Dear Friends,
As many of you have heard about the murder of Melanie and Byrd Billings, I want to ask for prayer for the entire family. Melanie has been an online friend of mine for nearly 5 years. We have spoke on the phone numerous times about family, friends, our babies with DS and the joys and struggles that arises when parenting a child with DS. I am so devastated about this. I cant sleep at night, I cry at any moment just thinking about it...I was just chatting with Melanie the afternoon of Thursday, the day they were shot. They were considering adopting another infant...she was so excited. All I can ask is WHY??? WHY would someone be so hateful, thoughtless, MEAN, unloving, and filled with evil rage to take these two lives...any life at that????

I am planning on going to the funeral service on Friday...as long as nothing goes astray here at home. I have spoken to Melanie's cousin and she is letting me know about donating to a memorial for Bud and Melanie. We would love to donate books about DS for new parents as a reminder that there is HOPE...our children are a JOY! OR better yet, we would like to donate to Reeces Rainbow for a waiting child grant fund, in hopes that a child with DS could find their forever family...what a honor...I know Melanie and Bud would be thrilled.

Melanie and Bud (this is what friends and family called him) had a plan. They had a plan in the event both of them died. They knew that one day it was a possibility (one we pray never does happen) that they would be gone before their children and felt they must have a plan. I am just so sad that this day DID arrive and now the plan must be put into place. Their oldest daughter Ashley will care for the children with her husband. They have an older son as well but he lives in Tampa. Friends and family will also step into help as well as their therapists, teachers and paid staff will continue to remain the same..this is good for the children...to have some form of consistancy in their routine. Those children were loved unconditionally...Melanie and Bud didnt see any disability in them, they loved them for exactly the being our Lord created them to be....

PLEASE pray for the children, for the family and for the friends that these two beautiful people have left behind. The children are going to mourn their parents loss, for the children who seen their parents laying there and ran for help, for the ones who will never understand WHY Momma and Daddy arent there playing with them anymore....Oh my heart breaks! PLEASE PRAY! Financially the children are going to be cared for. They will have the love of their family and siblings. They will remain together...but they will never be held/snuggled by their parents again....for this my heart breaks! PLEASE PRAY!

Again I ask for all my blog friends and family....continue to pray for God's healing hand, for His almighty LOVE and for His will be done for the entire BILLINGS family.

Blessings..