Cemetery Visit & Statue Area Changes

A few weeks ago I posted about Sofia's stone by the angel statue at the cemetery and how we weren't sure what they were doing to the area. The stones were all removed and the angel statue was put onto a pallet off into the grass. I was concerned about the placement of her stone and whether or not they'd put it back in the right place (assuming they would not).

We went back last week after work one night and saw they placed the stones back but this time they were in a framed concrete barrier to keep them better aligned. Her stone was not in the same place, so at first I was a bit frustrated.  Then we found her stone- it ended up just to the left of the angel statue! We think it's in an even better place now than it was before.  I snapped a few pictures with my phone.

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There used to be a line of small bushes that surrounded the stones but they for whatever reason decided to yank them all out. I had never (or at least don't remember) looked behind the statue until this day. On the back there is a nice prayer:

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There were some new gifts for Sofia at her grave too. Thanks Aunt Gloria for the two birds, Ann for the lady bug, and mom for the dragonfly!

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We normally visit Sofia on the weekends too, and bring her fresh flowers. This past Sunday I was in the area so I bought her flowers and went to the cemetery alone.

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I put her flowers in a vase then wandered over to the angel statue to see what changed. They planted a pink rose tree just behind the statue! So now Sofia's stone is by an angel and a tree of pink roses. I love that, and even though it's just a stone, and not her grave, it's nice that something special in her name is in such a great spot, something we will visit for years to come.

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From Other Photos

Usually we don't run into other people in the baby section but as I started walking back towards Sofia's grave another car pulled up. A gal about my age was walking in the first row of baby graves with two white roses in her hand and I said hello. She said hi back then started telling me how a good friend of hers lost a baby recently and they come every weekend to visit but they were unable to so she was bringing flowers for them. She had never been there before so she couldn't find the baby boy's stone. I explained to her how some new stones were in the front row to the left of the statue, some to the right, and then a larger cluster of new graves/stones were in the area near Sofia's (I pointed in that direction).  I asked her the baby's name and we started looking. She walked right over to Sofia's and looked (probably because of all the things she has) and I said, "she's ours".  I felt a knot in my throat as I said it. She looked at me & said how sorry she was.  All I could say was thanks and kept walking, looking for the baby boy's grave.

There was another person that walked up and was talking to her- I think he might have worked for the cemetery based on what conversation I heard. Then I found the one she was looking for.  I pointed to it and she said thanks. In a hurry, I gathered up the things I had to put in my car and as I started walking away the tears began to flow. I kept thinking, please let me not loose it until I get in my car! I tossed the stuff in the back then hopped in, tears streaming down my face. Then I cried uncontrollably. This had been a good weekend- the celebration of her new sister the night before- but I was an emotional mess.

I thought to myself how sad/odd it is that I'm so familiar with this cemetery that I know where all the new graves are, as if it were a little city that I know my way around like the back of my hand. Then I thought, it's almost been a year of visits every single week. I was so sad, so overcome with emotion as I drove away.  I just miss her so much and the fact that we have a baby on the way doesn't take that pain and sorrow away. I should be planning a one year birthday party with cake, presents, fun & laughter, cute smiles- the works. Instead I'm left contemplating how exactly we should celebrate her short life, with her not here.  As I drove up the hill I noticed a bunch of water shooting into the sky. Someone must've run a vehicle or something into one of the pipes meant for filling vases with water because the pipe was on the ground and it looked like a huge geyser shooting up in the air, water spilling into the street. It was a good distraction I guess, because it calmed me down a bit. Sigh... I drove home, mentally exhausted. I miss her a lot.