to be with God and his Pa and his Grandma but it was so hard to say goodbye.The little guy was here for only a few short days but he had a very large influence on so many lives. I am sure he knows by now the impact he had while he was on this earth and I hope that many lives were touched and changed by meeting him and his amazing parenst.I am so proud of you guys Brooke and Richey and I love you all very much.You guys have seen such sorrow in the past couple of years yet you push on and I know its hard but none of us would have made it without God in our lives. Tom
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