Our first Grandchild–Grace Evangeline Young-Beautiful!
This past weekend November 4th was our very first grandchild’s 4th birthday. Grace Evangeline Young. I love that name, don’t you? Every grandchild is special, but she was especially special because we had waited so long for her arrival.
Her mommy and daddy, Heather and Jeffrey, had been high school sweethearts—homecoming King and Queen. They graduated high school and went off to college (…and remained pure their entire 5 years of dating!). They got married and worked for a few years in preparation for the big family that they had dreamed of together.
Then the time came to bring that dream to life. But time after time it didn’t happen. Finally, Heather got pregnant, and we were so excited! After a few months, she miscarried. This happened more than once. Our hearts were broken . . . Why Lord?
Then, Grace Evangeline was conceived.
We passed the first trimester, and by the time we got to the final trimester we could hardly stand our excitement! We already knew her—she loved music, danced every time it was turned on, and was a morning girl, strong and active. We just knew she would bust into the world a little leader with rhythm and energy.
But one morning just two weeks before her scheduled due date, Heather woke up and didn’t feel Grace kicking. This was highly unusual for Grace. I’ll never forget that morning. Jeffrey called and told me there was no heartbeat. They were being sent to the hospital to induce labor to deliver Grace dead.
I’ve never cried so hard in all my life. My emotions were uncontrollable. I felt that I was in a bad dream. Nothing was real. Dale drove us to the hospital—there is no way I could have driven. When we got there we were amazed at the strength the Lord was giving to Heather and Jeffrey to endure this tragedy.
24 hours later Heather gave birth to Grace, our first grandchild. The cord had wrapped around her, taking her life. I have never experienced such depth of pain—to see a long hoped for dream, lifeless.
Grace is buried here on the farm. In the summer I go down and mow around the perimeter of her gravesite, and I still cry. I thought after four years I would stop, but I still miss her. Her body rests here with us, but her spirit is with the Lord and one day we’ll get to meet her alive! We’ll have a big ole family reunion in Heaven, and we’ll have eternity to get to know each other.
It has been hard, recovery long–but God has restored us and made us strong, firm and steadfast. We are blessed with two amazing grandchildren from Heather and Jeffrey, Lochlan who is 2 and Felicity who is 7 months old. We pray for all those who desire a family and haven’t conceived yet and for those who have lost babies. Our hearts break for those who live through this suffering but know that God will restore!
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10
The Young and Glasgow families united in celebrating Grace’s life
Her burial spot is 300 ft from our house-I like that.
Jeffrey, Heather, Me, Dale, Jennifer, Ellie, Rachael and Hannah at our service for Grace. Heather and Jeffrey led almost the entire thing themselves! The Lord gave them strength to do what most could not have done. The Lord was their strength.
Her body rest here but her spirit with the Lord–We will see her again in Heaven alive!
Jeffrey, Lochlan, Felicity and Heather at Grace’s Grave on her 4th birthday. We’ve planted flowers and roses, but the deer eat everything we plant!
