Max,

Today marks 17 years since you moved on from this Earth to live with God. Not going to lie, it’s really sucky. Even though I never got a chance to know you, my little brother, I still miss you every day and wish that you were in my life.

By this time, you would be driving. Close to graduating high school, thinking about college and what your future might look like. You would be deciding what you want to do with your life, about what makes you happy. I wish that you got the chance to experience all of that.

I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had grown up with you. Our family would be different, growing up with 4 siblings instead of 3, but God had a different plan for you.

God decided that He wanted to keep you. He decided that you were too special to live with us on Earth. God decided that you, even as a baby, were worthy of living with Him in heaven. I think that’s pretty cool. You got to meet Jesus before you were a day old, while the rest of us (prayerfully) won’t get to for a while. That’s pretty special if you ask me.

We wish you were here with us. But you’re our own little angel, along with Grandma and Grandpa, and Dakota. I’m glad that you’ll get to see them. I know they missed you all the time too.

We love you, buddy. I think about you all the time, and I can’t wait until we get to meet again. One day.

Love, your sister,

Emily