Today would have been Harper's 11th birthday.  He died five years ago when he was just six years of age.

Harper had severe cerebral palsy: he could not do anything for himself; he required constant medical care 24 hours around the clock.  He was on a ventilator and had a tracheostomy and was fed by a G-tube (gastrostomy tube) in his stomach.  It was hard taking care of him, but I am grateful that God gave me six good years with our son.

I miss Harper very, very much.  Today I am feeling his loss even more; it's all I can do to keep from crying.  A parent shouldn't have to outlive her child, but that is exactly what happened to our family.  God decided that Harper had been through enough on this earth, so He called him home, to be with Him forever and ever.

Harper was beautiful: thick, wavy brown hair, huge, luminous sea-green eyes flecked with gold, incredibly long lashes that brushed his cheeks, a dimpled smile, a round, pink-cheeked face, a straight Roman nose (just like his daddy's), and a sense of love for all things around him.  Harper may have not been able to walk or talk, but he impacted all that knew him; I know he will never be forgotten.  I will see to that, even though, today, my heart once again breaks open and bleeds ...

Besides Harper, we have two other children: Serenity (13) and Tallen (10); they were just eight and five when their brother passed away.  I know they miss him as much as Harper, Sr. (daddy) and myself do.

Today we will make a cake in his honor and sing "Happy Birthday" and recall our lives with Harper; we will probably cry or laugh a lot; we always do on this day, April 28th.  We will then go to the cemetary and take some toys and flowers to lay at his grave and pray and reminiesce some more.

I'm just glad that God allowed me to be Harper's mommy.  He truly was an inspiration and was a gift from God.