Leah's Trees

The weekend before I delivered Leah, Jason and I debated going out and buying a tree that we would plant in our yard when we arrived home from the hospital. We could not make up our minds; there were just so many possibilities! We really liked the idea of a Magnolia tree, a hibiscus tree, or some type of fruit bearing tree. Well... we never made up our mind and figured we'd just plant it on an "anniversary."

The following week, a large box arrived at the door and lo-and-behold... it was a Magnolia tree in Leah's honor given as a gift by my Aunt & Uncle and cousins! We planted it later that afternoon with Bryce who helped Daddy with the digging - which he absolutely loved! We chose a spot in the backyard across the way from Bryce's window and the window that would have been Leah's room. Every morning and night, when we open & close the blinds, we say "Good Morning" and "Good Night" to Leah's tree. It's been a really sweet way to keep her memory alive!

Bryce's school also let us know that they wanted to plant a tree in Leah's honor and would let us know if the idea got approved. It did and we received a picture of Bryce standing next to a beautiful Hibiscus tree in the Director's office a few days later! They invited Jason and I to school the following day, to watch Bryce and his teachers plant the tree right outside of Bryce's classroom window. (They have told us before that Bryce -and the other kids - like to look out the window when they wake up from their naps.) When we arrived, they were ready to go and even had a little shovel for Bryce for him to "dig!" He loved digging, the attention from his teachers and classmates, and then watering the tree and making mud, lol. It was a beautiful day, a beautiful gesture, and another beautiful way to remember Leah. I am so glad that Bryce and all of the children & staff at his school will honor Leah's legacy every time her tree blooms!