A New Little Girl In Heaven

Thanks to fellow Angel Mom Jennifer for sharing this poem with me many months ago. Christi and Nathan are probably great friends by now! (PICTURE: Christi on top - at CHOP, July 2005 - about 30 minutes before we learned her cancer was again taking off.)

I would never tell Shayla this today, but it was exactly one year ago that she spent her final day with Christi and told her a final goodbye that evening. It's killing me knowing we are now starting year two and our time away from her is just going greater. (I really do try to tell myself that it just means our time until we are together again is just shorter with each day, it's really not working to make me feel better.) It was also one year ago this afternoon Christi was given the "Last Rights" by a Catholic priest, who so kindly came to CHOP when called. Christi was tired, but coherent. Shayne thought she ought to confess her sins, based on Catholic religion, but the priest said that was not necessary. She was also not able to take Holy Communion as normal, but great effort was made and I am convinced that would not prevent God from allowing her into Heaven. We later learned that Christi's death was also difficult for the priest. As the final days approach, I feel like there is a heavy weight on top of my chest. I find I'm actually feeling that it is hard to breath at times, as crazy as that may sound, weird!


A New Little Girl in Heaven

"Oh, what do you think the angels say?"
Said the children up in heaven,
"There's a dear little girl coming Home today,
She's almost ready to fly away
From the earth we used to live in;
Let us go and open the gates of pearl,
Open them wide for the new little girl,"
Said the children up in heaven!
"God wanted her here, where His little ones meet,"
Said the children up in heaven;
"She will play with us in the golden street!
She has grown too fair, she has grown too sweet
For the world we used to live in.
She needs the sunshine, this dear little girl,
That gilds this side of the gates of pearl,"
Said the children up in heaven!
"Far down on earth, do you hear them weep?"
Said the children up in heaven,
"For the dear little girl has gone to sleep;
The shadows fall and the night clouds sweep
O'er the earth we used to live in;
But we'll go and open the gates of pearl,
Oh, why do they weep for their dear little girl?"
Said the children up in heaven!
"Fly with her quickly, O' angels dear,"
Said the children up in heaven;
"See, she's coming! Look there! Look there!
At the jasper light on her sunny hair,
Where the veiling clouds are riven!
Ah, hush-hush-hush; all the swift wings furl!
For the King Himself at the gates of pearl
Is taking her hand, dear, sweet little girl,
And leading her into heaven!"

(author unknown)