A Special Gift

THE LETTER & THE ORNAMENT

I'd like to take this time to thank my sister. I thank her for always remembering our Baby Emmanuel during the Christmas holiday. Our Baby Emmanuel passed away Aug. 5, 2003, it's hard to believe that it's been five years since our little miracle angel went to be home with Jesus. But the short time of his little life is always remembered especially on Christmas Day by my loving sister. Every year she gives us a special gift of some sort to honor our baby Emmanuel and this year it was another special gift that truly warms my heart. It's pretty sad that when people in our life pass away, it almost seems like nobody talks about them or their life. Almost as if they were gone forever, but during this Christmas season it is such a reminder for me that when our loved ones leave this earth to go home to Jesus - it's even more important to celebrate and remember their life.

My sister has probably been the only one who constantly remembers our little baby emmanuel every Christmas. Gosh, you have no idea how that warms my heart. And you know my dear sister that if he were here in this world you would have been his godmother and I thank you with every fiber of my inner being for always remembering him and honoring him every Christmas. Thank You for reminding me what a epitome he was to many people.

So this Christmas holiday 2008 my loving sister gave us an ornament and also a letter that she wrote from the bottom of her heart. I will share that letter with all of you.

Thanks Munny for always being an inspiration and allowing Jesus to live through you. I love you so very much.

This is what the letter read:

Dec 22, 2008

To my precious Godchildren, Emmanuel and Isabella:

As previous years, I went looking for something to honor your lives during the time of year when we are given the most amazing gift we could ever receive, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I went to several places and nothing really struck me as "this was it". As I perused the store, I even stopped and prayed quietly to myself. I asked Christ to find the gift that would be from him, the gift with the "perfect meaning". Then I found this one! It was indeed perfect! The short 4-letter word, "H-O-P-E", on the front of the ornament immediately reminded me of each of you.

Sweet Baby Emmanuel,

You are the epitome of the word. Your short time on this earth taught us to hope, it gave us reason to continue. When Jesus called you home, this word became stronger in my life. HOPE. That is the one true gift we have received from our redeemer. Without it, our lives would be empty. Jesus died to give us hope. You are a burning light in the heavens now, but your message of hope has never died.

Little Isabella,

A couple of years ago, I anxiously thought that you would be home with your family in a matter of months. We've waited and waited for you to join your Mama and Baba. It's now been over two years of waiting. What is the only thing we have? HOPE. Our God is true to His word. Always. I know that HE is preparing the way for you to come home as as your Ayi and your madrina, I am hanging on to HIS word, to the HOPE that HE filled the world with on that first Christmas night. I know that we will someday rejoice the arrival of your coming home to your forever family. In the meantime, we continue to pray for your birthmother and for you.

I thank both of you for always being a reminder of HOPE to me. I know that someday our entire family will all be united in that big house HE has prepared for all of us. We will rejoice as we bow down before the king of kings together. Then, and only then, is when we will no longer have to live with HOPE, because in Heaven all hopes are reality. May God continue to bless you both until we are united...

Love always,

Madrina.