Austin Duane Shanks - Online Memorial Website

A LOVE SO GREAT

I prayed that you would come to me and nestle in my womb,
I waited for eternity and I was filled with doom.
But then one day I realized that God had heard my prayer,
My heart was filled with happiness when I found out you were there.
I told the world about you, how you'd finally come to me,
You touched the lives of all of us In that time you stayed with me.
We wondered who you'd look like, we even chose your name,
From the moment that I knew you things were not the same again.
I wondered if your hair was fair and if your eyes were blue,
Were you a boy or a little girl? I had such plans for you.
I loved you every minute of every day that passed.
I should have known such happiness could never really last.
For just a short while later, God called you from above,
He needed my dear Angel In his nursery up above.
My heart was deeply saddened when I lost you, little one,
My life felt very empty when I knew that you had gone.
You must have been too precious to walk this earth with me,
You wasn't meant to feel pain or ever hurt, you see.
I know you're playing happily In Heaven's nursery up above,
And I know that you can feel that I've sent you all my love.
So play on and be happy with your family up there too,
For life on earth is very short and soon I'll be with you.

 

Best Angel Friends

 

A beautiful little angel showed up to Heaven’s gates,

Confused and unknowing the plan that for him awaits.

Then another little angel walked up and took his hand,

And said, “Please don’t be sad you left, you’re in the Promised Land.”

“I’m glad to be here but I do not think I was to go.

Perhaps there was a mistake, for my mommy wanted me so. “

The little greeting angel gave a sweet smile and said,

“My mommy wanted me too, but to Heaven I was led.

You see, we do not get to choose when on Earth it’s time to go.

He gave us life, love and joy and a mother’s womb to grow.

The Lord still needs new angels to guide them down on earth.

To watch over, comfort them, and help them see their worth. “

“Is there still a way that I can sleep in my mommy’s bed?”

The greeting angel grinned and said, “that luxury you’ll keep.

I visit my mommy nightly and softly sing her to sleep.”

The little angel replied, “then I think I’ll like it here.

I’ll visit my mommy nightly and weaken her pain and fears.

I love her and will keep her safe at night and in between.

And let her know with a sweet memory that she is still with me. “

The greeting angel gave her new friend a big hug and said,

“Until our mommy’s meet us here, let’s be best angel friends.”

“Okay, “ said the new angel, “that sounds good to me.”

Then the angels sat and played keeping their mommy’s in sight,

Humming the tunes to the song they would sing to their mommy’s tonight….

 

Author Unknown

 

t Baby

Dear Sweet Baby, so perfect, so still.
The day you were born God cried for you as your parents did too.
Your journey into this world was never meant to be completed
- how painful for those who anticipated your arrival.
Your mother wept, your father wept, your aunts, uncles, and grandparents wept,
Even those who had not so looked forward to your arrival,
but helped in you into this world wept.
I hold you in my arms so perfect, so beautiful,

Please please baby wake up. your body is limp -
how my heart aches to see you this way.
Your skin is like Ivory. Your mom holds you so close as she says goodbye
she feels your cheek next to hers and lovingly kisses you,
then sadly turns her face as she hands you to me.
Your daddy gently takes you and rocks with his tears rolling down his face.
He is torn between saying goodbye to you and leaving his wife's side,
who is crying and bleeding.

I feel only a part of their pain. I leave to weep silently and quickly.
I must be strong for them. As they begin a journey they never anticipated.
Your mom bleeds as her tears roll down her face.
I finally take you. I want to wake you.
You lay in my arms as though you are sleeping.
As I wrap you a final time,
I can't help but to look at your perfect body and wonder "WHY?".
I know why though.
Not every baby is meant to have a journey in this world that we know.
You were not ready. You go on in a journey I can not imagine.
It hurt to finish wrapping you.

To leave you in blankets alone leaves you too vulnerable to
those who are curious to see "the baby"
so I must finish after the blankets.
I cannot take you downstairs - ohhh my heart aches,
my eyes burn from trying to not cry and be strong.
Your mother still bleeds. I know why, she has lost the most important thing to her
- her baby.

Why should her body stop bleeding?
If she will slow down until she can see she must do as your dad is doing.
To look beyond, to see her husband is here.
He is to live for now, until she can live for herself, again .
Maybe, hopefully, someday, they can anticipate again.
With tears of joy rather than sorrow after the labor of birth.

 

The mention of my child's name may bring tears to my eyes,
But it never fails to bring music to my ears.
If you are really my friend,
let me hear the music of her name!
It soothes my broken heart and sings to my soul!
~Author Unknown ~

 

 

Sorry I didn't get to stay.
To laugh and run and play.
To be there by your side.
I'm sorry that I had to die.

God sent me down to be with you,
to make your loving heart anew.
To help you look up and see
Both God and little me.

Mommy, I wish I could stay.
Just like I heard you pray.
But, all the angels did cry
when they told little me goodbye.

God didn't take me cause He's mad.
He didn't send me to make you sad.
But to give us both a chance to be
a love so precious .. don't you see?

Up here no trouble do I see
and the pretty angels sing to me.
The streets of gold is where I play
you'll come here too, mommy, someday.

Until the day you join me here,
I'll love you mommy, dear.
Each breeze you feel and see,
brings love and a kiss from me.


By Sandy Eakle

I know an angel
No one ever sees him
Or knows that he is there
He hides behind the clouds
Because he knows it’s hard to bare
The love we have but cannot share

There are days when he dries my tears
And days when he makes me smile
Days when I stay in bed
Dreaming of holding him for a while

Then reality sets in
The pain begins to burn
My heart is on fire
For what it most yearns

I get up to begin my day
That empty feeling taking hold
Then a tug on my leg I feel
Knowing it was not real

The wind blows by me
I hear “don’t worry mommy”
“I am here”

A beautiful warmth fills my heart
I look up at the sky
A little cloud is following me
I know it’s my little guy

Written by Charity Shanks

Tiny Angels

Tiny Angels rest your wings
sit with me for awhile.
How I long to hold your hand,
And see your tender smile.
Tiny Angel, look at me,
I want this image clear....
That I will forget your precious face
Is my biggest fear.
Tiny Angel can you tell me,
Why you have gone away?
You weren't here for very long....
Why is it, you couldn't stay?
Tiny Angel shook his head,
"These things I do not know....
But I do know that you love me,
And that I love you so".

Author Unknown

My Little Angel

I felt your presence there inside of me,
nestled soft and warm;
Sweet scent of baby's breath,
precious words left unadorned.

I saw your tiny heartbeat,
then I knew that you were fine;
A perfect baby we created,
one that would be mine.

Then that tragic day it came
there was nothing I could do,
Only wait and hope
for the precious life of you.

Yes in the beginning
your daddy was afraid;
Only he would love you unconditional
and never run away.

He loved you more this I do know,
as he cried for you that day,
When the doctor said that you were gone,
daddy wanted you to stay.

He would have held you close to him,
and see your perfect form,
A gift of daddy's love,
would have kept you safe and warm.

Only now you are an angel over me
beautiful and bare,
My heart would hurt if you cried for me
and mommy was not there.

Still we are together in my heart and memories,
You are still a part of my memory.

Rest gentle now 'sweet baby' there is no pain
you are never alone,
I know you are with the guiding angels
in you peaceful home.

I will come with you someday
only now is not my time,
Then we will be together again
again you will be mine.

I never got to hear you laugh
you never saw me cry
didn’t get a chance to say "Hello"
you never said "Goodbye"
I didn't think that I could feel
so sad, lost and forlorn.
I never knew God chose his Angels
before some of them were born.
Your life was short yet special
I shared it all exclusively
I felt you breathe, I felt you kick.
You were alive inside of me.
Every baby is an Angel
and every angel is divine
God needed one in heaven
He came down and took mine
And although we are not together
we're not really apart
for you'll always occupy a space
deep within my heart.
Time has begun to ease my pain
It's only some days now I cry.
When I wish I could have said "Hello"
and heard you say "Goodbye"

I stood beside your bed last night,
I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying,
quietly in your sleep.

I touched you softly
as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you,
I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast,
I watched you pour coffee,
You were thinking of how much you
love and long to hold me.

I was with you at the store today,
Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels,
I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today,
You tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you,
that I'm not really there.

I walked with you to the house,
as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my hand on you,
I smiled and said "it's me."

You looked so very tired,
and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know,
that I was standing there.

It's possible for me to be
so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty,
"I never went away."

You sat there very quietly, then
smiled, I think you knew,
In the stillness of that evening,
I was very close to you.

The day is over, I smile and watch
you yawning and say
"goodnight, God bless,
I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you
to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and
we'll stand, side by side.

I have so many things to
show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out
then come home to be with me.

Footprints Across our Heart

The door is closed. The lights turned off.
The closet stands bare.
All the room once waiting...
For the child that should be there.

Sorrow wells up inside of us.
Our tears, an endless flow.
All because we miss the child...
The child we'll never know

No camping trips, No soccer games,
Nor late evening talks,
No baseball camps or shopping trips
No shaded moutain walks.

We have not even memories
To help through times like these
We only have each other ,
as we go down on our knees...

To plead with you, our Father,
To take this pain away...
To help us know your love
will guide us through each day.

We may never know the reasons
For this terrible tragedy;
But we can know you love us
through all life's mysteries.

Our time was far too brief;
It was over before its start...
But our little angel left behind
Footprints Across Our Heart

Poem by W.Patrick Queen