One Family's Story

Do you ever think that you were meant to meet certain people? That there was a purpose for your paths to cross? Have you ever watched the effect and role they play in your life that confirms to you that they were meant to be there at that specific time and even for a specific purpose? And then after you do, you can't imagine your life without them? There are so many people in my life that I feel that exact way about. When I was pregnant with DeLanee and after she passed there were so many people that played critical roles in my life. I can't imagine having to navigate through that tremendous trial without the friendship, support and love of so many people. Each played a different role, but every one so important to me.

Recently, I have been blessed similarly. There have been so many amazing experiences in the last few months as Lanee's Legacy has been organized. Many stories where people have been brought into my life and become a part of this cause that is so touching. Many stories that confirm to me that they were meant to be a part of this and that now is the right time for Lanee's Legacy to be formed and really grow.

Heather at JB Promos is one of those stories. The logos you see here on our blog, she designed. The tickets you have purchased from us, she designed. The postcards that were sent to each mom that has ever lost a baby at Banner Desert Hospital, she designed. The t-shirts that we will be wearing on the day of the event, she designed. The banner that will be displayed at the breakfast, she designed. She has put so much time and effort into making sure that all of our marketing needs are taken care of. AND she has done ALL this at little or no cost to us! What a blessing she has been! Unfortunately, her family has been touched by the loss of a baby as well. She too has a personal connection to the grief and sadness a family experiences after losing a baby.

Three months ago, her brother and his Wife, Jon and Rayalee Davies, were expecting twin girls. Sadly, their babies suffered from a condition known as twin to twin transfusion which ended in the loss of both of their precious babies. Heather told us that she was in the room when they brought two pink boxes into Jon and Rayalee for them to put their daughter's belongings in. She said they cried when they were given to them. When Heather told me this story, I cried too. Each time I hear of a family beginning this grief journey my heart just aches for them.

This is an e-mail I received from Jon and Rayalee Davies which tells the story of their sweet daughters in their own words:

As any parents would be we were overjoyed to welcome a new baby to our family, we were twice as happy that we got to add two more babies. We were blessed to have identical twin girls. Our joy was to be short lived as we found out that our twins suffered from a syndrome called twin to twin transfusion. At 27 1/2 weeks the babies werent moving as much as normal, so we rushed to Mercy Gilbert hospital where an ultrasound was performed and found that twin B now known as Nichole Ray Davies had passed away inside of me, but that baby A now known as Ashley Marie Davies was fine so far as they could see. We were then rushed to Banner Dessert Hospital where I was put on bedrest for two weeks, and then released to go home on strick bedrest. I was home for one week and on sunday June 14, 2009 our little babies were born Nichole weighing in at 2lbs. 7oz.and 15in. and Ashley at 2lbs. 15oz.and 17in. Nichole was handed to her daddy and Ashley was rushed to the NICU where we soon found out that because of Nichole's eariler death Ashley had sustained some very severe brian damage and would not survive. Jon and I were given the choice to leave her on the machines or take her off, with pain management. Our hearts broke as we choose to take her off the machines. We were told we would have 15-30 secounds of time before she would be gone, but Ashley fought and held on for an entire hour till I told her that mommy would be ok, and after 13 hours and 41 minutes of her life she, surrounded by Jon and I, both sets of grandparents, and her favorite Aunt Heather, peacefully rejoined her sister. During what has been the hardest thing that we have ever been through, we have been blessed with the sweet memories of our girls, and the knowledge that they are well and safe and fufilling a mission far greater than we can know.

Jon & Rayalee Davies

Thank you Jon and Rayalee for being so willing to share the story of your sweet girls with us. Thank you Heather for your amazing talent and willingness to help Lanee's Legacy with all of our promotional items. This is definitely one of those paths that I know we were supposed to cross. I am so sorry for the losses you have had to endur, but am so thankful for the effect you have had in my life as well as Lanee's Legacy's.