I remember May 21st so clearly...the day Avery Marie, our daughter, went to be with Jesus. It was Austin's 4th birthday...and on top of celebrating Austin's birthday I had my appointment scheduled to get my IUD removed. Rob and I had finally decided that we were ready to have more kids....yippee!! This appointment had been canceled twice previously because we just didn't feel like it was God's timing. But, May 21st was the day!!
Before I went to my appointment Austin had picked Wendy's as his #1 choice for lunch!! We met Rob there and the kids all shared chicken nuggets and fries. I remember so vividly watching Avery munch on her chicken nuggets, she was so hungry and couldn't get them down fast enough. After lunch, I dropped the kids off with a good friend of mine and headed to my appointment. I was a bit nervous but anxious at the same time....most people say all Rob and I have to do to get pregnant is look at each other so I figured it wouldn't be long and we would be welcoming a new one to our family.
All went well at my appointment so I ran back to my friends house and grabbed the kids. I was in a women's bible study at our church that night, and since it was already after 2:00 pm, I knew naps were out of the question. So, we headed home and since it was so nice we decided to swing at our play area for a while. Avery loved swinging and she was the first one down there waiting for me to put her in it.
We weren't down there long, and all of the sudden Avery reached her arms out for me and wanted out. Just as I was taking her out of the swing, I noticed a car pulling into our driveway. We were trying to sell our house so I figured they pulled in to grab a brochure and turn around...but I noticed they continued up the driveway and stopped about even with the play area. The women in the car rolled her window down and was trying to explain something to me but as soon as our dogs heard the car they came running down the driveway and by the time I got to the passenger side window the dogs were barking enough that I couldn't hear what she was saying.
I noticed she was a bit nervous about the dogs and I was trying to keep them away from the car. So, I walked in front of her car and around to the drivers side door so I could hear exactly what she was saying. She said she was the new meter reader and she didn't know where our meter was located. After explaining that it was up by house around the garage, she started pulling ahead slowly...all I could do for that second was think....where is Avery? And as I yelled STOP!!!!!!!! I saw my baby girl roll out from underneath the car and into the driveway...
I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran as fast as I could to her. I grabbed her fragile body in my arms and continued running to the house to get my phone and call 911. I had her laying across my arm as I dialed 911 and as soon as the women on the other end said she was talking to someone in the area in regard to an infant I hung up and called Rob...I screamed on the phone for him to come home NOW...with no hesitation he hung up and pulled in the driveway within a few minutes...the women that was in the car had gotten out and was in the living room with me continuing to walk me through what I should do with Avery until the ambulance got there....as soon as Rob got there the women left and we just waited for help to come...I remember asking Rob, "What should I do?" and he said, "Jeanie - sing to her, let her know you are there..she needs to hear your voice"...and as I began to sing you are my sunshine in her ear she sighed her last breath and went to be with Jesus.
The ambulance got here and did what they could, but everyone involved knew she was gone. Tate and Austin remained at the play area, at one point Tate came to the front door, but I told him to go back with Austin and dad would be home soon. One of Rob's workers came to the house and got the boys and took them to Aunt Cindy's house....all I could think was....God please let Austin have a great 4th birthday...he is so young and innocent, I don't want him to remember this day forever.
After they worked on Avery for a while we climbed in the ambulance and headed for the university...they were waiting for us as we arrived. I was transferred to a room until they could decide what to do with me....I was a sight for sore eyes, my clothes were drenched in blood and I am sure my demeanor wasn't the best. I was soon sitting with my Pastor in another room still waiting to hear how she was doing...my Pastor began to pray and I remember asking him, "Will she go to Heaven?"
The doctor came in and said it was time for me to make the decision on what to do with Avery and I needed to go where she was at. So, my Pastor grabbed a hold of me as tightly as he could and we took maybe 10-15 steps into this big operating room where Avery lay in this bed surrounded by at least 25-30 people. The doctors were still continuing to work on her and yet she wasn't struggling a bit. Her last breath had already been taken and she was in eternity with Jesus....I told the doctors to stop, let her be and we turned around and walked out of the room. Within minutes Rob arrived and suddenly we were surrounded by close friends and family...
We remained at the University for the rest of the evening. They transferred us to the PICU department where we were cared for....this department of doctors and nurses were AMAZING and we couldn't have received any better care. We were able to stay with Avery until the medical examiners were to come get her around 12 hours after the accident.....
This time was precious to all of us, we were able to sit and hold Avery, rock her in a rocking chair, chat with close friends and family and prepare ourselves for what laid ahead.
To read what some of my friend's had to say about Avery and that day, you can go to the following blogs:
Prachar Family
The Grady Five
Football & Fried Rice
Dafoe Family
"When everything is ready, I will come and get you,
so that you will always be with me where I am. "
John 14:3
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