January 6, 2012

Happy 1st Birthday Madeline Grace!!!

Dear Madeline Grace,

A year ago today I was walking into the hospital with your tutu on my arm and suitcase full of your clothes by my side. The day for your arrival had finally come and your Daddy and I were over the moon excited to meet you. I always dreamed of having a little girl. I had waited a lifetime for you.

I put on my cute floral pink hospital gown and pink headband. I wanted to look cute and girly when I met you. My little girl...
I remember being in labor and being so anxious to see your sweet face. I couldn't wait to see who you looked like. I couldn't wait to hold you and kiss you. I wanted so much to have you in my arms.

After eight hours of labor at 6 pm on January the 6th, you came into this world weighing in at 6 lbs 12 oz. The doctor held you up and I immediately fell in love with you. 

You were beautiful.

He placed you on my chest and you let out the loudest cry. You were here.


We were parents to a sweet little girl. We were in love.

You were the bundle of pink we had been waiting for. We were so thrilled to meet you. We will always cherish that moment.


I'll never forget the way you looked at me. It will forever be in my engraved in my memory. You were looking right at me and then you smiled. You really truly smiled. You took my breath away.


The day of your birth was a dream come true. Truly a dream come true. It was magical.

The following two days were exactly the same. If only there had been more time. If only I could have kept you a little longer...



When they placed you in your Daddy's arms, you were smitten by him and he was smitten by you. You kept your eyes right on him. You were so alert and so full of life. You loved him and we could tell. I loved watching you with him. It made me fall in love with him all over again. Oh how much love and joy you brought to us sweet girl.


Your brother's couldn't wait to meet you. They loved you immediately. Eli thought it was so special that you looked like him. Noah said that you were beautiful and he loved that he helped you to stop crying during your bath. Oh how they miss you and don't understand why you can't be here to grow up with them. Oh how they adored you for just the little time you were here...

Your sweet little face will carry us the rest of our lives. You will always be a part of this family. You will always be my third baby. You will always be my little girl...








I will do my best to honor the Lord and your memory the rest of my life...

Just know Maddie Grace that you were loved. You were wanted. You are missed. You have taught us what "true" Grace really is... and for that we are grateful.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl. I hope you are having the sweetest celebration in Heaven. Maybe you are taking your first steps on the streets of gold. I can't wait to get to Heaven and see you again. I can't wait to hold you and kiss you and tell you just how much you mean to me. Until then, just know how much we love and miss you...

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Happy 1st Birthday Princess Madeline!











Thank you for taking this journey with us. Thank you for loving us and our sweet daughter. Thank you could never truly express how grateful we are to have all of your love and prayers. We will be eternally grateful. Thank you.


Please enjoy this precious video of our little girl. It's truly a blessing. We miss her.

Happy Birthday Maddie!








34 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Sweet Maddie Grace.

    Praying for you and your family today Natalie.

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  2. That is the sweetest video I have ever seen. I admire your strength so much!!! I have prayed for you many times this last year. You and your husband both definitely endured hardness as good soldiers and im sure your reward will be great!! Yall's testimony and faith in God has blown me away as I have read and followed your blog. Im praying for you very hard today. And Maddie is getting the Princess Party of a lifetime in Heaven:)

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  3. Nat,
    This touched my heart so much! I just cried over the video. I never met her but I miss her as if I did. You have kept her memory alive and I love that you have written and have kept us in your life through your blog. I feel closer to you and your sweet Maddie because of this. Your video was so special. It made me want to hug and cuddle mine a little closer because you never know. I love how everything you are a part of, YOU make special. You are such a dear friend and I will be praying for you and your famiy throughout this day! Love you, Nat and Maddie!

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  4. Tears! Thank you for sharing your hearts and helping me to appreciate every moment with my children. Have a blessed weekend!

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  5. Natalie, thank you for sharing that precious video. The faith and trust that you and Rick have placed in God throught this past year has truly been an inspiration to me. You're in my prayers today, as always. You have a precious family! - Lacey Lamb

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  6. natatlie,
    been praying for you and your family this week!

    thank you for sharing your beautiful madeline with us!

    the video was just amazing...tears!!!!

    may you feel God's loving arms wrapped around you!

    andrea!

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  7. Happy Birthday, sweet girl. Praying for you guys today!

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  8. This post is a tear jerker. I appreciate the words you and your husband shared on the video... definitely had me choked up. hugs mama-
    Felicia

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  9. Forgot to ask, Where did you get that cute hospital gown?

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  10. That video was breathtaking! She is so beautiful, and I can't imagine a better way to spend a birthday, but being loved on, on the lap of The Almighty! Praying for you and your family always! Happy 1st Birthday Maddie Grace! May your birthday be filled with dancing!

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  11. Happy Birthday Maddie! Thinking of Maddie Grace and your family on this day :). I know you miss your baby girl. What a blessing to have so many precious pictures. Your video is so touching and so full of love for you beautiful daughter. She has to be so proud of her family! Just as proud as you are of her. She has really made a difference in this world. Thank you for sharing! :)

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  12. Happy Birthday Maddie Grace! :)
    Thanks for sharing that truely amazing video! LOVED IT.
    i wish i could have gotten to hold her.
    Praying for you this week. :)
    ~Bailee

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  13. Happy Birthday, Maddie!

    Thank you for your inspiration and your continued faithful testimony. You have taught me what true grace is and made me a better Mommy and Christian. I will continue to pray for you and your family.

    Ginger

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  14. Oh Natalie, I have cried so much with and for you while following along with your blog. All day I thought about your sweet daughter and how it is her day, forever. I read a poem today that made me think of you so I would like to share it.

    I meant to find her when I came;
    Death had the same design;
    But the success was his, it seems,
    And the discomfit mine.

    I meant to tell her how I longed
    For just this single time;
    But Death had told her so the first,
    And she had hearkened him.

    To wander now is my abode;
    To rest,-to rest would be
    A privilege of hurricane
    To memory and me.
    ~Emily Dickinson

    Happy Birthday Maddie Grace!

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  15. What a beautiful birthday for a beautiful little girl. Your story and your faith in God has touched me often this year. I cried and cried when I read this post and watched the video. Happy 1st Birthday, Madeline Grace!

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  16. Happy Birthday Maddie. Thinking of you and your sweet little girl. Lots of love. <3

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  17. I must admit, I followed your blog many months ago then life became a little crazier and stopped reading it. Tonight as I was tucking my children into bed, I began to think about you and your precious Maddie Grace. I decided to come back to your blog to see how things were going for your family (the last time I read you had just found out you were pregnant with you "hope" baby), much to my surprise I read that today is Maddie's birthday! I am a firm believer that when God puts someone on your heart and mind, you should pray for them. Tonight I will be praying for you and your sweet family. May God continue to bless you.

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  18. My only words are Happy Birthday Maddie. Much love to your family.

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  19. Happy Birthday sweet Maddie!!! You have touched so many lives of people who don't even know your mommy and daddy personally! Wow, is all I can say! If only Our lives could be used for God in the way your short life has!!! WOW!!! God is so good!! Thank you for sharing this and for sharing Maddie with us all! She truly has impacted my life in a great way this past year!! Happy Birthday Maddie!!

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  20. Thank you all SO very much! I'm so blessed by all of you and tour sweet words. :)Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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  21. Hi, I have been following your blog for a while now. And ever since I read your story I have been in tears, when ever I think of it. I am amazed by your and your families courage. I may not have the same beliefs as (I am Roman Catholic)you, but I do believe that she is in a beautiful place watching down on you. I could never imagine the pain you felt and I am just even more grateful now for my two children then ever, partly because of your Maddie Grace. Please know how grateful I am to you also. Thank you for sharing and Happy Birthday to your Princess.

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  22. Happy Birthday Maddie Grace!

    Natalie and family, may you know the grace that comes from above as you celebrate and mourn this most scared passing of time. Peace be with you!

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  23. Happy Birthday Maddie!!

    Thinking of you always and hoping that you are doing well.

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  24. Wow!! So touching, so heartfelt, so beautiful!!!

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  25. Such a sweet tribute you your beautiful, precious girl! Praying for y'all! <3

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  26. You did it Natalie! You really did it. You survived a year without your Maddie Grace. You might have even thrived a little. I think you did! Of course it helped to have Jonah growing inside you for inspiration. But you did it. And while there is no prize or award for living, existing through a year after your beloved baby girl died, you should be incredibly proud of yourself. I imagine last year on this very day you couldn't conceive where your next breath would me from let alone if you could survive a year. But you did. With the Grace of Maddie and the Grace of God. You did so faithfully, thoughtfully, beautifully. I am so happy that at this most sacred anniversary of remembering and honoring your beautiful daughter that your aching arms are full of God's faithfulness and goodness. God bless the Ross family!

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  27. This is Letty ross and this video is so precious! God is so merciful and wonderful and through this I am healing with my own mother's passing! Natalie you are a wonderful role model for all women. I love you ! take care of your family
    Aunt Letty and Uncle Don

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  28. I just gave you a Liebster Award, so I'm letting you know! Love your blog! (For more info, see my blog: 365psalms.blogspot.com).

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