Making of Angels Remembered

The most important lesson I learned through out all of this was, that I was asked by a loving Heavenly Father to come back and share my message with the world, but I didn't know how. I thought I had to write, sing, and play this song. I don't have any musical talents. I love to sing, but I'm not great at it. I love to play the piano, but once again, I'm not great at it. I just love music. It has always brought me closer to the Spirit when I am having a hard time with life. It is always the first thing that really touches me and helps me heal when nothing else can. I learned that I did have a song to share with the world, but it would be through the many gifts and talents of others surrounding me that this song could become what it has become. I knew that these miracles would start to happen if I just listened to the promptings I had been given. If our hearts turn towards heaven and we do what is asked, miracles can and do happen. The more I got going with this song, the stronger the connection I felt with angels all around me pushing me to finish this song. It was originally a song about miscarried babies or infants that have gone to heaven too soon, but the more I was sharing the more I realized it was much bigger than I could've ever imagined. It was a song anyone could relate to that has lost a loved one in their life. I started sharing the little bits I had before it was completed and I couldn't believe the response I was getting with this song before it was even finished. So many people were begging me for a copy because they knew someone else that needed to hear this song. That is why I am trying to share this message and this song with as many people as I can. I work in a hospital as a NICU nurse and realized that after this song was completed and on a CD, it could be given to all the mother's in the hospital that have lost a baby. I hope to bring comfort and peace to anyone that is grieving over a loss. I would've loved to have this song given to me, that day I laid in my hospital bed grieving over losing my baby and never being allowed to have another. I lost two babies that year. But I know all about their sweet spirits and how they will always be a part of me and who I am. I pray this story and this song touches others as it has me. I also hope this can be a site where others can share their stories of how this song has touched their lives.

I knew that not being able to walk or get around very well was a great sign to "sit still and listen."  I listened. It took 3 long weeks to figure out how to get this song out of my heart and my head.  I had met with a singer/song writer and figured she could just do everything for me if I told her what I wanted it to say. But that is not how it was supposed to be done. I felt a gentle reminder that these words had to come from me, from my heart, my experience. When I listened to songs, I realized that this song had to be a piano song. I started noticing that I was being guided in every step of getting my song going.  One Sunday afternoon, I was so frustrated because I felt like I was trying to get it done and nothing was happening. I knelt down by my bed and said a very heartfelt prayer, pleading to my Heavenly Father for help to accomplish this task I had been given.  Right then, in my mind, I heard, "Go grab a pen and paper. Write what is in your heart. It will just come."  So I did what I was told (I learned to listen this time). I sat down and within minutes, I looked at my paper in hand and couldn't believe what I saw. Everything that I wanted my song to say. Then I thought, "Well, this isn't a song, how do I get it into lyrics?" Right then, another thought came to my mind, "Call Marlene, she will help you put those words into lyrics."

Marlene is a dear friend of mine from a former neighborhood I lived in. I then remembered that she had already written a song and had it published, so this would be perfect, she would be able to help me with the lyrics! I called Marlene and asked for her help. She was so quick to offer what help she could give. She told me to email her the words and that she would work on it and we could get together later that week and talk about it. I emailed her the words the next day and she later told me that, when she sat down at the computer late that night to read my words, it took her only a few hours to transform those words into lyrics. Once she did, she started to hear bits and pieces of a melody in her mind. Before I met with Marlene later in the week, she called me and told me "It's ready!" I couldn't believe it, I thought we were going to sit down and talk about it, but it was done!! Wow I couldn't wait to see what she did with those words. At the same time, I was nervous because I hoped she could capture what was in my heart and what it was supposed to say. When I got to her house and sat down to read the lyrics, I just cried. I couldn't believe my eyes. She had taken my words and had written amazing lyrics. There were a couple parts we had to change and make just right, after that it was ready for the next part. The melody...

That brings me to Melody, yep her parents were inspired to name this amazing person this name because that is truly her gift. My sister kept telling me that I needed to call Melody, because Melody has such a talent with music and creating songs. Melody is a neighbor that I grew up with years ago and I hadn't seen or talked to her for a very long time. So when I finally got around to calling Melody, we had an amazing conversation. I told her my story and she was so quick to agree to help. Marlene and I went to Melody's house the following week. While we were at Melody's house visiting her, I felt impressed to ask her to share her talent with us because I had never heard her play. She quickly agreed to play something she wrote and sung as a teenager at a talent competition. My sister was right, Melody was amazing! I had planned on dropping off the lyrics and letting her work on the music and then call me when she was ready. We talked about the song and she wanted me to read the lyrics out loud to her. As I read the lyrics to her, she started to hear a melody to come her mind. She looked at me and said, "Emily can you hum the song so I can make sure I get it right?" I didn't know how to hum what was there because it was bits and pieces, but that when I hear it, I will know that's it. That's when I had the direct impression of "have Melody sit at the piano right now and it will just come to her." So I asked Melody to do just that, she said, "Ok" and sat at the piano. Right before she started to play, I felt a spirit enter the room, I told Melody, "Somebody just came to hear you play this song." She had a strong feeling of who came to hear her play, it warmed her heart. She turned around and placed her fingers on the piano and started to play. It was during the fourth or fifth note when I started hearing my song. I got tears in my eyes because I couldn't believe the miracle I was witnessing first hand as she was playing my song that has been in my mind and heart for over two years now. I looked over at Marlene and she too heard the same song that had come to her mind when writing the lyrics. Melody played for a few minutes, it wasn't just a little measure of notes, it was an entire song. It was incredible. She turned around and said, "I can't believe I just did that!" While Melody was playing my song, I started to hear violin parts in this song. I couldn't believe another part had been added, here we go again. Now where do I go for the violin. Melody was receiving the same promptings as I was because the following day, she sent me a text that said, "Emily, what do you think of adding string, like violin?" I laughed because she felt what I already knew, violin needed to be added.
I started searching for someone that would be able to add violin and be able to write and add their own part to this song. I could already hear the parts it was supposed to be added to, not the entire song, just certain parts. After praying and searching, I was led to a very gifted violinist that lived in my current neighborhood but had just moved a short distance away, Lindsay. I went to her house and shared with her what I already had, she was so touched that I wanted her to be a part of this and quickly accepted her role in this song, to add violin. During this time Melody had been working on the sheet music, once she had a rough copy completed, I took it over to Lindsay. After only having the sheet music one day, I received a call, it's ready. I couldn't believe it! Here we go again, another miracle. I called Melody and together we went to Lindsay's house to see how it sounded with the piano and the words put all together. When they started to play, the Spirit in the room was so strong.

As they were each playing their parts, I could feel the entire room fill with angels. Such tender moments through this whole process.While they were playing their parts, I then heard the cello part. Melody even heard it at the same time because together we would point to the part where it needed to be added as they were playing. This would be the last instrument added to make it complete, thankfully, because it was getting hard to know who to call or ask to do such hard tasks. I started searching for someone to play the cello. This was proving harder than I thought. Nothing felt right. It was when I was searching for the person to sing my song, that I was led to who could play the cello.

Shannon entered my life in a very big way! The person who would sing this song was very specific. I found after listening to Melody sing and play my song, that it was to be the right voice, not just any voice. A person with a very pure, gentle, kind, and beautiful voice. I searched and searched. I listened to countless songs because I already knew what the voice sounded like. I tried a few options but nothing was working out. One day a close friend of mine approached me and asked me if I had seen this video that had gone viral of a mom that had rewrote a song and sang it to her baby. I had briefly noticed this video online and felt prompted to watch it, but didn't have time that day. When she brought this up, I remembered seeing something about this video on the news, so I went home to watch it. As I was watching it, I knew that this amazing, gifted mother had the perfect voice to sing my song. I just didn't know how I would be able to get in touch with her because so many people were trying to contact her after her video went viral. I found her on Facebook, sent her a private message telling her about my experience and my song I was trying to complete. I didn't hear back from her. A few weeks went by and as I was getting ready for bed, I had another prompting to contact her right then. I looked up toward heaven and said, "I don't know how! I've tried already!" But just like everything else, I kept trying. I got back on Facebook and friended her, then I messaged her and she responded. Then I told her about my private message I had sent before, she had never seen it. So I resent it. We chatted online back and forth that night and I sent her a copy of my song and wanted her to listen to it to see if she would sing it, she told me she would call me tomorrow sometime. First thing the next day, I received a text that she was excited about this song and she wanted to sing it. I couldn't believe that everything was finally falling into place. She told me she knew an amazing cellist if I still needed one, which I did.

I was told that Maddie's gift was with the cello and had such a gift of sharing her talent. I was excited to share with her this song and see what she could do to add to it.

After I thought I was finished with the song, I was inspired to add a video to go with the song. I prayed for inspiration as to how to make a video that would go with it. It was really hard for me to come up with exactly what it needed. I started asking around to people I knew with talents in artwork or photography. I knew I was headed in the right direction. One day as I was driving in my car, I said a prayer once again, "What should I do to make this video powerful, so people not only hear this message but see it too?" I started having thoughts come to my mind, it needed to be pictures, pictures of babies, children, others that have passed on. It needed to be about Jesus Christ and the children. This song is about heaven, angels and Jesus Christ. I knew this needed to be special. I immediately had a name come to my mind, "Jean Keaton." I smiled because as soon as I realized who that person was, I remembered all of her amazing artwork that she had dedicated to so many people around the world of special people that have passed on.  I met Jean Keaton years ago. She came and spoke at a church function for women. I remember her sharing her special experiences about how each picture had a story about it. There was one picture that she had drawn that didn't have a story about it.  I went up that day and told Jean my own personal story that went with this picture.

This picture was very special to me and I have had it hung in my nursery for over 11 years now. It has always given me comfort to trust in Him that he will watch over my little ones.  Now years later, driving in my car, I remember this amazing artist and her name. I knew in that moment, I needed to find a way to talk to Jean, to see if she would allow me to use her artwork to go with this song. I knew that her pictures were meant for this song, and that this song was meant for her pictures. It was so amazing to me to see His hand in every aspect of this journey I had been sent on to complete this song. I didn't think it would be that difficult to get in contact with Jean, she lives only 10 minutes away from where I currently live. I knew from prior experience from this song, it may be difficult, but I knew if I had enough faith, I would find her. I did everything I could to search for her, I couldn't get in contact with her. So I resorted to Facebook once again, that's when someone I knew, knew her and I finally got in contact with this sweet person. After conversing through email a few times, I went over to her house to download images to add to the video. Jean and I had a really neat conversation. I shared with her my experience and the song. Jean got tears in her eyes and told me that she had also lost two pregnancies. It was a neat moment to share with her what I have known and felt. The Spirit was so strong, we were bonded in that moment as friends. We both knew that she needed to share her talent with this song. I was so excited on how this was all coming together so perfectly.

I finally had all the pictures I needed to make this video. I felt inspired to contact certain friends and people I am in contact with to see if they would share some of their pictures. Each of them were so willing and were excited to be a part of this. They each thanked me for recognizing their loved one in such a sweet way. I was humbled to be a part of something so special to so many people. I contacted my sweet friend and asked her if she could do something for my family picture. I had an idea of what I wanted from something I had seen online. When she finished it and sent it back to me, I cried. It was the first time I felt like I was seeing a picture of my entire family together. She added in shadows of my babies that I had lost. It was so neat and I am so grateful for her taking the time to do this for me and my family.

As I was putting the pictures together for the video, I prayed once again for guidance. I knew that I needed to add the words to the song at the bottom of the pictures so that people would be able to see them as they listened. Each picture was placed in the song according to the words. Once I finished and watched it, I knew it was exactly what it should be. I prayed that others would feel what I have heard in my heart for so long now. It was ready for the world to see and hear this message!