This enchanting little armoire holds Katelyn's favorite keepsakes. I
love it with all my heart.
Katelyn's favorite things help her sisters to know her - that she loved baby-dolls and was a "mommy-at-heart", that she was a tea party loving princess, a friend to Elmo and Abby, an explorer with Dora and Boots, and believer in fairies (especially Tinkerbelle).
Though my little ones never had much (if any) time with their older sister Kate, they can come here to gain a sense of who she was, and feel her personality and sweet angel spirit.
There are nights I steal away Kate's favorite princess blankie, cuddle up with her Dora and Boots, and just wrap myself in her smell. It's a beautiful, painful, tender, sacred heartache all rolled into one. I don't do it very often, because it hurts just as much as it helps. But sometimes its just good to feel her close.
This little armoire is sacred to all of us. We're all pretty protective of it. Of course - it represents our hearts.
My little girls treat it tenderly and with respect.
They seem to know there's something special about it that helps tie their
hearts together with their sister Kate. Often they'll draw pictures for her
(this week its been Valentine cards) and they ask if they can put them in
"Katelyn's China Hutch".
They'll open the mirror door, and place
their gifts carefully inside. Its never been said, but its as if they
believe that inside this beautiful armoire is a magical portal that connects
them to Kate, a make-believe bridge between heaven and earth. My girls love to
use it to send their sister love letters and thoughtful pieces of art to
express how much they love and miss her.
Even if its just a way to comfort
their hearts and help them reach across eternity to send Kate their love - it
helps keep their love alive and real - I am grateful for it. To see how happy
it makes their hearts, gives mine a lift.
We miss her. But we're thankful that Katelyn is forever ours, and always an important part of our family.
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