Ethan's Birth

Ethan was born on Monday, August 31 at 3:00 pm and died peacefully in our arms at around 5:00 pm. We are so very grateful that we were able to meet him face-to-face. Although he never breathed, his heart was beating and his tiny tongue was moving. He had blue eyes and brown hair, a sweet little button nose, and beautiful hands and feet. He weighed 3 lbs, 5 ounces and was 16 inches long. It gave us great joy to hold him in our arms. It has been heartbreaking to let him go so soon, but we know that he is safe in God's care and that there are many grandparents and great-grandparents who have gone before him who have been waiting to meet him.

Eric and I came home from the hospital Tuesday afternoon and I'm recovering well. We are planning a trip to Vermont early next week. We plan to bury Ethan in Eric's hometown and then spend a few days with friends and family in New England before returning to Durham.

Ethan's funeral will be this Friday, September 4 at 3:00 pm at St. John's Missionary Baptist Church (917 Onslow St, Durham), with a potluck meal in the church fellowship hall at 5:00. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift in Ethan's name to L'Arche USA (www.larcheusa.org) or YO:Durham (Year of Opportunity for Durham Teens www.yodurham.org). For either, click "Donate," then "In Memory of" and enter Ethan James.

We are more grateful than words can express for the prayers and support of all those who love us and who have loved Ethan with us. What we have experienced over the past few months as so many people have celebrated Ethan's life and grieved for his death with us has been a foretaste of the communion of saints that we will all experience some day in Christ's presence.