I have also include the my contribution to the service, for those who have asked for it.
Thank you all for your love and support.
Love,
The Pfeifer Family
For Faith
About 5 years and nine months ago Ashley and I learned about a very exciting addition to our fun loving, busy body, close nit family. We embraced this news with excitement. We told our immediate family and some close friends. We talked about names and tried to fit this new life into our life with great joy and anticipation.
Then we received some news. The kind of news that no expecting family wants to hear. We were asked questions. The kind of questions that no expecting family wants to be asked. Fear ran rampant in our hearts as we could only guess as to what was to come with this new life.
We prayed hard. Sometimes we prayed for miracles, sometimes we prayed for strength, sometimes we didn’t know what to pray and you prayed for us.
With the fear of not knowing what was to come we embraced one another and our faith and stepped forward into a world we could have never imagined. This is how our daughter came to be named Faith. For we knew that whatever the challenges lay ahead of us we could not face them without faith in our God.
On December 27th 2010 we gave birth to a beautiful blue eyed baby girl. She would change our life forever. She would outlive and outperform all of her doctor’s and therapists expectations. She would impact more people than we will ever know.
From that point forward Faith became our life's work. Our home became an extension of Children's Mercy Hospital. Ashley and I became experts in Faith’s medical conditions. On multiple occasions we would advocate for her life. We would dedicate our time to her therapy. Our energy would be sapped by sleepless nights and heavy equipment. Our family would pour into her all of the love that we had to offer. Our eyes beamed with pride as Mason and Elizabeth selflessly gave their time and attention to her when they so much more deserved ours. Nurses invaded our home. Some of them became a cherished parts of our family. We love you Amy and Hanna. Our support was unending. When we needed time off work, it was never questioned. When we needed financial assistance people gave generously. When we needed prayer the word was spread to the ends of the earth and people prayed.
Many people look at our family in disbelief. They make comments like “I don’t know how you guys do it.”
Make no mistake about how her light has been so bright. Make no mistake about where this unfailing love has come from. Make no mistake how this patience has endured and make no mistake on how it is we will come to see her again. We receive all of these things through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith was the perfect addition to our family. Her contagious smile always drew us together. Her advances in her therapy gave us hope. Her moments of distress reminded us of how fragile life was. All of the while drawing us toward God. It was as if the whole time she had one hand heaven holding on to Jesus and other hand here on earth holding on to us, constantly trying to pull us together for a big group hug and kiss.
She was a gift.
A gift that our family will carry with us until we see her again.
Our family will always be 5 strong.
Throughout Faith’s life, our family has rallied around her and nurtured her and raised her the best we knew how. All of the while we have cherished this gift.
Little did we know that this gift was not intended just for our family. God’s plan is always bigger.
One of Ashley and My favorite stories is when Ashley and the Kids were out shopping at garage sales. Ashley was excited about the purchase of some wash clothes and as she was headed back to the van she yelled to Elizabeth “look what I got for Faith”. The lady who was running the garage sale, a total stranger, shouted to Ashley “wait are you Faith’s Mom”. Ashley was surprised by the question and answered “yes”. The lady responded “I read your guy’s blog every day and pray for you guys”.
This type of thing happened on more than one occasion.
As you look around this room you will find so many who have been touched by her story.
Faith thought that everyone needed big group hugs and she is still giving them.
As her story continues to pull at your heart, know that it is her. Her grip is not strong, but she is trying to pull you towards Jesus in her tender way.
Please receive this gift, carry it with you as you go, feel free to share it with others, until we come to see her again in heaven.
