Just 10 days: "The Butterfly counts not months, but moments, and has time enough."

It has taken 3 3/4 years...

Preparing yourself to make such a final decision as what to say on your child's grave marker is a difficult, to say the least, process. The curcumstances surrounding the loss of our sweet daughter has left us with very little time to properly grieve. Shortly after Brooke's passing, her twin sister, Summer, suffered life threatening situations. She is still with us...happy and going strong, but still has many, many, challenges we face along side her. We have hardly had the time to consider something so permanent and personal as Brooke's marker. But, just like many things in our lives, we were forced to take care of it. Everything had been paid for at the time of her service, so the funeral home strongly encouraged us to complete the order.

In my mind, there were certain requirements...this was to be something we will see for the rest of our lives in her memory. There had to be a picture...I chose one taken by Soulumination, on the day she passed away. She looked beautiful the first, and last, time we held her...both of our hands placed on her back. Butterflies have been a symbol I have used for her as well. We received potted flowers from our families that have long since gone...all that remain are the pretty butterfly stakes that were in them. I chose two identical butterflies to signify how special she is to be an identical twin. I'm hoping this makes it special for Summer too...to know about the symbolism when she is old enough to understand. We also needed to add Brooke's signature...her footprint. We could only get a good print from her left foot...we made sure it is to scale, just a mere 2 1/4" from heel to the top of her big toe. We have also had a poem in mind to have engraved, since her service, but I was worried about using it because we saw it on a child's marker not too far from where Brooke is buried. I have been searching for the last few years for something to replace it, but just haven't felt like anything else could say exactly how we feel so deeply and accurately.

"How softly you tip-toed into my world. So silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon my heart." - Thomas Jefferson

This encompases all...