Reita Gale's Funeral & I Was There This Time

June 3, 1982 we buried our only daughter, Reita Gale.  Unlike her brother's funeral, 7 years earlier, James and I planned this funeral to the tiniest detail ourselves.  I not only planned this funeral, but I also went to this baby angel's burial, which I had been denied of her angels brother's.  (see my earlier post about "They Left Without Me".

James and I decided to make this a small funeral with just us attending and our two rainbow sons which were 5 and 1 1/2 years old now.  It was just the four of us.  We buried Reita Gale beside her brother, James Collins, Jr.  Our wonderful minister and associate minister gave the graveside service.
It was an 11:00 service.

The funeral home sent a car to pick us up at our home to drive us to the cemetery just before 11:00.
When we arrived, we were escorted to our seats.  Our rainbow sons behaved perfectly.  James held me close as we both cried a certain parts of the service.  I just stared at her white tiny coffin covered with baby pink roses.  I knew it was just her body inside and her pure spirit had been released to God already.  She went to Him perfect, never knowing of earthly sin.  God had already prepared a place for her and I feel sure it was with Him and her Jesus.  I am sure her perfectly made pure spirited brother was waiting to greet her also.  What did God have in store for her in Heaven?  Was it to help her brother to greet the other new angel babies that would be following along?  One thing I did know for absolutely sure; they were both safe with their God and Lord Jesus Christ.  All of these thoughts were fleeting through my mind in bits and pieces during the service.  Then, we prayed the Lord's Prayer and it was over.  The funeral car drove us back home.  I wanted to linger longer, but "they" were standing in the background to lower her into the ground and cover her with dirt.  Before leaving, each of us put a pink rose to be buried with her.

We went home to an empty house and ate some lunch.  Several friends had brought over food so we had plenty to eat.  Next, we went right back to the cemetery to take pictures while the boys were still dressed up.  We let them play around and showed them their brother's grave all dressed up for the occasion.  We tried to explain to our rainbow sons what was going on.  They seemed to understand some of it as much as they could at their age.  How could they understand when we could hardly grasp it all in.  The only thing I knew is that I had a daughter that could not come home and live with us.  Understand it?  No, I didn't understand why she had to die.  No one has ever mentioned her since that day.  Our parents never inquired about a funeral for her or have mentioned her to us.
                                                          Pictures of that day:

                                                                        
                                         The blue lamb is over James Collin's grave.  The white lamb with the pink ribbon is over Reita Gale's grave.  Such a small little grave.

                              Our rainbow sons, Collins and Taylor at their sister's funeral.  I don't know how I would have managed without them. 

                                    
                                          Reita Gale's gravesite

                                    
                             This was taken after her foot stone had been laid

                             
                                         Both of my babies' foot stones as their graves are side by side