Sunday, April 8, 2007

A Prayful Letter from Papa Thome

There are no words that I can say to those many of you who have visited this site. I want to thank you all for your generous thoughts, prayers and gifts for my son Jordan, his lovely wife Lacie and especially for that beautiful precious baby, Kyrie Dawn.

That little miracle of a baby girl has given us so much happiness and joy in the so little time that she has been with us. She has fought a hell of a fight against absolutely overwhelming odds, and we pray that God has those angel wings ready for her when she comes to Him. I can see her now as the angels take her away. She is smiling back at us in that litter ornery, impish way of hers, and is saying to us, "see you later!"

I have seen a young couple's love grow to a mature, selfless love for each other as they care for their own baby Kyrie. May the Holy Spirit come to them and give them the strength they will need in the future. We have dedicated our precious little one to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We have baptized her in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit through the powers vested in us by His church. We pray by all that is holy and sacred that we may one day be with our precious baby girl child again.

In closing, may I once again say through this grandpa's tears, thanks to all of you from the bottom of our hearts.

May I submit:

The Day the Angels Came
a grandpa's prayer and poem for Kyrie Dawn

Wednesday, April 4, the day we heard of the explosive growth of the tumors

Alas! O, Lord what is it that I hear?
Is it Your angels coming for our Kyrie Dawn?
O, please Lord, keep them at bay--
If just for one more day.

Thursday, April 5, Holy Thursday

O, Lord, what is this I hear?
Is it that You need another little angel to be near?
O, please Lord, please Lord, don't take our Kyrie dear.
Could You please keep Your angels away,
and we could have her just one more day?

Friday, April 6, Good Friday

O, precious, sweet Jesus, is this the day?
No, no, dear Lord, not today--
This is Your day that You died to save.
Again, please Dear God, let us be selfish
and keep sweet Kyrie another day.

Saturday, April 7, Holy Saturday Easter Vigil

Thank you dear God in heaven
for yet another precious day--
For we all know things will be done your way.
Little Kyrie Dawn is fighting so very hard--
Yesterday she three her ball three times
till her tiny arm got tired.

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love entrusts her here,
Ever this day be at her side
To light, to guard, to rule to guide. Amen.

Sunday, April 8, Easter Sunday

Dear God in Heaven, Your angels came last night,
As we all knew that someday they might.
They came around the hour of seven
to take our precious one to her
special place in heaven.
Sweet Jesus, we know that you, too, love the little ones,
so to You we give You our little Kyrie Dawn--
And in the end, it is always Your will that will be done.

Amen.

Love,
Papa

17 comments:

Darla Thome said...

Papa Gary.....that was absolutely beautiful.

Melissa said...

Perfectly said, as only a grandfather could.
My love and thoughts...and prayers are with you all. It's so hard to feel joy today, but I know that today I should feel especially joyful. Because of Easter morning, we are able to be a people of hope.
Thanks Gary for sharing this with us. What a lucky little girl Kyrie was to have such amazing people in her life.

I love you!
Melissa

shelby said...

That was so beautifully put and as hard as it is to write the words, "Thy will be done," we all know it to be true. I told my children about Kyrie and they are all saddened. I showed them the pictures many times and we prayed for Megan's little niece and today when I told my oldest, Kyle, Megan's Godson, that she was gone he said the only thing that makes sense to a child at his age " At least, Mom, she will go straight to heaven because she wasn't old enough to know about sin." From the mouths of babes. I love you all - shelby

Alli Koontz said...

She is an Angel with wings, she can feel no pain, sarrow, pokes or priks needles. She has her wings and is flying, soaring threw the sky, watching over her mommy and daddy. I know Kryie and the Thome family has changed my life. I have learned that the little things that i sweat are nothing...I know that life is precious and I have learned to have ever lasting faith that he our God almight will forever give me/us the strength to make it threw. Today at Church we held a moment of silence for Kyrie and your family, and then we sang "He has Risen". Thank you for opening your lives to us and sharing your most testing, painful, and stressful time. Your precious little angel has touch the lives of some many in her short time here on earth. She will be remembered in the hearts and minds of many for many years to come. My heart aches for the Thome family and friends, my the lord help you find comfort and peace in the future. Lots of prayers and love!
Alli

Unknown said...

I agree, Darla. Beautiful.

Brad and Trish Rink said...

Your faith and your strength is amazing. Alli is absolutely right - "I have learned that the little things that i sweat are nothing...I know that life is precious and I have learned to have ever lasting faith that he our God almight will forever give me/us the strength to make it threw." Thank you again for sharing your sweet little angel with us. She, and the rest of you will forever be in our hearts.

Gary (Ike) & Shirley in Lee's Summit, MO said...

Gary, How beautiful that was, and how it truly speaks for all of us. Our hearts are broken for the loss of beautiful little Kyrie, but know that she is in a perfect place where there is no pain and suffering. In many ways we write this envious of Kyrie for we are left here in a world that is not perfect and many times is full of sadness and heartache. As we wish for her to be here with us, we have to be joyous for her at the same time to be free of the pain and frustration. Jordan, Lacie, and your entire family we love you all and hold you in our prayers.

Chad's Family (Stacy, Craig, Gary, and Shirley)

Christy said...

Gary, how beautiful, I have thought of all of you so much & Melissa & I talked briefly at church this morning of all of you. My thoughts & prayers are with you today, tomorrow & always. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us & know that you have changed all of our lives & how blessed each of us are.
Love~
Christy

Keith and Jamie Tjaden said...

Thank you so much Papa Gary. You all have been so strong. So beautifully written....

You are in my heart, thoughts, and prayers always.

Love,

Keith & Jamie

Paula said...

I have been reading keeping up with this web page every since I heard about it. and today I read the angles came for Kyrie. my heart goes out to Nana and Nana Norma, as well as for Mom and Dad. being a grandma myself this was so hard to read. Just know that I have been praying for all of you. I can't even think how hard this is for everyone.
my prayers are with you all
Paula Crozier

Unknown said...

Gary, that was beautiful - full of love from your heart.

Lacie, Jordan, I want to thank you for sharing your precious angel with us. you know I have heard many stories about Kryie for the last 19 months (mostly from Jan), but I was extremely blessed over the last several days to listen to you guys telling great stories & funny things about Kyrie. Like her being so proud of her room in your new house; running to it when she would come in as if to show off her beautiful room to everyone. And how she learned to smell the flowers at great-nana & papa's - to the point of even smelling fake flowers & also sticks if the flowers were gone!.. and the silly things she did to her daddy that she thought was so funny (like when she first woke up in the mornings, and the thing about your toe hairs!!) she was always sooo happy - perfect evidence of what awesome parents you are!! I love hearing all the wonderful and fun times you guys had with her. thank you for sharing- we all feel like we know her better now. Don't ever stop telling those stories! She was the most beautiful little girl & now she has touched so many hearts & changed so many lives. A blessing indeed. we love you. Jo & Jamey

Andi Holt (Friend) said...

Just wanted to pass on that my family and I are still thinking of you and praying. Thanks for sharing your beautiful poem Gary. Thank you to the whole Thome family for sharing this story with us all. I know it is soo painful and I only hope that we can some how help share the burden. Andi

Debbie said...

Just a note to tell you both that I love you and have been thinking about you all day. It was good to talk to Lacie earlier today and hear her voice. I know the next few days will keep you busy, planning the tribute service for our precious Kyrie. She truly touched hundreds of hearts! Kyrie was a beautiful princess and when she opened both her eyes to look at you, that indeed was the very instant she was healed! She was already seeing Jesus and all the beauty! My heart still hurts for you, but just as I've seen these last two months, God will help you through each day. He will always provide you with what you need to get to the next day. You two are unbcredible! Kyrie was one blessed little girl to call you Mama & Dada. Love you so much, Debbie

joni berblinger said...

Lacie, Jordan and family,
I heard about this from my siter in law to be, Jamie Stolz, who is a good friend of Megan's. I have been following and praying for all of you everyday since I heard about this all. I can't begin to imagine what you are going through. I haven't had the chance to meet any of you but I feel like I have lost someone I knew so well. You all are amazing people and what wonderful people you are. Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers as they have been everyday. Indeed Kyrie was a lucky little girl to have such wonderful parents and family in her life!!
Thanks for sharing all the thoughts with us.
Joni Berblinger

Robin F said...

You don't know me, but through the power of the internet, I came to learn of your beautiful, courageous Kyrie. Kyrie showed more strength, courage, and love in her short life than anyone I know and she has touched the hearts of so many people. She was so blessed to have such caring and loving parents and family surrounding her. I am so sorry for your loss and your suffering, but happy for Kyrie as she is free from her pain and able to run and play once more. I know with certainty that when my time comes and I enter the gates of Heaven, when I look around and spot the angel with the biggest halo on her little head that I have, without a doubt, found little Kyrie. May God Bless you all and may He take special care of that little Angel. Robin

seiler5 said...

Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, there are no words to say what we feel so deeply. We know that Kyrie's guardian angel along with a host of angels took her to Our Lord's waiting arms. Our prayer is for your comfort and peace in this difficult time.
Papa Gary, gentle giant, thank you for sharing your beautiful prayer.
Our Love & Prayers
Diane, Greg, Adam, Blake & Garret Seiler.

Jamie said...

Gary,

That was a truly amazing poem and it was so delicately put. Gods will is always done and now he has one truly amazing angel in heaven to watch over us.

Jordan & Lacie,

You guys have been in my constant thoughts & prayers since the day I met Kyrie at Wesley. I am one of the privledged Nurse Tech's who had the honour to work with your family. It has been an absolutely amazing experience for me to see how strong you two as a couple and a family are. I have read all of these individual blogs each day because I am away in Pratt & through reading them I have now found the absolute comfort in the Lord that I have been searching for. I know that the whole Pediatric unit has put her in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you for sharing such intimate moments shared by your family & your beautiful baby girl. Kyrie is finally in the best hands & is free to run around without pain or the struggle of a single breath. My you find comfort in the words of your family, friends & scripture.

With amazing gratitude,
Jamie Tran