More Memories of Patti ~ Younger Years

In Loving Memory of

Patricia "Patti" Margaret Lakernick

October 15, 1988 - May 24, 2002

Patti at 2 years old, what a ham she is, she loved getting her picture taken!

Patti at 2 years, 11 months, at Uncle Donald's house in Philadelphia.

YOU'RE STILL WITH ME

Though you are gone
I know your still with me
In the simple things
I used to never see

One day while walking
I chanced to see
A butterfly
Seeming to follow me

In the yard one day
A little bluebird up in a tree
Singing it's song
To no one but me

Then early one morning
Right after the sunrise
On a rosebush where no roses ever grew
Was a beautiful rose, much to my surprise

All these things happened for a reason
Just for me to see
It's just your way of showing
You are still with me...
Written by Coleman Doyle Alldredge

Patti is 2 years old here, she looks so cute!

Patti at 2 years and 10 months old wearing Mommy's bridal hat.
The bride Patti will never get to be, sigh.
I am so glad now that she put that hat on...

Patti is 3 years old in this picture.

Remembering

Go ahead and mention my child
The one that died,
You know
Don't worry about hurting me further
The depth of my pain doesn't show.

Don't worry about making me cry
I'm already crying inside
Help me to heal by releasing
The tears that I try to hide.

I'm hurt when you just keep silent
Pretending it doesn't exist
I'd rather you'd mention my child
Knowing that he has been missed.

You asked me how I'm doing.
I say "Pretty good" or "fine"
But healing is something on-going
I feel it will take a lifetime.
By Elizabeth Dent

Patti hijacked her sister's bed in the morning when she was about 35 months old.
Doesn't she look so pretty?

Patti in her "Hot Mama" outfit, at 3-1/2 years old.

Patti in kindergarten at 5 years old.

We thought of you with love today,
but that was nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday,
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence,
We often speak your name.
Now all we have are memories,
And a picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake,
With which we will never part.
God has you in His keeping,
We have you in our hearts
~ Author unknown

Patti at Merry Maid Farms, she is almost 8 years old here. "Yuck, that boy stinks, Mommy!"

Patti again at Merry Maid Farms.

For You My Precious Child

I know you haven't left me,
Your presence I still feel,
The love you give surrounds me,
And your smile it seems so real.

While I lay at night in stillness,
Your voice to me so clear,
My heart starts beating faster,
When I know that you're so near.

Sweetheart come and take me,
To the Heaven where you live,
God knows I long to hold you,
I still have so much to give.

You wouldn't have to keep me there,
Just only for a while,
Long enough to hug you,
And to once more see your smile.

Can you hear me speaking,
Are you close enough to hear,
Will you please reach out and touch me,
So I'll know that you are near.

Could it be that you are sleeping,
While I dream again once more,
Or God showing what faith can do,
When I open up His door.

I hold you safely in my heart,
And you travel through my soul,
The days we spent together,
Were the happiest I'll ever know.

You are sweet like the breath of an Angel,
That lingers and will never leave,
I'll see you soon my precious child,
And no longer shall I grieve.

Before you have to go my love,
Please fly me to the stars,
I need to see where you rest at night,
And if I have to travel far.
~valentyne~ �

The "Three Stooges" -- Patti, 7 years. Jamie, 5 years. Nicole, 5 years.
They are posing at Merry Maid Farms.

Patti at Christmas 1998. She is 9 years old here.

While We Are Apart I Will Hold You
In My Heart and Never Let You Go

Distance may separate us,
But my heart will never let you go,
For I carry a part of you with me always
It keeps me going through the day
It brings a smile to my face
And tears to my eyes
It is a part of my dreams
That I live for and cherish
That part is my wish, my only one,
To see you again soon
I know that wish will someday come true,
But for now I will hold in my heart
The memory of you
And never let you go
~ Author Unknown

Patti again at Merry Maid Farms, this time she is 10 years old.

Patti at 10-1/2 years old, at Ocean City, NJ with Daddy on vacation with Aunt Herriette.

Homesick
Written and sung by Mercy Me

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye's
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

Patti and "Pickles" in October 1998, at Limerick, PA. She is 10 years old here.

Patti at 10 years old at the Longwood Gardens. As you can tell, the girls had so much fun here...

This song "Keeper of the Stars" is a very special one to us. We would try to figure out how God placed all the stars in the right places... I told Patti, one day when you go to Heaven... it is a job that the angels do. I hope that I get the job to place the stars all over the sky... we would laugh and that was always one of our more favorite songs...