Our Little Lily

You may remember reading my previous post about my sister Brittany having a little girl named Lily. Her and Ekemona are 3 1/2 months apart, and when I was in the delivery room, when Lily was born, Eke was kicking up a storm. It wasn't until later on I felt like Ekemona had this strong spiritual connection with Lily. I remember holding Lily for the first time. She had this amazing sense of peace and beauty. She was so little and petite, I remember thinking, "This is just her little body." I could envision her being this vibrant toddler who was short with this cute high pitch voice. I knew from that moment she was going to be an amazing spirit.

When Lily was a month old, Brittany took her for a check up. The doctor felt like she was not developing the way every young infant does. Since he was the doctor who delivered Lily he remembered when she first cried. It was very quiet cry and sounded much like a kitten, she also was small for her gestation age. With these signs he felt it was best to inform Brittany that he thought Lily had a very rare disease, and then would refer them to a doctor at the University of Utah to do some further tests.

It took about two weeks for the results to come back, and the doctors confirmed that Lily did have Cri du Chat. Cri du Chat is a very rare chromosomal disorder, where there is a deletion of the short arm in the fifth chromosome. Cri du Chat is french for the cry of a cat, and was only discovered in 1963. It is so rare that only 8 (approximately) babies a year are born in the USA with this condition. If you would like to learn more you can visit Brittany's post or for more information Click Here.

When Brittany and Mike heard the news they saw a vivid huge double rainbow. There were a few other occasions that revolved around Lily when they would see these vivid double rainbows. I thought it was very interesting that the day that Ekemona was born there was a bright double rainbow. And the most amazing part was, it was there when Brittany and Mike came to visit... and Brittany was the one to have noticed the double rainbow. If they had come any earlier or later there is a chance they would not have seen that rainbow, or if we were in any other room in the hospital we may have missed it. This was too much of a coincidence to think it was just another rainbow.

Sweet little Lily has inspired something in me and other family members. The amount of love that surrounds her is astonishing, and I know that she is aware of the love and acceptance that is around her. She will be a great example and influence on her cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings, parents, and grandparents. I can't wait to see her spirit blossom and grow as she progresses in this life, and all the amazing things that she will be able to accomplish.

The gospel has shined such a beautiful light on the situation. To see Brittany and Mike grow spiritually is amazing. I love that we believe that families can be together forever, and that our bodies will be restored to their fullest perfection. This sentence assures me that one day Lily will get to run, jump, sing, laugh and express herself with out any limitations, and that as a family, we will be there with her to enjoy and embrace her happiness.

While I was spending time with Brittany and Mike they introduced me to this song. The week Lily was born, Mike received a random free download which happened to be the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. After learning about the significant meaning of rainbows for Brit and Mike, this song stuck out a lot to me, like it did for them. This song has been stuck in my head ever since I heard it for the first time.

Lily, you were welcomed with open arms. You are such a joy to have in our lives, and I felt that from the moment I met you. Your spirit is strong, peaceful and beautiful. You were meant to come into this specific family, with no exceptions. You will be loved forever by those you touch in this life. You are perfect in God's eyes and in ours. You are a joy, a blessing, and a child of God. You will always be remembered, shared, and treasured. Continue to be the strong girl that you are as we watch you grow and learn. We will always be here for you, and your parents will be your pillar and light. You are our little Lily!

If you would like to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and what we believe, please feel free to visit Mormon.org or LDS.org