May 16, 2014 Dressing Mettie

Friday, May 16, we went back to Cox printing and finalized Mettie's funeral program.  We loved how it turned out.  At 3pm we gathered up our kids and went to the funeral home to dress our little Mettie in her white dress.  When we arrived the funeral director took a moment to explain to our children what Mettie would look and feel like and that this is her earthly body but that we know where her spirit is.  I appreciated that little prep for them.  It was a different experience holding her for them but we all took our turns and soon enough my kids were at home in that room.  They were a little rowdy but it was giving Mettie a feel for our family life.  We then took a moment to dress her in her beautiful white dress.  Her dress and shoes were another little blessing.  My sister-in-law felt impressed to order a few dresses and shoes for Mettie a week or so before she had passed away.  I was thankful that I did not have to frantically go looking for something, instead I got to choose a beautiful white dress from her order that was so fitting for my sweet little Mettie.  Each of us took a turn buttoning a button, putting on a sock or a shoe, or putting her headband on and then fastening her beautiful locket bracelet. My mom had made the bracelet for Mettie with an angel, an "m" and a heart locket that was filled with our most recent family picture and then a picture of Matt and I when I was pregnant with Mettie.  I am so thankful for that bracelet.  I received a matching one, which holds 2 sweet pictures of Mettie.  One of her sweet face and one of her beautiful feet, the ones that brought me to tears and then to the realization of what matters most.

We left with the dress and blanket Mettie wore when she passed away. It was a strange feeling.