"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens;
a time to be born and a time to die...
a time to weep and a time to laugh...
a time to mourn and a time to dance...
a time to be silent and a time to speak..." Ecc. 3:1-8
 
Cindy writes:
 
How interesting this verse.  All of the things in it that Dave and I and our family are doing right now are just the opposite of what Madeline is doing. We are crying, weeping, mourning, but she has been born anew and is now finally dancing, laughing and speaking her little heart out! (Oh how that child could speak!!- shhhh! Was not a concept she understood).  It is true though, our hearts have quite the Maddie shaped hole carved out of them right now and it hurts.  It is just too painful.  However, it does not diminish our hope and we praise God that this all is not truly over, it is merely a time out.  It is something like this that helps to keep us from clinging to this old world too much.  It is something like this that helps us to long for heaven, and that is good.  I do believe that's how it's supposed to be.
 
The visitation went very well and I am delighted to say that there were over 72 pints of blood donated yesterday (probably just a drop in the bucket to all that Mad's had consumed in the last 6 months, but it's a start).  You can still donate in her name and honor at any blood bank - we think it is such a wonderful act of love.  I can't tell you how it blessed us to see so many people come out to give of their selves that way.  It probably would have been much much higher but they just ran out of beds, time and volunteers.  Wow.  I couldn't imagine doing a "visitation" any other way.  Maddie was not your average kid, and therefore no average service will do. 
 
There were a whole lot of people that came out.  It was mind blowing the love and support that was poured out upon us.  We had people come from Spokane and Puyallup, (not to mention our families from Kentucky and Tennessee), the chaplain from Children's came, as did some of our nurses and our favorite Children's family and even one of Maddie's doctors appeared (a little bit late, so we took him home for dinner)!  It was amazing.  And most of all, we made it through. I'm finding the verse, "as your days are, so shall your strength be.", to be true to word.  These are the hardest, saddest days of our lives. My heart is groaning within me, and yet, the sun came up again today.  Glory be to God.  Dave and I will both be writing some thoughts later in the week about all of this.  But until then, please just know how much we've appreciated all of your words, all of your prayers and all of your love.  You have cocooned us with it, and we can tell.