Goodbye Kristy,

  It seemed to me, she was always smiling.
Her eyes lit up with pure joy when her Dad spoke her name, even though her tongue refused her brain's command to speak.

She radiated something, bright, beautiful and hopeful, even while trapped in a little body racked with pain and paralysis.
She couldn't feed herself, or go take a bubble bath, or pick up her phone and post on Facebook.
 At 28, she was as helpless as a six month old baby.
She looked sort of like a doll,  legs immobile and locked in a permanent sitting position. 
10 years, that's what the Doctors gave her. 
"Enjoy the time you have with her but prepare yourself to lose her."
She proved them wrong and stayed with them for 18 more years.
She knew they needed her, they needed something to cement them as a family. She blessed them,  She bonded them. 
They lavished care and attention on her and seemed to forget it was hard work. They didn't see a tragedy, they saw Kristy and loved her with a fierceness.
They changed her diapers, wiped the drool from her mouth, combed her hair and kept her body clean.   Jennifer, Brandon, Dean and Sherry poured themselves into her.   She gave them something in return. She became the heart of the  family. The epicenter of their world.  Her care and comfort was the common cause in the Blake home. She made them all better at giving and loving and caring.
She was a blessing to them all. Their Angel of light and joy.
They took turns with her. Feeding her, patiently and catching the food as it dribbled out of her mouth and gently spooning it back to make sure she had enough.  
Holding a cup of water or 
kool-aid to her mouth so she could drink, then wiping the excess from her chin.  They watched her favorite TV shows with her, praised her art work and lovingly teased her till her face beamed with pleasure.

When one of them became tired, the other was there to spell them. Sherri gave birth to her but they all helped raise Kristy. 
She was reared on a mother's love as well as that of her dad, sister and brother.
Kristy has a piece of each of their hearts.
That is why her loss, cut them all so deeply. She never uttered a word but her presence filled up their home.
When the end was near, they knew it. They didn't want to let her go, but they wanted her to be free of the pain racked body that betrayed her. They wanted her to run, and talk and be the person God knew she was. They wanted her to rest. So when she closed her eyes and left her suffering  behind. they mourned and rejoiced. They knew she was finally and mercifully at peace and free.
They knew she was with the Father and in the midst of joy unspeakable. They knew, we all know that Kristy is with the Angels in the place of never ending sunshine and happiness.
We miss her but one day, we will see her again.
Until then we will cry, smile and be grateful for our time with sweet Kristiana Blake.