Duncan’s Tree

Thursday, August 27, if our dreams had come to fruition, we would have welcomed our second son into this world via repeat Cesarean section.

Instead, we joined our small group – the numerous families that have stepped up and welcomed us into their midst since moving to Tennessee – for a night of remembering our sweet Duncan.

It was casual (pizza and cookies under the outdoor pavilion) and family-friendly (hence the bubbles and the swings); it was exactly what I would have planned….if I’d been involved in the planning.  Which I wasn’t.  But that turned out to be a wonderfully welcome reprieve:  instead of my Type-A neurosis driving me mad, I was instead able to show up with my family and be nothing but surprised and blessed.

As you’ll see from the slideshow (captions will appear if you hover your cursor over each shot), our church gifted us with planting a young sunset maple in memory of Duncan.  It is planted at the edge of the playground on our church property, and a plaque will hang in the preschool wing of our church in memory of our son.

This is what is inscribed on the plaque, written by my dear friend Andrea:

May this powerful tree grow strong,
as Duncan was strong and such a fighter;
May its vibrant colors be a reminder
of God's passionate love for us and for Duncan;
May the shade cast in its shadows
be a reminder of the comfort and rest we have in Him
even in the face of loss;
And as the leaves fall and dance in the wind,
may we be reminded of Duncan dancing in heaven with Him.

It is impossible to adequately express how much this gesture means to our family.  To our church family: we are blessed to worship and serve alongside you.  We love you.