Mother: Candy
Hometown: Homer, Louisiana
August 16, 2006 – September 19, 2006
Mallory Faith’s Story
A Blessing From God
We would like you to meet our angel, Mallory Faith Hicks. She is the beautiful daughter of Phillip and Candy. We live in Homer, Louisiana, where we raise our godson, Brett. Mallory came into this world at 38 weeks on August 16, 2006 weighing in at 5 lbs 5 oz. We had tried for so long to conceive, and I couldn’t believe God had given us such a blessing. How sweet she was!!
We knew Mallory had a heart condition before birth (VSD), but we were unaware that she had T18. The doctors warned us that there could be chromosomal problems, but we refused the amnio. I was going to carry this baby regardless of what was or wasn’t wrong. God is the one who created her and there weren’t any other “options” like the doctors talked about.
Two days after Mallory was born, the official T18 diagnosis came back and we got the “incompatible with life” speech. I wanted to scream at the doctor that if it was “incompatible with life” then why is my baby in there “living” right now. All of it seemed so unreal and very hard to accept.
Mallory had to have constant oxygen and a feeding tube. She was never able to be bottle fed, even though we tried a few times. She had the sweetest spirit and soulful eyes. She loved to be held and it was a good thing, because that’s what we did most of the time! And she loved being bathed. She would just kick her little legs and wave those arms around!
We got to spend six glorious days at home with Mallory. On September 19, she flew from my arms into the arms of Jesus. She had stopped breathing earlier that day, and I think it was God’s way of getting our family together one last time to see her. I thank God every day for the 35 days she spent here on this earth. I learned more in those few days with her than a lifetime will ever teach me. She will always be our glory baby.
We would like you to meet our angel, Mallory Faith Hicks. She is the beautiful daughter of Phillip and Candy. We live in Homer, Louisiana, where we raise our godson, Brett. Mallory came into this world at 38 weeks on August 16, 2006 weighing in at 5 lbs 5 oz. We had tried for so long to conceive, and I couldn’t believe God had given us such a blessing. How sweet she was!!
We knew Mallory had a heart condition before birth (VSD), but we were unaware that she had T18. The doctors warned us that there could be chromosomal problems, but we refused the amnio. I was going to carry this baby regardless of what was or wasn’t wrong. God is the one who created her and there weren’t any other “options” like the doctors talked about.
Two days after Mallory was born, the official T18 diagnosis came back and we got the “incompatible with life” speech. I wanted to scream at the doctor that if it was “incompatible with life” then why is my baby in there “living” right now. All of it seemed so unreal and very hard to accept.
Mallory had to have constant oxygen and a feeding tube. She was never able to be bottle fed, even though we tried a few times. She had the sweetest spirit and soulful eyes. She loved to be held and it was a good thing, because that’s what we did most of the time! And she loved being bathed. She would just kick her little legs and wave those arms around!
We got to spend six glorious days at home with Mallory. On September 19, she flew from my arms into the arms of Jesus. She had stopped breathing earlier that day, and I think it was God’s way of getting our family together one last time to see her. I thank God every day for the 35 days she spent here on this earth. I learned more in those few days with her than a lifetime will ever teach me. She will always be our glory baby.
We would like you to meet our angel, Mallory Faith Hicks. She is the beautiful daughter of Phillip and Candy. We live in Homer, Louisiana, where we raise our godson, Brett. Mallory came into this world at 38 weeks on August 16, 2006 weighing in at 5 lbs 5 oz. We had tried for so long to conceive, and I couldn’t believe God had given us such a blessing. How sweet she was!!
To try and explain the emotional roller coaster that an experience like this puts you on is impossible. All I can do is tell you what I have learned from this journey.
I have learned that no matter what, God loves you. The anger I felt when I learned my baby was so sick was indescribable. The question “Why God?” came rather frequently. But God showed me in many ways the answer to that question. He gave Mallory to us because He does love us. We were chosen by Him to be the parents of that sweet baby girl. He needed her to spend some time on earth, and we were the lucky ones who got to love her while she was here.
I have also learned that the valleys God has us walk through are necessary. It is in those valleys that we grow closer to Him. What we don’t realize a lot of times is that God is there holding our hand as we walk through them. He doesn’t leave us. And in our greatest times of desperation, He wraps His loving arms around us and catches our tears in His nail-scarred hands. This valley I’m traveling through now is long (real long). But I know that one day I am going to stand on the mountain top again, and I will be a better person for it.
God has shown me so many things in my journey that I am truly grateful for. I strive harder to live my life for Him. I hope by doing so that I am honoring Mallory’s memory and she will look down from heaven and smile.
For anyone reading this who is expecting a T18 baby and unsure about what to do, I would like to say this. If I could go back to August 16 and do it all over again, I would. The blessings I received far outweigh the hurt. I can’t even begin to imagine not ever knowing Mallory.
My prayers go out to everyone who has lost a child to T18. You don’t understand until you’ve been there, and it’s sad to say that there are so many who have been. Hopefully one day they will find a cure and no one will have to go through this again.
To My Precious Angel
Mallory, you are the light of my life. I miss the smell and feel of your skin. I miss the way you would look at me with those beautiful eyes. I miss the way you would point that finger at us (your trigger finger as Daddy called it). I miss the sound of your hiccups. I miss the way you would pucker your lips. But most of all I miss holding you in my arms. I’m so glad I got to be your Mama. We’ll have so much to talk about when I get to heaven. Until then, know that I love you more than words can say.
Glory Baby
By Watermark
Glory baby, you slipped away as fast as we could say baby, baby
You were growing, what happened, dear, you disappeared on us baby, baby
Heaven will hold you before we do
Heaven will keep you safe until we’re home with you
Until we’re home with you
Chorus
Miss you every day
Miss you in every way
But we know there’s a day when we will hold you
We will hold you
And you’ll kiss our tears away
When we’re home to stay
Can’t wait for the day
When we will see you, we will see you
But baby let sweet Jesus hold you
‘Till Mom and Dad can hold you
You’ll just have heaven before we do
You’ll just have heaven before we do
Sweet little babies
It’s hard to understand it ’cause we’re hurting
We are hurting
But there is healing
And we know we’re stronger people through the growing
And in knowing
That all things will work together for our good
And God works His purposes, just like He said He would
Just like He said He would
Chorus
I can’t imagine heaven’s lullabies and what they must sound like
But I will rest in knowing heaven is your home
And it’s all you’ll ever know
All you’ll ever know