My sister instant messaged me today with a must read blog. I very obediently logged on and checked it out. She told me I had to start in January but I was pleased to find a little link offered by the blog author right up top. I am lazy like that. Before long I realized this wasn’t just any blog author, this was Angie Smith, wife of Todd Smith, lead singer of Selah. And not long after that, I realized this was not a humor blog, or a craft blog or a food blog, not that those aren’t all wonderful, but this was a blog started as a means to inform friends and family of a not so typical family journey.

Their journey begins as a young family blessed with five year old twins and a younger daughter, whom is now two I believe, and the exciting news that they were expecting their fourth daughter. Their fourth daughter they have already named Audrey Caroline.

20 weeks into Angie’s pregnancy they found out that Audrey was very sick and would not live long if she lived at all. Through faith and love they chose to live out God’s plan for them and their family and carry the pregnancy to term.

On Monday, April 7, 2008 Audrey Caroline was born at 4:31pm.

On Monday, April 7, 2008 Audrey Caroline went home to the Lord at 6:45pm.

I immediately felt anguish but a certain peace for this family and then I thought about my own three girls, and a story that started somewhat the same, but ended very differently.

I was sick with Emma. I was lonely from the departure of their father and scared to death. On my 6 month visit I found out I had placenta previa and pregnancy induced hypertension. I had to start going to the doctor every two weeks rather than every month and at the eight month mark I had to see the doctor once a week and also go to the hospital for a stress test. I was worried sick and heartbroken.

But my daugher lived. She is happy and she is healthy and she blesses me each and every day she is on this earth. And I take that for granted.

On Monday, April 7, 2008 at 6:45pm, I was sitting at her therapists office getting increasingly annoyed that her appointment was running over. I even thought to myself that I didn’t see the need for therapy every single Monday when we were dealing with her ADHD just fine and she was officially off medication.

On Monday, April 7, 2008 at 6:45pm, Angie and Todd and Kate and Abby and Ellie Smith were letting go of little Audrey Caroline.

I am blessed. I am grateful. And I am inspired by a family that was brave enough to recognize the magnitude of what God chose for them and to accept it as obedient children of a loving God.

Dear Lord, may you camp angels about the Smith family in the days to come and bring them peace. May you send them many more rainbows……