Emma's Memorial (March 2024)

   There were so many people who asked me when and where her funeral would take place because they wanted to be there for it because they loved her so much. My family members who live out of state, previous co-workers from 911 in Orlando, nurses and therapists who had helped Emma a lot while she was in the NICU for the first year of her life, our current neighbors, and more. However, we wanted to keep it a really small memorial and the total amount of people was ten. Me, Michael, my parents, his parents, his older brother and his wife, plus Emma's 1st grade teacher who we have become very good friends with, and the minister. I was surprised that the memorial lasted an hour and a half. It was very sad, but very nice. Even though the minister didn't know Emma, he was still able to say a lot of really nice things since he watched the slideshow that we sent in a 450 pictures for. He showed up 30 minutes early, as did Michael, Carolina (her teacher) and I. On the drive there, Michael told me that he probably wouldn't cry because he felt so numb, "and sick" I added. But we were sobbing almost the whole time! I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to say my eulogy, but I'm glad I did because the minister said it was one of the best ones he had ever heard!! :)

*****

Here is the eulogy that Michael wrote:

&

Here is the letter to Emma that Carolina wrote and read:

*****

   Lastly, Michael's dad presented us with a photo album that he put together! Michael's mom said he went to Hobby Lobby all by himself and picked out the flower stickers, Bible verses, and printed the photos all by himself. The photo album was documenting the vacation in the mountains that we had all been on in November 2016 with Michael's grandma and younger brother when we told them that I was pregnant! At the end he had put in a few of his favorite photos of Emma. It was very lovely.