Happy 3rd Birthday Kiersten & Brooklyn

If Kiersten & Brooklyn would have survived they would be 3 years old today... WOW, hard to believe that it has been 3 years ago, that life as we knew it came unraveling like a ball of yarn. That Kevin and I had to learn to live life with at the time one less daughter, and another fighting for her life. That evening, seems so clear, and still so raw, and those immediate days after.... so sad, so many tears shed, but some hope, the hope for Brooklyn, that she would one day come home with us.... But today we celebrated their life, b/c while their life was short, they had life, they were here and they impacted our lives and others so very much! Because of Kiersten & Brooklyn, we have learned so much and met so many new wonderful people, and for that I would like to thank them. I took the day off work, as I always think going forward I will, working September 24th would just be to difficult, and since I get so little time to really reflect all my attention on them these days, its nice to have a day like today that is truly for that reason. Today was one of those days where everything seemed to fall into place. I went to the bakery downtown, they always have some sample cakes made up, they of course had the "perfect one", I had them add the details I wanted, walked across the street to the Village Florist, which by the way I never shop there, but I figured I was in the area, and it was the most special occasion. I was planning to purchase a prearranged large bouquet or 2 like usual to take to the cemetery, but they had nothing prepared. I continued to look around the shop, a nice lady came out and asked if she could help, I told her I was looking to take flowers to the cemetery, she asked for who and said "is it an older lady", I said "no my daughters" holding back all the tears I could. She said she could arrange something for me, I told her today I did not have it in me... I told her I would continue to look around... if I was in a place I could have done it myself I would have been ok, but not to work with a stranger, not without crying, and I just did not want to go there. Prior to this, I had already come across the most gorgeous ceramic angel figurine, it was 2 angels with arms around another, and a bird on one of the little girls arms, when I saw this I immediately thought of K&B and how perfect it was, like how Kiersten must have been waiting with open arms to comfort her little sister Brooklyn when she joined her in heaven. So I took the figurine to the lady, and told her I wanted that with a pink and purple flower in it since those are the colors that represent the girls to us, mixed with some white, she was extremely helpful, did it up. As I paid her, she briefly asked me about my girls, which was touching, that she cared... as I walked out of the shop and across the street my eyes weld up with tears, tears of happiness with my beautiful flower piece for my beautiful angels. I walked into the bakery to get the cake, the lady showed me, and it was just what I requested, but BETTER! It took everything I had to not break down there, I thanked that extensively, walked to my car, and let it out... got in my car and called my mom... I was just happy, so happy that after a week of sad emotions, and things going not great, that finally 2 wonderful strangers just made 2 wonderful pieces for me, and this day was turning out to be wonderful! I had to wonder how much my angels dipped their little hands into this? I figured at this point, I would walk into the tattoo shop and the drawings would be perfect too... which by the way they were! So mid day Kevin and I went to the cemetery to put the flowers out, and visit with the girls. From there we went to the tattoo shop, these would be my 1st tattoos ever, I was more worried about the design then anything. A week prior I had sent the artist, Dan at Bluz Tattoo a real basic idea of the butterfly idea I wanted, with a K&B inside, color gist, and flowers, thats it, unfortunately for me since he is so busy he only does drawings day of tattooing, so there was no chance of me seeing what he had come up with prior to the actual appointment. Needless to say, I shed some tears over this, and was very nervous. But when Kevin and I walked in and I saw it, and we picked out colors, I was in LOVE with it... it is perfect. I am so happy with it. I have wanted to do it for a while now, and wanted a butterfly on each foot, K on the left foot, since she was baby A, and was always on my left side and B on the right foot since she was always on my right side. I chose the Aster flower for K because its the flower for September the month K was born and died, and the Marigold for B because it represents the month she died. K for us is always pink and B is purple, hence the color of the butterflies, so that is the explanation behind the designs... I simply love them! and I love looking down at my feet and seeing them! Many Thanks to Dan the artist, he totally did an awesome job! the little bit of discomfort I felt during the tattoos, was nothing I felt 3 years ago having to bury my sweet children.... Later in the evening, we did a balloon release and had some birthday cake, with our dear friends the Topij's. It really was a peaceful, calm day... I always feel like Kiersten & Brooklyn give us the gift of that on their special day... much love to the heavens baby girls! Happy 3rd Birthday!