Our sweet Isabel went to the arms of God on Sunday afternoon March 8. She died from heart failure at Augusta Medical Center. She was only three and a half years old and loved beyond measure. While we know she’s in a better place, words cannot encompass the pain and loss we feel.

We have begun a project to give the children's area of the Staunton Public Library a face lift in Bizzy's name. "Bizzy's Spot" is well underway with cheerful new furnishings, bright colored paint, and a whole lot of cooperation and partnership between the city, friends and donors, and caring local businesses. http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100418/NEWS01/4180329/Library Anyone still wishing to contribute may do so by sending their gift, earmarked for children's programming, to:
Friends of the Staunton Library
1 Churchville Avenue
Staunton, Virginia 24401

Please feel free to express your thoughts on Isabel's Guestbook or view the slide show we made for her memorial celebration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrQY95HNmEI

Our girl was born on July 24, 4 pounds and 6 ounces of beautiful, blessed, fighting baby girl with a condition called VACTERL association. Isabel came into this world with cardiac, renal, and tracheo-esophageal anomalies along with a few hand differences. For the first two years of her life, she bravely weathered numerous physical challenges, but the last year had been relatively smooth sailing. We thought she was over the hardest part until an extremely aggressive virus triggered sudden heart failure while she was being prepared for transport from AMC to UVA Children’s Hospital. She died holding her mom's hand less than four hours after being admitted for what appeared to be non-life-threatening respiratory distress.

Isabel sparkled with a huge spirit and sense of humor that were almost unfathomable for such a little dude. She was quick to laugh and filled with love. We miss her terribly. Thank you for visiting her web site.

Things Isabel Loved
1) popcorn
2) Pufferbellies Toy Store
3) the public library
4) Barney (whom she taught two Barney-loathing parents to love)
5) “Shlocolate”
6) feeding the kitty (“is this scoop big enough?”)
7) Emanuel Preschool (“I did not cry at all today!”)
8) playing on the stage of the Blackfriars with daddy
9) stories and songs with mommy
10) swimming (“watch me put my face in and pick up the dinosaur”)
11) playing with her sister Grace
12) waking up Grandma (“she be awake now”)
13) Bed Doll and Saucy; January Bear and her Kangaroo
14) the “important part” of TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT when the Big Man joined the band and all the little pretties raised their hands
15) chicken soup with rice (the food and the poem), toast with peanut butter in the morning, crab bisque from the Depot Grill
16) Max and Ruby; Kim and Carrots; Isabel, Isabel; Alexander the Wind-up Mouse
17) the american go round (no matter how many times we said “merry go round”)
18) sleeping in Grandma’s bed; sleeping in mommy’s bed; sleeping in any bed other than her own
19) waking up (and being assured that she didn’t miss anything)
20) snuggling
21) telling mommy a final goodnight of: “Sweet dreams, sleep tight! Happy holidays! Be a detective and look for clues! Make sure there are no monkeys or green guys!”
22) sledding solo for the first time in her final days
23) being held by mommy
24) kisses on the lips
25) life