Birthday wishes and a Funeral Talk

Happy one month birthday to sweet Ruby June!

I hope you are having a wonderful birthday up in heaven.

I have received lots of pictures of red this morning and I love it!

I hope it is reminding you to show a little extra love today. I know it is helping me.

Today I thought I would share the talk I gave at Ruby’s funeral.

I thought it would be an appropriate day since it talks all about love, service, and Ruby.

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The message that I want to share with you is one that Ruby has taught me. It is that of love and service. Ruby has taught me more about love, kindness, patience, and charity, than I have ever known before. If you had the honor of meeting Ruby you know the feeling of peace and love she carried with her. Her bedside was a very spiritual place. Just in the short time period I had to spend with her she made me want to emulate her countenance. She is teaching me how to be a better mother and I thank her for that. She has helped me have a greater appreciation for Luke and I am sad that he will not have her around as a sister on this earth.

The love that has been shown to us by others over the past couple weeks is overwhelming. It is all because of her. We have been able to get through the hardest moments because of the love that has surrounded us. The love from our Father in Heaven, family, and friends has given us the strength we have needed.

Along with the love we have been shown we have also received countless acts of service. Our hope is to give back through service as well. We have to spend our lives serving others and making their lives better because Ruby made our lives better. We feel it will be the best way to honor Ruby. We want to serve as a way to celebrate her life.

Ruby touched so many people. Those that met her, those that never met her, and also those that have never met us. Ruby was someone special. Every nurse would tell us how they loved taking care of Ruby because of how sweet she was. They just knew that something was special about her.

For those of you here that didn’t get to meet her I want to play a short video so you can get to know her. Hopefully by watching the video you can see how sweet our Ruby is.

I have also felt that is important to share some emails we have received from people that never met Ruby yet they have been deeply touched by her:

Kristin, I heard from a friend about your sweet little Ruby and just wanted to send you a little note! She informed me of your little angel and since that day I have been reading your blog to find out about her and her updates. I don't even know Ruby, yet I feel inspired by her and the mark she left in this world.

Jared, I just want you to know that I was touched by the pictures of your sweet daughter, and without ever even meeting her...was touched by her spirit. It is amazing how when we allow ourselves to open up to remembering that we are all brothers and sisters, that we can feel connected whether we ever meet in this life or not.

Kristin, I have just felt like i wanted to tell you how much you and your sweet ruby have touched me. I came across your blog and since hearing of the little angel that graced your life for such a short time it has been on my mind a lot. How special she must have been that she didn't need that much time here on this earth, and the short time she was here she touched so many people, people that you may not even be aware of in ways you will never know.

Jared, During Ruby’s short time on this earth she has touch many hearts with pure innocent love, including ours. What a huge impact sweet little Ruby made on so many in her short time. She was loved by so many... Those whom never met her, but loved her dearly.

Kristin, You don't know me, but I just wanted to tell you that your baby girl is absolutely gorgeous. She already has brought the spirit in our house so strongly, and I know through her stories she will continue to do that.

Kristen, You do not know me but my daughter has shared with me a little about your angel. I just wanted to tell you that I have had some very low times as of lately but after seeing your precious daughter, it certainly put things in perspective for me and she has touched my heart. It is so Amazing how your precious angel Ruby, could touch someone’s heart that she doesn’t even know and that didn’t get to know her. I say thanks to Ruby for touching all of us in some way or another. I see many others were touched by Ruby that didn’t know her as well so it looks like Ruby was definitely put here on earth for the short time for a very special reason...Thank you.

While Jared and I were in the hospital we read an experience by a woman who was struggling with infertility. She often questioned why me? One day she heard a talk on the radio where a man diagnosed with cancer was facing the same question, but instead decided to look at it from the point of view of why not me?

Reading this story has made me look at this situation differently as well. Why not me? I am not immune to pain and suffering, however I have found myself more often than not feeling extremely blessed in this situation. Blessed to have given birth to this beautiful angel. Blessed to have spent 15 wonderful days with her. Blessed to know that I will see her again. Blessed to know that Ruby will continue to influence me every day.

While I was pregnant with Ruby and knowing that we may face some challenges with her, I changed the title of my blog to Come what may and love it. Although, it may be difficult to love a situation like this, I love aspects of it. I have a beautiful daughter that is living with her Father in Heaven being watched over by my sweet grandfather that passed away just 5 days before her. I love that my relationship with Jared has become stronger than ever and we will strive to live righteously so we can see her again. I love that I have grown closer to my Father in Heaven through this. I love that she has influenced so many lives. That people have dropped to their knees to pray for her, for us. I think she had more people praying for her than we will ever know. These are the things that I can love.

The phrase Come what may and love it comes from a talk by Elder Wirthlin. In this talk he says: The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.

I know this to be true. I know that death isn’t the end.

Joseph Smith said: The Lord takes away many, even in infancy…they were too pure, too lovely to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning, we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again.

I look forward to that day when I can hold her in my arms again.