Makayla was born and died on April 21st 2001..She is survived by her mother Cindy her Brother Brandon her sister Amanda her maternal grandparents Gerre' and JR Simpson. Her Aunts, Robbi, Staci and Kelly. Her cousins, Krista, Katie, Sammantha Tori, Gage, and Shannan. 3 second cousins Bella AJ and Bransyn..

Memorial services were held May 4th, 2001 at 7pm at Strickland's Funeral Home. Officiating was Reverend David Blackwell. Music was Brahms lullaby. She was cremated and her ashes were given to her brother and maternal grandparents.

Makayla entered this would silently at 5 months gestation. She weighed 12 ounces and was 8 1/2 inches long..She had little fluff's of red hair. She was handed to me as soon as she was born and I rocked her for 15 minutes and then the nurse let me bath her and I had to be very careful because of her skin being so thin..I put lotion on her after I dried her put her little hat on her head and wrapped her a soft warm blanket..The rest of the family came in and we all held her and sang to her. They let us hold her til the funeral home came to pick her up. It was and will always be a heartbreaking experience for us all and something I hope we never have to go through again.. I think about her alot. She would be 18 this year had she lived..

Cradle of Wings - In Memory
by Pam Armstrong and Susan Armstrong Lunn
There's a place in your heart, the angels know
Where the love for your child begins to grow
And they sing out the joy of that tender glow
Hallelujah

Though there's much to see through new little eyes,
When they start to close, with soft weary sighs.
In a cradle of wings, the little one lies
And the angels' Hallelujah hush to lullabies

There's a place in your heart, where you realize
That the love for your child, will forever abide
It's the cradle of wings, where your little one lies
Where the angels' Hallelujahs hush to lullabies…
Lullaby, little darlin' lullaby,
Lullaby, my sweet darlin' lullaby,
We will hold you and we'll see you by and by
We love you and we'll miss you, bye bye

The following is a poem I read at her services.

*~*Special Little Spirit*~*
"You're a special little spirit," The all Great Master said, as he gently caressed the beautiful red hair of the little spirits head. "You need to go to earth to spend some time you know; A place I send most spirits to be tested,to learn and grow." The little spirit in sadness slowly bowed her little head and from her eye a tear did steal and down her cheek it shed. "Don't you fret now little one, I won't let you stay to long; I'll bring you back to help me here You'll hardly know that you've been gone. You're my choicest little spirit you're the apple of my eye" And he wiped the tear and gently kissed his little spirit goodbye.

"I'm back" the little spirit whispered,as she climbed onto her Masters knee.And the Master said "I told you, you would not be long away from me" and then the Lord, he noticed another tear welled up n her eye. "Why are you so sad little spirit,what is it that makes you cry?"
"I'm glad I'm back" the little spirit said "but Master you should know that when your angel came to get me I did not want to go. I know you said you needed me, and I'd be gone the shortest while,but Lord couldn't I have had a little longer earthly trial?"
The master let the little spirit slip down off his knee. He firmly took the little hand and said "Come walk with me"
And the master explained her special part in the great and marvelous plan.
" Now Lord I don't mean to argue,I understand you needed me home, but I left in such a hurry. I left everyone hurting and so alone, I didn't let my earthly family know how much I loved them so. I was to small to tell them Lord, How will they ever know? They feel they've been cheated Lord and in a way so do I. Not getting to share anymore than we did how can I ever tell them why?"
"Little spirit, I know your heart is heavy with this message you need to share,but you need not worry anymore I'll watch over your loved ones there. I'll send them loving comfort as a strong and healing hand, I'll contend and give peace to the aching hearts so they will understand"
The little spirit looked up at her Master and said, "Thank You for explaining it to me. And could you please tell them that I'm safe and happy and that someday they'll be here with me?"
"Yes" said the Lord with a smile and a nod, I'll tell them all I can." Then the others came to see the spirit, after the Lord let go of her hand. He said" I'll tell them that you're pure,as pure as heavens gold. That I needed the warmth of your perfect soul to keep heaven from getting cold....Author Unknown

My Precious Grandchild
Unknown Author

I have a little Grandchild,
Who means the world to me
She's living with the Angels
And is as special as can be

And even though she's up there,
Playing in the clouds
She's still my precious Grandchild
And I am so very proud.

I know I can not hold her,
Or bounce her on my knee
But only have to close my eyes,
Her little face to see.

I never will stop missing her
And wishing she were here
But sometimes I feel, indeed I know
That she is near.

So play happily my precious Angel
We love you so and always will.

"In the most beautiful of gardens, even those tended by the most skillful of botanists, there is an occasional rose that buds, but never opens. In all respects the rose is like all the others, but something keeps it from blooming. It fades away - or disappears - without having reached maturity.

What happens in nature's garden happens once in a while also in the garden of God's human family. A baby is born, beautiful, precious, but fails to come to its rightful unfolding. This child, like the bud that never fully opens, is gathered back into God's heavenly garden of souls - where all imperfections are made perfect; all injustices made right; all mysteries are explained; and all sorrows turned to happiness."

Dorothea K. Barwick

~*~An angel at my shoulder heard the whisper of goodbye offering eternity as life slipped silently by ~ So peacefully it seemed in sleep you yielded to the love that reached across my shoulder to lift you high above ~ But still you are beside me and with certainty I know the hands I can no longer hold will guide me as I go ~ For in that fleeting moment at the touch of Heaven's embrace as one angel brushed my shoulder another took it's place~*~

Thank's to Dianne for sponsoring my grand daughters memorial....