Day 1 Of Our New Life

August 8, 2010
We didn't sleep much. Lots of thoughts going through our heads. Lots of emotions. Lots of replaying the last few days in our mind. What just happened?
We were up early...really early. Landen and I just walked around the house like zombies. Landen pulled out the video camera and we watched Leightyn running around the house and being silly just 3 days earlier. Landen turned on the tv and "My Savior Loves, My Savior Lives" was playing. That was Leightyn's favorite song. We just lost it. We turned the tv up loud and attempted to sing through our tears.
We got dressed for church and made it there just before the service started. Walking in, without Leightyn, was hard. The sanctuary was already full by the time we arrived. As we walked down the aisle to our seat (on the front row), I lost it. I cried. Church members cried. There wasn't a dry eye in the building and the service hadn't even started yet.
Bro Mike got up and said a few things about Leightyn. I just cried. I don't remember a word he said. I just sat and cried. During the songs, I cried. As hard as I tried to sing....I just couldn't get a word out. During the welcome, we were surrounded by many hugs and words spoken. I love our church family. You could tell that every person in that church was experiencing our lost. Leightyn had a place in all of their hearts. She had touched each and every one of them. Back to the welcome...it usually goes about a minute. Well, not that morning. The welcome continued and continued and continued. We made it through the crowd and it healed a tiny part of my broken heart.
Bro Mike got up to start his sermon. He gave a short overview of our weekend in Fort Smith and Little Rock. When he finished, Landen and I went up to give our testimony of the weekend. Landen talked for a few minutes before I gave a summary of the last month and of the weekend. I only planned on speaking for a few minutes. But apparently I lost track of time. When I finished talking, Landen said "can I talk now?". It was good to have a little laugh in the midst of this battle. We continued to tell how we trusted God through every event. How we were going to praise Him in this storm. How we knew that God could have performed a miracle but instead He has something bigger planned. We encouraged parents to hold their babies tighter, to make more time for their children, to pray as a family, and to live as a Godly family.
When we finished talking (there definitely was not a dry eye in the building), Bro Mike asked people to come forward that would continue to pray for us, that would keep encouraging us, that would be there for us every step we took. I am pretty sure that every one came forward. I could not see any bodies in the pews. It was a very overwhelming moment.
After praying, Bro Mike went in to the invitation. That Sunday, there were 3 salvations and (I forgot how many) rededications. People came forward wanting to commit to being better parents, better witnesses for God.
All because of Leightyn!