A Sad Day for my family

August 19th every year is a painful day for my family. Its the day that we remember a devastating tragedy that changed our lives forever in 2001.

My beautiful niece Katelyn Amber grew her angel wings and left our lives forever. There were no warnings, no time to prepare ourselves for what was about to happen, no opportunities to tell her once more how much we loved her or that we would miss her darling little face forever. SIDS is a devastating thing to happen to anyone and to watch my twin brother endure the pain and heartache of his little treasure leaving in such a way was truly horrible.

Most SIDS deaths occur before a baby reaches 6 months old and as a paediatric nurse I thought we were way beyond that stage. Katelyn died aged 15 months....a walking, talking little sweetheart. Her little personality was emerging and boy was she a cheeky little one. Had her daddy completely wrapped around her finger (and everyone else too, I might add).

Here are the last pictures that were ever taken of Katie-coo. The pink dress picture was on the weekend before she died. My brother had taken the girls to have some photos done. Amazing in retrospect that they did that the weekend before. The other two photos were taken at her day-care during the week before she passed away. Again, amazing that they had a photographer who took some gorgeous photos of our girl just days before she left forever.

Every year the pain is a little less intense, but there is always a sadness around this time of the year.

Now, this is the card I made for my brother for today.

I couldn't believe it when Verve released this set recently. Its says exactly what I have always wanted to say!!

I stamped the image in Kiwi Kiss and then rock and rolled it in Not Quite Navy to get the colours for the main image.

And here's the inside:

Here is the recipe:

Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Urban Garden DSP, Cream Flocked Card

Ink: Not Quite Navy & Kiwi Kiss (not sure why I didn't use Old Olive ink - or why I didn't use Kiwi Kiss cardstock - I had a brain snap, obviously)

Stamps: Forever In Our Hearts (Verve)

Other: Dimensionals, Random Navy Brad from my collection, Sponge Dauber