August 28

It has been a little over 4 weeks since baby Sayla was born. I received the photographs from NILMDTS and have finally had a chance to look at some of them. I have laughed and I have cried ALOT! There are so many pictures that show the happiness and complete joy of a mother and a new baby. So many friends and family holding her and she just looked so peaceful even though there were TONS of things going on around her. It is like she knew her time, and she just allowed us to soak up the minutes, hours, and days of her AWESOMENESS!! God has been so good to us!! We have been blessed beyond belief by so many friends, family, and so many people that we have never met. From the memorial fund, cards, emails, flowers, and those text messages just to say "i am thinking of you"...all blessings.

I have my first opportunity coming up to share my story and impact that NILMDTS had on our family. Our photographer has reached out to photographers in the Columbus area to spread information about NILMDTS and the impact this organization can have on so many families. Pray that God give me the words that need to be said to give God the total glory!!

I have uploaded some more pictures of my little Angel ...enjoy them! Also, many have asked for our address to send stories of how Sayla had an impact on your life. It is 2207 hendricks church Rd, Thomaston, GA 30286. We appreciate each and every one!

And yes, that is a picture of Sayla with a Silly band on her arm..Sage decided she had to have it...enjoy and keep us in your prayers!

God Bless,
Mommy of an Angel

Sayla Grace

Sayla Grace

The photographs posted were from an organization called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. They are a wonderful non-profit organization that ministered to our family on delivery day through photography. The video above ...click Sayla Grace above and when it ask for the password enter SaylaG ....is also a video put together by Tracey Young, our wonderful photographer. Enjoy the video and share please!!

I hope you can see the joy in the faces of each of us...thanks,
Mommy of an Angel

One week has passed...

It has been one week since we buried our sweet little girl. Each day this week since Tuesday, we have thought back to what was happening in our life exactly one week ago. We have felt every emotion possible and we have had our good times and our not-so-good times throughout the week. The cards have flooded our mailbox with stories of how Sayla has impacted people's lives...from Oklahoma, Virginia, and many more places. It is so AWESOME that God has used my baby girl to reach so many people. What a proud mother and father to hear that another soul has been saved because of Sayla's little life.

I keep thinking about how awesome it felt to hold her...a miracle! My grandmother explained it as " holding a small bundle of the Holy Spirit", and it was so true. I want people reading this to know that God's will was so apparent in Sayla's life and how we were able to grasp the full effect that Sayla's life was in His Hands (this is just one of the examples that I want to share).

We knew her heart condition was serious and that the heart would probably be what put Sayla in Jesus' arms. When she was delivered, her heart rate was 65 (that isn't real good). God gave her the strength to fight and bring her heart rate up to 140 WITHOUT any help from anyone (except HIM of course!!) She took a turn for the worse at least 3 more times at the hospital and I guess it still wasn't her time. I honestly think she knew she had more lives to touch!! In the 3 days that we were blessed to have her, she was never, touched by any monitor, heat lamp, or any "medical" gadgets (other than a stethoscope). She maintained her heart rate, temperature, and weight on her own. The Dr's were completely amazed that a baby with her heart condition was able to survive on her own. Some may question the decision for "no gadgets", but honestly, I wouldn't change a thing about the decisions that we made for our girl! We have total faith in OUR GOD that he had every second of her life planned and no matter what..HIS WILL IS HIS WILL!!

I can also say that only a few times (maybe 5) did she ever lay down, because someone was holding, loving, and praying for her every minute she was with us. Daniel's grandma slept on the floor of the hospital lobby, because she didn't want to miss a moment of her (honestly, the lobby looked like a fall-out shelter)!! Aunt Cona sat up with her for 4 hours reading Psalms to her (when Jesus started sharing the Psalms with Sayla, she probably told Him that He could skip that book b/c Aunt Cona had already taught her that book)!!! There were so many people that shared every minute of her life with us and we are so thankful for those moments!

I still miss my Baby Girl so much and I know there is a long road ahead!! I am not angry with God, I rest in the comfort that I WILL SEE HER AGAIN SOMEDAY. If you don't know the God that I know, please please please seek for HIM!!!! He accepts everyone!!

Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement!!
MOMMY OF AN ANGEL,
MANDI