"No parent should have to bury their own child."

Thus says Theoden, King of Rohan, in the hit movie Lord of the Rings. Theoden grieves while standing next to the grave of his son, who died in the war against Saruman. It is unnatural, he continues, children are meant to grow up, and grow old. They will bury their parents.

Only those who had lost a young child could ever understand our pain. No one can even try to imagine. This is the sweet little angelic girl, whom we bathed with the most sensitive soap, covered her with the softest blanket, donned her with the prettiest dress. And then there she was - lifeless, her illness had finally taken over her. She had gone, a few months before she blows her 8th birthday candle.

We will have Christmas day, but her chair will be empty. Her birthday will come in March, and she will not be here to blow her birthday candles, there will be no small fingers that will dip into her favorite candy cake. The house is cold, there is no laughter, and no cry to be heard.

While a parent normally tucks their child to bed, we will spend countless nights without her by our side. She will not be here, to be kissed, to be embraced, to be loved by her parents and family.

In loving memory of Baby girl Maui, March 29, 2001 - November 24, 2008

We love you so much, honeybee.