Quinn Michael's Peace Rose

Most of you won't know this...we found out just before Easter that we had miscarried our 4th child some weeks previous to then. We never find out the gender of our babies, so we chose a neutral first name - Quinn. Michael was chosen for St. Michael the Archangel - whose prayer we learned as a family in honor of our family member in Heaven. Marriage Encounter friends of ours gave a Peace Rose bush in honor of our child, which we planted in the front yard. We are not gardners by any means. I am always amazed that flowers I buy and eventually get planted, survive without being watered for so long and the weeds that grow up again! This little rose bush remained unplanted for a long time too. When finally planted, it was in a too shallow hole (which we've finally built up with more dirt a couple of months later! See, not gardners!) I know nothing about rose bushes and when they bloom, so had no idea if we would get a bloom(s) this year or not.

We were all presently surprised to find Quinn Michael's Peace Rose in first bloom when we got back from a camping trip on August 14th. The first pic is of the bloom as we found it. The next pic is of the Smith siblings, with the Peace Rose proxying for Quinn. The last pic is Quinn's rose in full bloom. Thanks Ed & Becky for this beautiful reminder of the blessing of our family member! Steve & I feel grateful to have co-created with God, another soul to serve praise, glorify and serve Him. We are blessed to have a family member in Heaven praying to get us all there - a task a little less daunting because of Quinn Michael's prayers for us.

Thank You to all who prayed for us, and continue to pray for us still. If you are reading this for the first time - please join us in prayer for healing for all those who have lost a child through miscarriage, after birth or to abortion, and for an end to abortion.