We Have This Moment...

WE HAVE THIS MOMENT

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living

Happy songs from the laughter of children at play

Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows

Making mem'ries of what was today

We have this moment to hold in our hands

And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand

Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come

But we have this moment today.

Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest

And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay

Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn

And weave you a lovely today

(Lyrics by: Gloria Gaither)

First and foremost, I do not take credit for the above written words. I'm still a fan of Gloria Gaither's writings and this one seems to always rise to the forefront of my memory and remains my favorite of all she's written.

As my niece's 8th grade graduation dawned on the horizon on Friday, it took me back to places and memories long forgotten in the busyness of living life. And what a lovely trip down memory lane I took as I remembered finding out that I was going to be an aunt for the first time. AND...Courtney decided to be stubborn in making her entrance into the world and waited until 3 days before my wedding to be born. So, my sister, Dave & baby Courtney were unable to attend my wedding. But my disappointment was quickly erased when two weeks later I laid eyes on her for the first time. It was unreal seeing the sister that I had grown up with, suddenly a mama to this little bundle of joy. She fell into motherhood so effortlessly, and when I held that baby with light brown curly hair almost down to her shoulders it was love at first sight!!

And so began my relationship with my one and only niece. I had so much fun buying clothes and toys for her and whisking her away to my home in Mississippi for 3-4 days at a time. She cut her first tooth at "auntie's house". We would have tea parties, trick-or-treat, read & she LOVED her Uncle Dale. Whatever sport Uncle Dale was into at the time, Courtney wanted to learn how to play.

We were heartbroken when we found out her DADDY Dave had leukemia and his only hope for survival would be a bone marrow transplant. Courtney's marrow was a 6 out of 6 perfect match, and they used hers when the first match didn't take. And then came the waiting, and waiting, and praying, and waiting to see if the graft would take. The fear of the unknown shook our family like nothing else we had ever experienced. We couldn't imagine life without Dave in it.But a terrible infection had ravaged his body and he was just too weak to fight it off. So, for reasons we'll never understand this side of heaven, God took Dave on to his eternal resting place when Courtney was only 10 months old. She was the light of her daddy's life and I can still hear him saying, "Hey ba-by", in his North Carolinian drawl and how her eyes would light up and sparkle.

Christy moved back home to be closer to family shortly after Dave's death and we "circled the wagons" around this broken family until love came around the second time for Christy & Courtney eight years later. Christy had found her "Prince" Charles, and Courtney found a new daddy. The first time they met was at General Conference in Toronto and Courtney whispered in her mom's ear, "Do you think he would let me call him dad?" And...he did! Charles and Christy will be married 5 years in July and he loves Courtney just like she was his own.

I'm so proud of the lady Courtney has become. She is one of my closest confidantes now and she adores Gentry. As I watched her walk the aisle to accept her diploma I thought, once again, how proud Dave would have been of her accomplishments. And although he's not here with us anymore, I see his smile in her eyes every time she crinkles up her face to smile.

And so I celebrate my special girl Courtney for being brave and courageous through all of the changes in her life. I hope she knows how much I love and care for her. No matter how old she gets, I'll always be "Auntie Mel" and she'll always be "My baby girl"! I love you, Court! And always remember...

We have THIS moment to hold in our hands...

And to touch as it sifts through our fingers like sand...

Yesterday's gone, and tomorrow may never come...

But WE have THIS MOMENT...TODAY!