Sunday, January 25, 2009

In loving memory of Rachel Yebin Nam (2003-2009)

This past Saturday was an emotional roller coaster ride for me as I attended a funeral service for Rachel in the morning and a wedding for one of my college friends in the afternoon. We finally said good bye to Rachel who suffered from a heart disease from the day she was born. It was so hard to see her parents letting go of their daughter. I am incredibly close to her mom as she has always been so caring and generous throughout my life. Rachel went through three major surgeries over the past five years and she recently celebrated her 5th birthday this January. She was actually my flower girl at my wedding and I still remember how she would always talk about walking down the aisle as the flower girl every time I visited her house.
I had no idea how Rachel's mom was coping with the loss of her first child so when she asked me this week to go to the flower market to make a flower wreath for Rachel, I immediately went to her house to spend some time with her.

Rachel, carefully walking down the aisle with my nephew, Nathan at my wedding...

Rachel loved flowers and going to the flower market with her mom. As our last gift to her, we bought an oval shaped oasis and arranged it with her favorite flowers, blue hydrangea, orange ranuculus, pink tulips and purple lisianthus,  and placed her photo in the middle.

Rachel on her 5th birthday...

My dear Rachel, may you rest in peace and 우리 천국에서 다시만나자...