In Loving Memory of
Laura Ann Kimble
November 5, 1968 ~ October 19, 2002

My Precious Child
A Special Day
July 23, 2008

Where have you gone my Lily girl?
It feels like only yesterday that I carried you;
Then in one brief moment, I had to say goodbye
As you left to meet your destiny, beyond the clouds and sky
Walking through the valley on to the other side

Summer has returned, now gone are the songs of yesterday
The scent of salty ocean air, coming through the open window
On a summer's day; A day that now lasts far too long
I often wonder why I have to stay, and it all seems so very wrong

Did you know that you'd be leaving, Or that maybe I would break?
If you could have, would you have made the choice to stay?
Or Would you still have gone away?
Or maybe you didn't have that choice to make

Where have you gone child of my heart?
It must be something glorious,
That you'd choose to leave us all behind;
and quickly to depart from everyone that loved you so
Yet, here I still remain, left with this tie that binds
That only a mother's heart will know

This twenty third day was just a hint that you'd be leaving
How could I have known you would not return to me?
For that brief instant in time, as I went through my busy day
Not long thereafter you were gone,
And maybe God said "no, you could not stay"
You had to just move on

My screams are silent, hidden deep within my soul
Where no one hears them coming from this heart grown cold
I don't know when my time will come to leave for golden shores
And come to where you are, beyond the darkness into light
To where I've never been before

Wait for me sweet Lily
Hold my broken heart within your hands
Tell the Lord you need me and I pray he'll understand
But if I stay yet for a time, Since He alone knows when;
May the unseen cord that forever binds us
keep us linked till then

Truly, what mother can live through this without the help of God.
What mother could ever conceive of a loss such as this?
For us maybe this is the end of the road,
but for our lost children it is only the beginning
Let us never forget and hold them in our hearts forever into eternity


My Angel Laura Ann Kimble, Lily - 11/5/68 - 10/19/02
In Memory of July 23, 2002


Six years ago today at 9:00 a.m. my precious daughter LAURA, myself, Mike and the kids left for
our last and final vacation on this earth. we went to Wildwood, NJ, the Jersey shore.

Six years ago this week we had the last fun I'll ever know on this earth

Six years ago this week we laughed when a seagull pooped on my chest and head and Mike had to
stick his hand down my blouse because of my screams and he had to clean me with a paper towel.
We never laughed harder in our lives.

Six years ago this week I broke my toe while at the shore and my toe turned black. Julianne tripped me.
She was five. Everyone laughed and I cried from pain.

Six years ago this week Laura and me and her cousin Jen, walked two miles on the boardwalk. Laura was sick.
My head was buried in the sand. I don't know why.

Six years ago this week, as the week passed, Laura was becoming very ill. She was now blind.
I buried my head in the sand. I don't know why.

Six years ago this week Laura sat right in front of me and kept falling asleep right in the middle of a sentence.
I buried my head in the sand. I don't know why.

Six years ago this week on July 19th, we came back home.

Six years ago this week, on a Monday night, July 22nd, I packed my bags and went to sleep
at my daughter Laura's house.

Six years ago this week, on Tuesday morning, July 23rd, at 5:00 a.m. in the morning, while I slept fitfully with Julianne in my arms on the pullout couch, Laura left for the hospital to have them open up her head to operate on her brain. I saw the back of her long dark hair, my last vision of a daughter I knew better then I knew myself. My best friend. I told her not to worry about a thing, that all would be well and she'd be back home soon.
I buried my head in the sand. I don't know why.

Six years ago this week on Tuesday afternoon, July 23rd, at 4:00 p.m., after waiting an entire day
for word from her husband Mike as to how the surgery turned out,
he called and said there were lots of complications but the doctors said she'd be fine.

Six years ago on Tuesday, July 23rd at 4:00 p.m., is the day I died.

Laura died on October 19, 2002

July 13th

On this day we left for our annual trip to the shore; Wildwood Crest,
an ocean of beauty with salty air and lots of rest;
Something didn't seem quite right, but we dared not think of vacations that would be no more,
or anything that would ever take your life from us and lead you to death's door

We had a week of fun but there were shadows looming near
We dared not even think there'd be anything to fear
and we tried so hard to have some fun, but something wasn't right
We saw you sliding downward as you slowly lost your sight

July 19th

On this day we packed our bags and homeward bound we went
Preparing for the the 23rd, this most dreaded, feared event
We sat in silence the weekend long, just lost within our thoughts
Not many words were spoken because our hearts were so distraught

July 22nd

The time had come and I packed my bags to come and be with you
Denial already upon my heart and my words were oh so few
An early bedtime we did have and knew the time had come
Not daring even think that maybe your time on earth was done

July 23rd at 5:00 a.m.

In the early morn I held your baby as we slept and then we heard you stir and rise
By now your sight was gone and our fear could no longer be denied
I saw you walking down the steps, after telling you all would be well
Did I bury my head into the sand for fear of facing earthly hell

July 23rd at 4:00 p.m.

At four o'clock I got the call that nothing went as planned
Problems came and knocked you down
and I couldn't come and hold your hand or let you know I was around
Each time the phone kept ringing who knew what we'd face next
What could I do, I promised you, your babies I'd protect

July 23rd at 8:00 p.m. at night

You couldn't wake and how they tried, you were deeply fast asleep
No one knew that this was just a sign of things to be
You slept for many weeks and when you finally did awake
You never knew me anymore, your mom was now a stranger's face

In October

They brought you to a special place with promises of healing
They said you'd pass this trial and so finely you were dealing
I did not see one good sign and I was the only one
who somehow knew you were not fine,
I somehow knew your journey here was done

Mid October

You fell. We did not know and lies were told
Your injuries beyond repair and you were losing hold
More surgeries too terrible to say, these memories best kept at bay
Your body didn't hold up too long, and your fight was at an end
The doctors told us to pull the plugs but we fought and would not bend

Mid October

Finally the doctors told us there was no more they could do
To take you to that place where people go in their last days when they are few
We watched your life seep out of you in shock and disbelief
I never left your side now, but cried for your little ones who so needed me
in their pain and in their grief

October 19, 2002 - Early Saturday morning

The sun was brilliant in the sky, a day more lovely then I'd seen in quite awhile,
not at all a good day for you to die, much better that you smile
Your breathing getting shallow;
I stood and watched as you suffered while my heart grew hollow
Then I knew as I stood there, those last few breaths you took
Something left from inside of me, it was a part of my spirit that left my body;
You took that one long last breath while I stood there;
It seemed I didn't even care;
I was shocked into numbness and denial so great
that I never returned back to myself and I went with you to meet your fate;
I must have gone with you just as you saw it in your dream;
Someplace beyond our earthly vision in a place where spirits go,
and God sits on His Mighty Throne to welcome his dear children home


July 22nd/23rd, 2008

Here I am, now six years gone by and forever a stinging tear in my eye
Someday my time will also come for me to die
and then I'll go with wings upon my soul,
I'll take flight so quickly that no power on this earth will have on me it's hold
Please come for me dear Lord and I ask in mercy,
don't let me live till I am worn and old,
but bring me home when you see my name before you,
and undeserving as I am, by the blood of the Lamb,
I pray that I will have my crown of gold

Written in Memory of My Lily

By Ann, Laurasmom (c) 7/23/06

Joy Cometh in the Morning!
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his,
and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life:
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Ps 30.4-5)

This gift above is from my dear friend, Moira. You can visit her web page in memory of her son Paul, by clicking on his picture below.

Heidi's Site

"Be not afraid, I go before you always, come follow Me and I will give you rest."

A friend can hear a tear drop.

This webpage is created In Loving Memory of Laura Ann Kimbleon July 25, 2006 Last updated: July 3, 2008 © 2000 - 2008




Maria's Tribute to Christopher

To read the entries in Laura's original guest book,
please click on the image below ~