| Birthdays & Anniversaries |
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| I thought I would share a few ideas on how we have celebrated special days so far. |
| 1st Birthday |
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| Joe's 1st Birthday was on 12th March 2003. It was a very dificult day as we reflected on what had been, what could have been and what was to be. We released some Helium filled balloons. The children attatched pictures to theirs and we attatched a poem to ours. We lit lots of candles in Joe's garden in the shape of a number 1 and we had a Brthday cake and all sang Happy Birthday. Friends and family joined in and we recieved lots of flowers, plants and keepsakes for Joe's garden. |
| 1st Anniversary |
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| 17th April 2003 was the 1st Anniversary of Joe's death. My husband the children and I had a quiet day alone. The weather was glorious and we had a BBQ in the garden. At the exact time of death we sent a huge rocket into the skies wich was so loud that the earth seemed to shake. Family members 5 miles away phoned to say they heard it. As soon as it got dark we lit up the sky with an assortmnt of fireworks and ended it with another earth shattering bang from a rocket. It was very satisfying and the children enjoyed it tremendously. We finished the day by lighting 36 candles in Joe's garden. One for every day of his life. |
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| 2nd Birthday |
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| Joe's 2nd Birthday 12th March 2004 was a lot easier to cope with than the first. We released 36 helium filled white Balloons. The children made cards and tied them to their balloons and we wrote a poem. We each had a bunch of nine balloons which we released and watched them float into the sky. The children kept asking how long the balloons would take to reach heaven. All evening they kept asking " Have our cards reached heaven yet" and " Has Joe popped the balloons yet to get all the Love that was inside them ". The best comment came later after we had cut a Birthday cake. Our Daughter asked if next year we could attatch some cake to a balloon and send that to heaven. Again we received flowers, cards and keepsakes from friends and family and an In Memorandum post was made in our local newspaper. |
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| Joe's 2nd Birthday Poem On this day two years ago Our world was filled with joy. A special gift arrived this day A precious baby boy. Alas this joy was not to last For at five weeks and one day, This precious son we loved so much Sadly passed away Life became a struggle The pain was hard to bear, Why was our son taken? It all seemed so unfair. But now we're doing better And sometimes we feel glad, For all the precious memories Of the time we had. So Happy Birthday Joseph Hugs and Kisses too. Happy Birthday Joseph With Love from us to you. |
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| 4TH BIRTHDAY |
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| Wow. 4 Years has passed since your birth. I'm not sure how we will be marking the occasion this year. I have arranged some flowers in your memorial garden. They look beautiful. Keeley said she will blow you a kiss. Bless her heart she always remembers. The pain has eased now. We still think of you everyday but it doesn't hurt so much and we cry far less often now. You would be a proper little boy now. Walking and talking and going to Nursery. Arguing with your Brother & Sister and no doubt an expert on all things Playstation. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE. LOVING YOU FOREVER. XXXXX |
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