Miss Brinley

Thursday night, I went to the RS activity and had to rush home for Derek to leave for something....I'm still not sure what he did ;) I got home and he rushed out the door and a few minutes later he tried calling me, but I wasn't getting his calls (my phone has been freezing and having issues and I'm trying to hold out until my credit kicks in). Then I get a text from him saying, "I have bad bad news!" I figured it wasn't family or he wouldn't have left. Well I couldn't get in touch with him, so I got Arden to bed and went online to the local paper's site. One of the headlines was "2 year old killed in Union County." My heart dropped and I knew we must know this child and that's what the "bad bad news" was. I clicked on the article and saw the name. It crushed me. It's always sad to hear tragic stories about kids, but it's extremely hard when you know them. She was hit by a truck.
Derek was pretty shaken up too and said this was the worst news of his life. He was asked to be a pall bearer and was honored, but thought it would be difficult for him to do.
The viewing and funeral was yesterday. We walked in to the church, signed the guestbook, then the funeral directors took Derek away to give him instructions or something and had him move his car to the front.
I wasn't going to go into the viewing room, but then changed my mind...or so I thought. As I got to the door and saw the casket and little Brinley's head sticking out, I lost it. So here I was crying my eyes out, fat and pregnant and holding Arden in the hallway (babysitting plans unfortunatley didn't work out). Brinley's DAD comes down the hallway and hugs/consoles ME! I would like to blame the crying on being pregnant (you know, all those crazy hormomes) but lets be for real. I'm so sensitive, I cry at anything. Even happy things.(A couple of years ago, Derek and I went to a wedding of a friend who I hadn't seen since MIDDLE school (though we were pretty close back then) and when she was walking down the aisle, I started crying!) Seriously?! What's wrong with me?!
So anyway, I felt like the only one crying at the viewing....I mean I saw a couple of red eyes and everyone looked somber, but I felt better when a friend told me she lost it and was bawling when she went in to see Brinley.
The chapel and overflow was packed for the funeral service and a few people had to stand. After, we drove to the cemetary, and after the dedication, I talked to Brinley's mom for a moment and she was just concerned about me being there with my pelvic problems. Where did these parents get their strength? They are absolutely amazing.
I do know that Brinely is happy and pefect and with our Heavenly Father, but my heart goes out to Alison and Jerry and their 3 boys in the days ahead.