Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday My Little Angel!

SeanPatrick Eugene Kelly

Nov 22, 1997

Born Quietly

Ten years ago today we were blessed with a precious little angel. For 9 months he kept us on our toes. Growing strong in the safety of his womb.
Laying gently in God's hands. He was a very energetic baby. We remember how he would respond to Sean's voice. It didn't matter if Daddy was singing praises to God or preaching to college students, if SeanPatrick heard his Daddy's voice he would start dancing and my bladder was the brunt of the attack. I remember distinctly one night while at Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship on the campus of Morehead State University, during our weekly service that He was very active.

It was almost as if he was shouting "amen, you go dad!"

He was a surprise to us not an accident as many would say! He surprised us with his presence just 3 months after we got married. Nine months later on a cold early morning my water broke startling me awake. I called Mom to let them know that my water broke and that I was waking up Sean and would be on our way to the hospital. I felt something was wrong but wasn't sure what. I just asked God to help me calm my fears, I thought it was just nerves. I remember as clear as day God ask me, "Do you trust Me?" I naturally said, "Yes!" Little did I know how my life would change that day. When we got to the hospital the nurse could not find his heart beat, something that had happened before. But the ultra sound confirmed our greatest fears. SeanPatrick was born quiet, with all ten toes and fingers and a head full of hair. His hair was so long we could make a pony tail with it and his hair was past his little sleeper collar. He was a beautiful baby. Whole and perfect! We learned later, that SeanPatrick was a gymnast. He had gotten tied up, around his small neck with the cord. I was told the cord was extremely short. When Kristofer was born he also had the cord wrapped around his neck and I was told then that it was a long cord.
The days that followed were a blur of emotion. Our dear friends, Pastor Gary & Rhonda Gray and Christy Cain wrote a special song for us to play at the funeral. Here is a copy of the lyrics from that song:

We Place You in His Hands

Tiny life so fragile, sent to earth from heaven's gate

Blessed our lives for just a little while,

a testimony of His grace

No harsh words were ever spoken, to dim your precious brow

We know you're in the safest place, in the arms of Jesus now

We give you back to God, we place you in His hands

We place you in the hands of the Father above

Knowing He will keep you safe within His love

We place you in the hands that calms the raging waves

Knowing that He is still able to save

We give you back to God, we place you in His hands

Ten years later and the pain is still as raw and fresh every year his birthday rolls around. His life touched many and forever changed ours. Because of his death we know of at least 2 people that accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. His funeral was beautiful and all those in attendance will say God was there with us and so were His angels. The day of SeanPatrick's funeral was a cold dreary fall day. When we were at the grave site sitting up on a hill in Eastern Kentucky, we sat under a tent and under that tent the presence of God was so strong! When we played, " We Place You in His Hands" the clouds broke and the sun shined down on us and SeanPatrick. The wind stopped and all was quiet for the brief moment the song played. At the end of the song "We give you back to God, We place you in His hands" a mighty wind came and almost took the tent. It was like the rush of angels wings as they took flight! The clouds closed and the sun disappeared. Those in attendance talked about what took place for weeks afterwards. We have no doubt that God sent His angels to be with us and our family as we released our precious son into Jesus' hands!

We hang these pictures I have posted on our family wall along with his brothers and sister. Our other children know that they have a big brother in heaven watching out for them and one day, when Jesus returns we will be reunited with SeanPatrick.