Fly Baby Fly...

Fly Baby Fly... Chris May's words as he said goodbye to his 27 year old sister Sara May, a girl that touched so many.  We always knew this day was coming and every year was not promised nor expected but very much celebrated.  This week we said Goodbye to Sara May and rejoice that she has a new healthy body and is dancing with Jesus on streets of Gold.  

Sara May is very special to our family for so many reasons and one being she stood beside me as a bridesmaid as we said "I Do", she was a friend while I was in college, her mom was a huge support as my boss and friend in college, and I could go on and on... A person that God used to change many lives and bring so much joy.  We could not make it to her service of Celebration but her family and friends helped us grieve so far away by allowing me to say goodbye to Sara over the phone a week before she passed, saving us a seat (an empty chair) at the service, skyping us during the service, allowing me to write a letter to be read and not to mention the countless number of emails and phone calls with updates on status in the last couple weeks of her life.  

There have been many post on our blog about Sara May, visits, happy birthday shout outs and more... it only seems fitting to write one more in her honor... 

we love you Sara May and you will forever be missed.

This is her program from the celebration... Kathy (her mom) had saved a blog post that I wrote three years ago on her birthday and put it on the back of her program.  And the service was full of old hymns that Sara loved to hear the AFC sing and letters from people that loved her so.  It was perfect and true picture of the legacy she leaves behind... she touched many and brought this world so much joy.

Here is my letter to Sara May... Our college friend Paige read it for me... 

I will never forget the moment 16 years ago when I spotted our Sara May in this exact place as she sat on top of a pew and filled the room with her infectious laughter.  I knew at that point that I wanted to be called her friend; I just never knew how much I would be changed. 

Over the past few years we have had many miles between us but as soon I touch down in Texas I can’t wait to hear that sweet voice.  My family and I cannot be there today but I, like many of you, have been blessed with years of amazing memories with Sara;  we have laughed, we have eaten a lot of taco salad and banana bread, we have finished races, we have gotten dressed for high school dances, we have beaten many odds, we have slept in the same bed, we have camped together, we have found Easter eggs, we have disagreed, we have stayed up late, we have played games again and again, we have argued over dogs, we have fixed hair, we have shopped, we have celebrated every year, we have even cried, each of these have left fingerprints on my heart and I will forever be a better person having known our sweet Sara May. 

We can all truly say that we are better people having had Sara May in our lives:

1.   We are smarter… before Sara May did any of us know where to find the cochlear on our body?  Or get the opportunity to increase our vocabulary playing words with friends for hours.

2.   We are prettier… Sara May always made sure we had our jewelry on and our hair was fixed. 

3.   We are stronger… It just takes one time to lift her wheelchair in and out of a car each day to make your biceps pop. 

4.   We are funnier… if you got Sara May to laugh she could not stop.  We would do anything to make her smile.

5.   We love God more… Sara May gave us a hope for heaven and a picture of strong faith in the promises of our creator.

This is the part if Sara was sitting in this room where she would throw up her hands with her long fake nails and roll her eyes and say “Oh Camel, stop”… she liked to be loved on but she was humble, except when it came to winning a card game.  It did not take long for me to realize that Sara was a diva and true competition.  As Kathy can attest, I had always thought that I would be the first diva in heaven but Sara beat me just like when we played crazy 8, UNO or phase 10.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the streets of Gold have a little leopard print on them now, the gates not only have the twelve tribes written on them but now also words like “whatever” and “cool”, her and Jesus are not slow dancing but shaking their hips to the rhythm of a harp that you and I have never heard, and the angels are also probably wearing a little splash of pink and each carrying a new hand-made blanket.

In the past couple of weeks I have received messages from many that used words to describe Sara May like beautiful, joyful, infectious, mischievous, precious, enthusiastic, sweet, full of life, and a blessing.  What a testament this is to her life that these are the words that we think of when we think of her.  I have often wondered why we refer to her as Sara May, why not just a first name.  I believe we say her whole name because there is no other like her, she is unique, our Sara May.  God made her special in so many ways and most people would have taken these challenges and been defeated, but Sara May took up her differences and His Cross to be a bright light to this world and touched so many lives.  Just take a look around this room and see all the faces touched by Sara May.  We have called her daughter, sister and friend but God has now called her HOME.  May we all carry on her legacy to pick up His Cross, bear His Name and long for our reunion with our sweet Sara May.

I love you Diva!

- Camille Denton

Sara May loved butterflies... so much that it became the symbol for Sara May... if you saw a butterfly you would think of Sara May... so only fitting that at her celebration people wore butterflies, gave a butterfly bracelet Kathy, sang songs about flying and more.  Blake and I wanted butterflies to be released at her gravesite so with help by many friends in college station we were able to pull it off... here is a video of Kathy and friends setting the butterflies free... Fly baby Fly.

Sara and all of us knew her time had come... and that she would soon be with Jesus... and her mom and brother made sure she was never alone... I love this picture of such love and devotion.  I could only pray for a exit as sweet as this surrounded by those whom I love.

Sara May's high school boyfriend who lives in Maine came down to see her the last week of her life to celebrate all their memories.  I can imagine a lot of laughter.

This is a picture of the first time I meet Bryce (see Sara in front of him) back in 1997 at the Special Olympics... this was followed by many dinners together, high school dances and sporting events... 

So sweet.

Just some pics of many memories with our sweet Sara May... 

I love the picture above and below... bc it shows how much Sara loved Blake... no matter how many friends she had in a room... if Blake was there she was near... 

These pics are all out of order but the picture above and below are of the last time we were together... she still had that infectious laugh that will stay with me forever... I would give anything to just play one more game of Phase 10 with her.

Kathy... I have no words... I love you and wish I was there to hug your neck.

Just in case you wanted to hear that laugh one more time...