To Honor Mia

Today, I'm thinking of Mia Grace Marrone.

To share her with you, to honor this little baby's life - I am debuting the "Sisters By Heart video" for the first time on Gwen's blog and posting a link to a story titled "An Arranged Friendship."  It is about Mia and her CHD-warrior friend Zoe.

My heart aches for Mia's family as they face a time or remembrance of the events of one year ago, how their little girl was so suddenly taken. Their three year old son couldn't understand why his little baby sister was not with them anymore. Mia's twin brother was left without his twin sis. And another mother and father were facing pain beyond pain.

Mia's mother wrote;

"I can still hear her cry, see her laugh. It is just hard. It seems that every time I see a baby girl around her age it tugs my heart. I know they say it is not supposed to be easy but there is no words to even begin to explain.

For the 87 days she was here she was my everything. My hope, My dreams, my inspiration and strength to go on. I would continue going every night on no sleep if I had to. She taught me so many things about life. Life is so short for fighting and selfishness. It is hard to imagine in that moment that God already had a plan from the time she was conceived. I hate that plan but maybe in time I will See why. I just think about who she could have become and who she really looked like. It is all just gone in the blink of an eye.

I am very proud of the things I have done and the awareness that has been raised for congenital heart defects. She came into this world with me and left with me. As the priest said during her service, 'Ray and Jennifer are not angel makers, they are Saint makers. Mia Grace touched more lives in 87 days than many touch in 87 years. For in my eyes she is a Saint. She brought together a community and taught many about hypoplastic left heart syndrome and the importance of congenital heart defects. In my eyes she is a saint.' "
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I remember being so excited - I remember seeing the twins on facebook after they were born at CHOP and wondering how this mother was going to take care of a heart-healthy newborn and a HLHS newborn who had to stay in the hospital while also caring for a toddler. It made our then-recent time at CHOP seem like a walk in the park.

That little Mia and her twin brother Madden, I remember being so happy for Jennifer and her husband Ray. I am saddened for them now as it will be one year for them on the 25th of this month.

So, in honor of Mia - here now, the Sisters By Heart video:



And,

An Arranged Friendship by Stacey Lihn
"Can you imagine your best friend dying? It's heart-breaking to even think about. Someday, I'll have to break the news to Zoe that her friend, Mia, died, just shy of her 3 month birthday."

Read the full story here: Arranged Friendship

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My love, care and prayers to the Marrone family.