She was buried 20 December, 1971, in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Less than 100 feet from what is now the The National Vietnam Veterans Memorial "The Wall." And approximately 50 feet from the Vietnam Women's Memorial. President John F. Kennedy's grave site overlooks her final resting place.

He was the second best Christmas present in the world!!  The first was his older sister Kristina. She came home to us the day before Christmas, 24 December, 1972.

He was a sweet baby right from the start. Always laughing and smiling and making friends of all who came into contact with him. 

Kristofer was taken from us on 1 July, 1979, after being bitten by 2 (two) no-see-ums (sand fleas) on his face. His death certificate says Acute Renal Failure (kidney failure.)

His Memorial Service was held at the Hellinicon AFB Chapel, Athens Greece. There were so many people in attendance that they had to set up speakers outside the chapel (which held 300 people inside.)

It was an open casket, and he looked just like a china doll in his Christening Gown, which I had sewn by hand while in the hospital, my last month of pregnancy..

His Godfather, Dr. Dionysius Arvanitakis (also the Doctor who delivered him) read a beautiful Eulogy. And a number of people Americans and Greek alike, gave beautiful tributes to this little baby boy of ours. Imagine a six month old infant touching so many people at his tender age.

He was buried, with his oldest sister, Kristen, at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, on 12 July, 1979.

Kristina was and still is my "Miracle Baby!" She was the baby that I started losing from the very beginning. Even at her birth, November 19, 1972, 2 months premature, the doctors told us she would not survive. 

At less than 3 pounds and 14 inches at birth, she had quite a number of medical problems, that even today are hard to survive.

But the Pediatric Specialists at the University Kinder Klinik in Siegen, Germany, proved they are the best doctors in the world!! They pulled our little girl through and presented her to us as a Christmas present on 24 December, 1972.

She was and still is the BEST present I have ever received:-))

I Love You Kristy!!!

I could not put my arms around my husband or daughter for fear that if I showed them any attention or love, that I would lose them also.

I don't know if this was a natural response or not. But I do know, now, that it was the wrong one.

I saw a movie shortly after our return to the United States, after Kristofer's burial. The movie, starring Elizabeth Taylor, 1976, has long since disappeared from shelves (I've been told Ms. Taylor bought the rights and destroyed the original footage.). But it made losing my son and showing my family the love they needed and the Lord my love again much easier.

The movie was called "The Blue Bird" (Sinyaya Ptitsa) and was based upon an allegorical fantasy conceived as a play for children written by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949.) 

It is the story of a poor woodcutter and his  family. The father could barely feed his wife and 2 children. His wife became pregnant and the new baby, as yet unborn, is in heaven with all the other children waiting to be born. (There have been several versions of this tale, but the 1976 version starring Elizabeth Taylor is the one that means the most to me.)

Elizabeth Taylor is a Fairy Godmother (Fairy Berylune), who helps the brother and sister of the as yet unborn child to accept the new baby with love and understanding.

She also helps the unborn child to realize that though he will be going to a new family, his time on earth will only be for a short time. He will be there to help his family learn love and then he will be taken from them and brought back to heaven to help others.

It was this movie that helped me come to grips with Kristofer's death. After the way the Chapel was packed, I had to believe that God only loaned him to us for a short time. 

Kristofer fulfilled his duty on this earth and is back with his heavenly father and his big sister Kristen. And I also believe that both Kristen and Kristofer are watching over my family.

They know they were and always will be loved both here on earth and in heaven:-))

When you passed away,
I was devastated.

When you passed away,
my heart was ripped from my soul.

When you passed away,
I wanted to pass away with you.

When you passed away,
you took the joy from my life.

When you passed away,
I blamed myself.

When you passed away, 
I blamed God.

When you passed away,
is now many years gone by.

Now it is HOPE
That keeps me going every day.

The hope of seeing you
The hope of holding you
The hope of loving you
That keeps me going every day.

The hope of another chance
The hope of keeping you
The hope of never losing you.
That keeps me going every day.

Hope is my Gateway to you.
Hope is my Gateway to your love.
Hope is my Gateway to joy.
Hope is my Gateway to peace,
Hope is my Gateway to God.

Linda R. (Joan) Jett

Copyrite©2004 Linda R. (Joan) Jett. 
All rights reserved Worldwide.This 
poem may not be used, reproduced, 
transmitted via snail mail, email, 
stationary etc., in part or in its entirety,
without prior written permission of the 
author.

Author's note: I wrote this to the memory
of my babies, Kristen and Kristofer. 
Mommy loves you my darlings.

We do not need a special day to
bring you to our minds.
The days we do not think of
you are very hard to find.

Each morning when we awake
we know that you are gone.
And no one knows the heartache
as we try to carry on.

Our hearts still ache with sadness
and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to lose you
no one will ever know.

Our thoughts are always with you,
your place no one can fill.
In life we loved you dearly;
in death we love you still.

There will always be a heartache,
and often a silent tear.
But always a precious memory of
the days when you were here.

If tears would make a staircase,
and heartaches make a lane,
We'd walk the path to heaven
and bring you home again.

We hold you close within our hearts;
and there you will remain,
To walk with us throughout our
lives until we meet again.

Our family chain is broken now,
and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.

~~ author unknown ~~

Author Unknown

Take your wings and fly, my love
Soar with the angels up above
God lent you to us and has taken you back
'cause He had a purpose, the reason we lack.
Take your wings and fly, my love
Fly straight, fly high, as the flight of a dove
You gave us much joy in that short life of yours -
So young, so precious, so absent of flaws.
Take your wings and fly, my love
Fly up to Jesus, fly up and above
We'll never forget you as long as we live
and all of the blessings you had to give.
Take your wings and fly, my love
Fly to your Father up above
Be at peace my angel, in God's gentle hands,
Go now, and fulfill our Maker's plans.
Take your wings and fly, my love.....

Author: Dianne B Gibson

I'll lend you, for a little while,
a child of mine,"He said
"For you to love while he lives
and mourn when he is dead.
It may be six or seven
years, or twenty-two or three, but will you
till I call him back,
take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
and shall his stay be brief,
you'll have his lovely memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
as all from earth return
but there are lessons taught down there
that I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over
in my search for teachers true,
and from the throngs that crown life's lanes,
I have selected YOU.
Now will you give him all your love
-not think the labor vain
nor hate me when I come to call
to take him back again."
I fancied that I heard them say
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joys thy child will bring
The risk of grief we'll run.
We will shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may---
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

Author Unknown

To my dearest family, some things I'd like to say.
But first of all, to let you know, that I arrived okay.
I'm writing this from heaven. Here I dwell with God above.
Here there's no more tears of sadness; Here is just eternal love.

Please do not be unhappy just because I'm out of sight.
Remember that I am with you every morning, noon and night.
That day I had to leave you when my life on earth was through.
God picked me up and hugged me and He said, "I welcome you.

It's good to have you back again,
you were missed while you were gone.
As for your dearest family, They'll be here later on.
I need you here badly, you're part of my plan.
There's so much that we have to do, to help our mortal man."

God gave me a list of things, that he wished for me to do.
And foremost on the list, was to watch and care for you.
And when you lie in bed at night the day's chores put to flight.
God and I are closest to you....in the middle of the night.

When you think of my life on earth, and all those loving years.
Because you are only human, they are bound to bring you tears.
But do not be afraid to cry: it does relieve the pain.
Remember there would be no flowers, unless there was some rain.

I wish that I could tell you all that God has planned.
If I were to tell you, you wouldn't understand.
But one thing is for certain, though my life on earth is o'er.
I'm closer to you now, than I ever was before.

There are many rocky roads ahead of you and many hills to climb;
But together we can do it by taking one day at a time.
It was always my philosophy and I'd like it for you too;
That as you give unto the world, the world will give to you.

If you can help somebody who's in sorrow and pain;
Then you can say to God at night......"My day was not in vain."
And now I am contented....that my life was worthwhile.
Knowing as I passed along the way I made somebody smile.

So if you meet somebody who is sad and feeling low;
Just lend a hand to pick him up, as on your way you go.
When you're walking down the street
and you've got me on your mind;
I'm walking in your footsteps only half a step behind.

And when it's time for you to go....from that body to be free.
Remember you're not going.....
you're coming here to me.

Ruth Ann Mahaffey

Treasures Kept Even though CTherese has lost no children, she and the Lord have written a prayer that is bound to help all in pain from losing a child.

The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization that offers friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. There is no religious affiliation and there are no membership dues or fees.

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