A Celebration for a Princess...

Today our families and very close friends will celebrate the life of a beautiful, precious baby girl. Ellersley Grace Deem was born one year ago tomorrow, August 13th, 2011 at 11:31 pm. She was 2 lbs 9 oz of gorgeous and perfect skin. She was 15 inches of Wesley and I. She had a perfect little nose and long, funky feet just like Daddy's. She was and still is our joy. We were so proud to be her Mommy and Daddy and after a year, we still are. She and Jesus have given us many things...patience, strength, faith, trust, hope, and joy unspeakable. This year has not been easy, by any means, but it has been worth it. God has shown up...he has been faithful and he has changed our hearts in the places that they needed to be changed. We have not walked this journey without him, not one step. He has allowed so many people to bless us this year because of our sweet Elle. People we never would have met and people that never would have been changed if Ellersley's story was never written. We are so thankful that he allowed us the privilege of witnessing his great power and glory through our daughter's life. She was our miracle and she helped produce miracles in a lot of other people.

Like I said we have been blessed by so many people this year and there is one family in particular that I want to acknowledge here. They are a family that has been in our church almost as long as we have; about 20 years. They have always been sweet and kind but this year we got to see it in action. They sent cards, way after August 13th. They sent money when they didn't need to. They gave us a doll that they feel God had been saving just for Ellersley for over 15 years. They asked questions. They recognized the hard days and told us they were praying and thinking of us. When Elle's day was approaching and they said they wanted to come over and show us something, we knew it was going to be special. This family does something called Letterboxing. I had never heard of it in all my life but they explained it well. It is basically like a treasure hunt but it is done by millions around the world. These letterboxes are hidden in certain places around the world and online you can find clues to where exactly each box is. It is designated by state, city and location; for instance a cemetery or a park. The "prize" in the letterbox is a stamp that you put into a book that you keep, it reminded me of a passport booklet. You get the clues online then you go follow the clues and by the end if you are a master treasure hunter you find the stamp and stamp your book; getting the satisfaction of completing the hunt. This sweet family does this together and I thought what a cool idea of something to do as a family. Well, this family thought since we love Ellersley so much and they love her so much and always want her to be remembered, they decided to make a letterbox in her cemetery just for her. The stamp is a Honu, which fits just perfectly for her, our little baby Honu. The clues are written into a story that their daughter wrote. She is a master storyteller and has won many awards for her stories. We were honored to have her write a beautiful story about our Jesus and our Ellersley and I would love to share it here with you.

As you enter through the Kingdom's gates be sure to greet the soldiers on the left guarding the path. The two stand at attention just in front of the guardhouse. Now turn right on to the path across from the steadfast soldiers, and as you journey through the Kingdom, listen to this tale of baby Ellersley, a real life princess.

Once upon a time, on a land similar to the grassy knolls you pass, there lived a peasant couple who longed for a sweet baby. They were full of joy upon learning they were going to have a beautiful baby. Before they found out the baby's gender, they nicknamed the baby "Honu" which is Hawaiian for turtle. But soon they found out their baby was a girl! And so they decided to call her Ellersley.

Turn left at the end to continue on around the Kingdom, and turn left again at the end of that road. I will continue my tale as you ride up in your "carriage" to the castle covered in vines and wait there.

The family was full of joy because of their baby. But just after baby Ellersley was born, disaster struck. An evil wizard named Death stole away their baby girl and took her to his dark castle under a sleeping spell. The whole Kingdom was heartbroken at the couple's loss. The King sent out a decree to the entire kingdom, looking for a brave Knight to rescue the baby.

Only one came. He was the Son of the King, the heir to the throne. He decided to go, though the journey would be dangerous. He left the Kingdom and trekked to the dark castle. Here we will follow the brave Knight's journey as he searches for Ellersley and all the other children who had been taken.

He went from the castle and walked to a large tree placed at the T intersection of two paths. He then went west to where he saw the Bishop of the castle standing. The Bishop was left frozen in place, under an enchanted spell of sleep.

He looked across the path from the Bishop and saw a row of hearts protruding from the ground. He went over, and as he walked the sleep spells were broken and all the children woke up. For this brave Knight had magic in his blood from being the Son of the King. But still, he searched for Ellersley Grace Deem. And then he found her, sleeping with a little lamb.

As he found her tiny body wrapped up in sleep, he broke her enchantment. She was alive and beautiful. But then the Wizard Death came. The brave Knight fought - and won with his life. He promised to give up his life in the Kingdom to keep the children and others away from the sleep enchantment.

So Wizard Death was defeated, but the brave Knight stayed with those who had slept- including sweet Ellersley - until the day would come for him to become King forever. On that day, he would return to the Kingdom and bring all those who had been taken by Wizard Death with him, home. And Ellersley would see her parents again. It was not the end of the story.

This is the fairytale version of Ellersley Grace Deem's short life. She was born on August 13th, 2011 and died shortly after. But her life brought JOY to not only her parents but to her family and their friends. We will never forget her short, sweet life and the impact it had on us all. Because through the pain we've chosen to see God's will and joy. We know she is safely wrapped in Jesus's arms, awaiting the day she can see her mommy and daddy again.

For more of her story go to : www.lovealwaysleavesamark.blogspot.com

Now for the letterbox:

Look left for three bushes across the path. Search in the center bush to find a remembrance of Ellersley.

Written by : Jaime Heller

Please check out Jaime's blog here...she writes amazing reviews for all kinds of books!

Thank you today Jesus for life and good friends. Thank you for people who have such kind hearts. We have been blessed by so many. Be with us today Jesus as we remember that beautiful baby you gave us. Allow us to feel her close today, we know you will be near and she is never too far behind. Thank you for peace and joy in the midst of great tragedy. Thank you for saving our Princess and us from a life spent without you. We are so grateful for you and our salvation in you. We love you and we can't wait to celebrate forever with Ellersley and with you.

1st Peter 1:3-9

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Elle's Mommy