High in the heavens in a place that many angels call home, there once lived a little angel who was full of energy & love. He loved to leap high and play with his golden ball. Every where this sweet angel went he made new friends with other angels, never leaving anyone out in games and always helping every angel out. For this little angel had such a big heart & loads of courage. One day he was playing catch when the golden ball flew through the air so fast he had to jump on to a lower cloud to catch it. The cloud was beautiful, white & soft. This angel looked down as if in a dream, saw Earth. There on Earth he saw a woman with a strong heart and lots of pride her name was Jane, and a man named Kurt who had a strong spirit, and loving arms. "They should be my parents," he said. He then rushed to his guardian angel and asked if he could go to Earth to be with these parents. It was decided that this little sweet angel shall go, and right away so that they all would be blessed. The little angel would take a long journey over a rainbow bridge to Earth, but first he must visit the house of the sun, the moon, and the stars. He entered the house of the sun. It was so warm and there he was given the gift of courage, it was placed under his heart. Next at the house of the Moon, he received the gift of wisdom, it was placed under the sole of each foot. Last to the house of stars were it was so bright and the angel was given the gift of the twinkle in his eye that he may always see the humor in life.
On Earth it was a beautiful hot summer day and Mom & Dad with lots of family were at St Joseph's Hospital , in Chicago, were waiting for the baby to arrive. Then just as the angel crossed the rainbow bridge, a baby boy came to the waiting arms of his strong & courageous mother. His father smiled huge with tears of joy to know he has a baby boy. "his name shall be Maxx Francis, for this is the best name for him." And so the little angel received his first gift on Earth his name.
Everyone cheered, laughed, & cried when he was born. Grommy, Pa Pah, G. G. were there all the way from Texas. Then Grammy and Uncle John made it to see you and all our family in Chicago and Texas were so happy.
Mommy had quite the race and the doctors & nurses helped Daddy take care of her for a few days and then it was time to go home. The baby's little stomach was smaller than a peanut. Sometimes he nursed with mommy and sometimes he drank from a little bottle, but mostly the new baby slept. Mommy and Daddy would be up all night & day to make sure he had enough to eat, so that he might grow big and strong.
Bigger and stronger he did grow. Just a week later Aunt Deana flew in from Texas to meet him. We were having a hard time keeping little Maxx awake long enough to eat. One morning when it was time for his bottle Aunt Deana wanted to feed him. and he wanted to stay asleep So she went to the fridge and got a cold green grape and rubbed it under his arms and across his belly to get him to wake. We all laughed as he finally did wake & drank a full bottle. This new little boy let us know that he had better things to do than eat like grow and sleep.
Baby Maxx had so much personality starting with the fact his hair would not lay down it stood straight up. He was so happy and loved everyone who came over to meet him. He would laugh and play when anyone would talk to him. Mommy, Daddy, and Maxx flew to Texas to greet and meet the Palmer fleet. Everyone was so amazed by his hair & how sweet he was to hold. He met all of his older cousins Gabe, Andrew, William, Lyndsey, Phillip, Kole, Jordan, Abrianna, Carson, & Isaiah for the first time and blended in. Then back to Chicago we flew.
Soon came Halloween where he was dressed like a sweet pea. Then Thanksgiving & his first Christmas. Where we had two one in Texas & one home in Chicago. He enjoyed being with friends and family no matter where.
Maxx loved to play on the floor with Daddy. He would swing, swing, and swing more. He loved when Mommy would come home from work & hold him tight & give love. He learned to crawl & find the tiniest things on the floor. Daddy was a wreck with worry that the baby may fall and bump his head. Bump fall, crawl you did then before the middle of the summer the baby pulled himself up so proud, let go and began to walk.
The snow melted and spring came and went...before we knew it July came. We headed south to Texas for a big 4th of July celebration. There we had a Scurvy Pirate buccaneer bash to celebrate the one year it had been since Maxx crossed the rainbow bridge. We light the first candle to celebrate.
Now to year two...Maxx got walking down & began to talk. Before we knew it he could climb most anything. He loved to sing & play at the park or stay home & play with his toys. Before we knew it Fall was here for Halloween we were a jungle family with a cute Maxx monkey. Winter and the holidays flew by. Then it started warming up and we met baby Hailey just after she crossed the rainbow bridge. Then it was summer again. And that meant year two had passed since Maxx crossed the rainbow bridge. We light the second candle.
More and more Maxx could speak & the funny things he would say like, "Rubbish truck" and police cars go "bee bo bee bo!" He loved to sing Kermit's Rainbow Connection song while playing his banjo and had an entire repitore of songs, like Hold on to the Chair, ABC'S, The Cuppy Cake song, and Twinkle Twinkle little star. Trains became his thing & the places they would all go & the cargo they carried. "Chicken Dunkin" was a prized train. Fall came and we were a scare crow family for Halloween. Winter and the holidays flew by. Spring then summer we welcomed two new cousins, Baby Clif and Baby Zach, who crossed the rainbow bridge. Before we knew it year three had come around & we light the third candle to celebrate the third year since Maxx crossed the rainbow bridge.
Man, oh man what a year it has been... Trains, planes, nature museums, and parks with a field house. We moved across town and in his own bed he will snuggle down. Now Maxx can do most anything run, jump, hop on one leg, paint, draw, sidewalk chalk, cook, tell a good joke, sing a silly song, and loves to read a good-fun book. At Halloween we had the cutest spider. Winter and the holidays flew by. We welcomed two more cousins Baby Melody and Baby Oliver. What a year of change and Maxx is so "Bigger". Can you believe it? Mommy and Daddy are in awe and blown away on how blessed these past years have been with Maxx. We are here again today to celebrate the most beautiful day. The day four years ago when Maxx crossed the rainbow bridge. We light the 4th candle to celebrate.
