Special Memories  / Trish/Angel_Wings Boyer
Sweet Jacob,
 I know you are so happy in Heaven in your healthy little body playing on those streets of gold and i can just see that precious smile aglow and hear your laughter.I know your Christmas with our Lord will be so glorious as you celebrate his birth..Will you please send Mommy a special message this year and tell her that you love her?I know she misses you so very much little one.I love you precious Jacob and you will forever hold a very special place within my heart..
Merry Christmas little man...
Trish/Angel_Wings Close

Praying for all  / Wylie Williams (Friend of Mom )

Know you are in my heart and prayers-May God comfort you with His loving arms around you this Christmas Season.Praying that the Love of many people will fill that empty spot in your heart even if just for a short time.Lifes journey is hard but know you were a great Mom and that you are warming others hearts with your words of encouragement-Katelyns MomMom

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With Prayers and Love  / Mary Tamulevich (Prayer Warrior )
As Long as There's a Christmas

The first few lights glow brightly,
as you watch the season start.
You know you should be happy,
but don't feel it in your heart.

Instead you think about a time
when someone laughed with you,
and the love you shared then filled your soul.
But too soon it was through.

So Christmas comes with sadness,
and a yearning deep inside,
a thirst for love and peace and hope
that will not be denied.

Late one night you hear a voice,
so soft, and without blame,
and then, surprised, you realize,
He's calling you by name.

"I know your hurt and loneliness,
the heartache that you bear.
I listen and I cry with you
through every single prayer.

"I promised in the manger
and fulfilled it from the cross.
I built a home that's filled with love
for all those who are lost.

"So let me come and heal your heart
and give you rest within.
For my way is kind and gentle
and will bring you joy again."

His words still echo through the years,
a vow that He made true,
"As long as there's a Christmas,
I will be in love with you."
--Jack Zavada

With much love and my prayers for peace and comfort.

MJ/Angel_Wings Close

My sweet Jacob  / Lori Mommy 2. Twins Kinsey And Kylee (mommy 2 angel twins )
Im so sorry sweet boy that I haven't been by in awhile- I have had so many tests at school that I knew if I got on to your site I would have been stuck here for awhile. Your mommy is always adding some neat story or picture and I just get drawn in by you. You already know just how much I love you and I just want you to know that I'm missing you so much-I miss my Kinsey and Kylee and all your angel friends. Ive had a rough time latley then I think of u and momma and your sweet brothers and granparents and how they all must be hurting so much with out you this Christmas. We all have such healing to do and I ask Christ everyday to help me find ways to love and help others who need me. In my clinicals at school Ive been at a nursing home, and God has given me the chance to reach out to some very lonley, andI must say grumpy people there-but after I get ahold of their hearts-they aren't grumpy anymore!!! I have so much love to give-I believe it's the love God gave me for my twins and so I am now able to share it with somone down here-anyway sweetie, I just love you so much and wanted to say so- Merry Chrismas Love- you too trovia- I love you all, Lori Close

Austin's Wish  / Mommy
Jacob,

Your big brother Austin came into my bedroom and picked up the picture album that I have lying on my dresser.  The first page in the album is of him kissing you when you had to wear the oxygen mask before you got your trach.




He looked up at me and said, "mommy, do you know what I wish?"  I said, "what's that baby?", he said, "I wish that I could see Jacob just one more time because I miss him ."  I fought back the tears and told him that I did too.  He then laid  the album down and walked out.  He thinks of you all the time .  There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't mention your name.

Send Austin lots of love, Jacob.  Visit him in his dreams because when you do he has so much joy in his eyes as he tells me about seeing you in his dreams.

We miss you, Punkin!
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A poem for jacob  / Hannah Chitwood (Cousin)
Hello angel..i miss you very much! One day i got to thinkin about you and wrote this..
      I cherished you while i had you, it was hard when i lost you..
The feeling  you gave me,nothing could replace it, but your were gone and i had to face it..
I thought God had taken you away from me, but he just took you home..i thought i had lost you, but you were never really gone..
you no longer in my arms but in my heart..always close,never far..
I know i'll see you again one sunny day..
so fly away my angel, fly away..

I love and miss you jacob..Have a good christmas in heaven with God.. and i know you will be lookin down here on us, so i'll try to make this christmas beautiful just for you little man.. i love you more than words can tell.. Close

An Angel's Kiss  / Polly Smith (Angel_Wings Remembers )
An Angel’s Kiss

by: Peggy Bouse



We go through life so often,

Not stopping to enjoy the day.

And we take each one for granted,

As we travel on our way.



For in your pain and sorrow,

An Angel's kiss will help you through,

This kiss is very private,

For it is meant for only you.

We never stop to measure,

Anything we just might miss.

But if the wind should blow by softly,

You'll feel an Angel's kiss.



A kiss that is sent from heaven,

A kiss from up above.

A kiss that is very special,

From someone that you love.

So when, your hearts are heavy,

And filled with tears and pain.

And no one can console you,

Remember once again...



About the ones you grieve for,

Because you sadly miss.

And the gentle breeze you took for granted,

Was just an Angel's kiss.
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merry christmas in heaven  / Sandy Cooper (friend)
GOOD ,MORNING ,SWEET ONE .YOU HAVE SUCH A SWEET SMILE . TELL ALL MY LOVED ONES I SAID    I LOVE THEM .WE ALL LOVE YOU AND YOU,VE REALLY TOUCHED    MY LIFE .TROVIA .I.M  PRAYING  FOR YOU AND YOUR  FAMILY .THANK .YOU FOR THE SWEET COMMENT.S .YOU AND TAMMY  WERE THE SWEET.S   LITTLE GIRL,S  . I.M  SO GLAD   YOU REMEMBERED   US .MY GRANDSON DALTON ,THAT,S  SUSAN AND GLEN,S    SON  .THE DAY AFTER HE WAS BORN    WAS FLOWEN     BY LIFESAVER   HELICOPTER  TO B.HAM    TO CARRAWAY     HOSPITAL .HIS LUNG.S COLLASPED  AND WHEN   HE WAS A FEW  MONTH,S  OLD HE HAD  OPEN HEART   SURGERY .   HE,S HAD A LOT DONE  TO HIM .HE,S 10Y,RS   OLD  NOW AND DOING   REAL GOOD .HE HAS A SPEECH  .PROBLEM   . I CALL HIM OUR MIRCALE    BABY .GOD BROUGHT   HIM THROUGH   AND ALL OF   US TOO  .I GIVE GOD ALL THE  PRAISE .....I KNOW I COULD,NT   HAVE   GOT BY  WITHOUT   HIM BY MY SIDE  ,....I DO A LOT OF  CRYING   WHEN I GO TO   THE   MEMORY   SITE,S  .IT TOUCHED ME SO MUCH    SEEING    LITTLE   JACOB    IN YOUR  ARM.S     HE.S SO    PRECIOUS ,,,,,,I KNOW   IT,S   SO HARD FOR ALL OF  YOU..BUT WE KNOW  WE.LL ALL BE  TOGETHER   ONE DAY ....I.M SO GLAD   I FOUND  Y,ALL.IT REALLY HELP.S TO  TALK    TO SOMEONE   .BOBBY REALLY THOUGHT  A LOT OF  YOUR DAD  ,    ILOVE YOUR MOM ALOT .SHE  WAS SO SWEET ....GOD  BLESS YOUR  FAMILY   ....I LOVE    Y,ALL SANDY   YOU.RE  IN MY PRAYER,S ........ Close

THINKING OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY  / SANDY COOPER (FRIEND)
HEY .TROVIA .YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE IN MY PRAYERS ,I KNOW IT WILLBE HARD  ON YOUR FAMILY  THIS CHRISTMAS .MY HUSBAND  BOBBY COOPER WENT HOME TO BE WITH JESUS  APRIL  7  O7  I MISS HIM SO MUCH .WE WERE FRIEND.S   WITH   YOUR MOM AND DAD YEARS  AGO  .I HAVE 4 DAUGHTERS   PAULA .TAMMY .  SUSAN .AND  MANDY  COOPER .ASK  YOUR MOM AND  DAD  IF THEY  REMBER    US .BOBBY USE  TO GO BY  GARY.S STORE ,AND THEY  TALKED  ON CB.S.WE HAVE A MEMORIAL  SITE   FOR BOBBY ,HE PASSED ON IN APRIL .HE HAD   CANCER .WE WERE MARRIED   42 YR.S  I MISS HIM SO MUCH  ....KEEP US IN YOUR  PRAYERS   TOO  ,,,GOD  BLESS    Close

1st Christmas without you.........  / Mommy
Jacob,
Christmas is right around the corner and I am having the hardest time getting in the spirit.  Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and I know you will be celebrating in Heaven with Jesus this year.  What a grand celebration it will be!

Even though it may be selfish of me, I would give anything to be able to see your sweet smile as you sit in front of the Christmas tree looking at all the pretty lights like you did last year.  I am so grateful that I got to spend three Christmas' with you and have such fond memories of those times.   I  regret not getting a picture of you last Christmas in front of the Christmas tree.  I guess like many people, I got caught up in all the hustle and bustle of things and it never crossed my mind that I had not taken one of you and your brothers.  That is one regret that I am paying for dearly.  However, I do have the traditional Christmas picture that I had made of us last year.  You were not at all happy.  The only time you smiled is when I put you with your brothers and started acting crazy and you gave me one of the biggest smiles ever.........I will always remember that smile.



Christmas this year will be very hard.  There has been so many changes in our lives.   I worry about your brothers, especially Austin.  He misses you so much.  He has been through more this year than any 8 yr old should have to encounter but he has been a trooper.  I am very proud of him.   He is growing up way too fast.

Your MawMaw and PawPaw Harper are working so hard to get the Ministry store built to help families at Children's Hospital.  I know you are so proud of them.  They miss you so much.  They minister to people everyday about the miracles God worked in your life.  Jacob, your journey continues to touch people everyday all over the world.  You have been a blessing to more people than you will ever imagine but I know that you know that and I can see you smile every time someone hears your story and recieves a blessing from it.  

I miss you so much, Punkin!  Have a very Merry Christmas with Jesus this year and the many years to come until we meet again.

Come visit your brothers in their dreams and send your MawMaw and PawPaw Harper lots of love.  We love you and miss you!
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Wow, what a miracle!  / Marcia Benson (stranger who heard the miracle )
Hi, my name is Marcia Benson and I work for the county that the yellow balloon was found in.  The man who owns the farm that Mike was hunting on sent the story to our email.  I cried the entire time I was reading the story and then again when I went to the website created for Jacob.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.  He is ever present in our daily lives, although he may not always make his presence known.  You are truly an amazing family.  Jacob was lucky to have been born to such a wonderful person.  

My sympathy to you and your family.

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Thank you  / Misty Hogan (friend of the Kissic family )

Trovia, thank you for sharing with us Jacob's journey and all of the miracles that are Jacob.  You have a very special gift for telling his story and touching others lives.  I cry every time I visit Jacob's site from the pure wonder of things that happen involving Jacob such as the balloon being found in Wisconsin.  What a miracle to see the journey Jacob's birthday balloon took and the lives it touched during the journey.  Jacob will always touch lives and thank you for sharing your love, pain, memories, and miracles with all of us.  May God grant you peace and strength during this season.  Happy Holidays Jacob and Dylan.  I know that you both will have an awesome Christmas and season in heaven.  Love to you both. 

Hugs & Prayers,
Misty

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I'm in tears.  / Rebecca S. (passer by )

Dear Snelling Family:
I was reading the Anniston Star this morning (nov. 29, 2007). It is where I first read the story of the "balloons". We all don't realize what miracles we are given when God allows us to have children. I have been so blessed to have 3 children. (2 are biological, 1 is a step child-however, in God's and my eyes, she is mine too. I take care of her and raise her). I have a sunflower plaque and on it, it reads...To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven..Ecclesiastes 3:1.
I firmly believe that. Jacob was born to you for only a season, but, there was a reason. You must know that the reason, I feel, is because you and your family were filled with so much love, that God felt it neccessary for you to love Jacob. My best friend, Erica, had a son in August 2007. She battled with names over and over. What is unique about this, remember, I have just today learned about your precious Angel-Jacob, Erica named her son, Jacob.  Another blessing, is how I look at it. My cousin, Brandy, has had 2 children. a little girl, named Angelea, she is about 4-5 years old now. She was born with only a quarter size of her brain. Doctors all said, she wouldn't live. She can't talk, walk, play like normal children.
She has the prettiest smile that I have ever seen. She has her good days and her bad ones. Our family was blessed with all our children. Angelea's brother, Chayton, has had numerous heart surgeries. He is only about 3-4 months old. It was so touching to hear that you donated Jacob's liver to that little child. And gave hope to another family who were also facing loss. I pray for blessings to you all. Jacob lives on through each of you, as well as everyone who learns about him. I will carry him everywhere I go.  I want to Thank all of the caring as well, that had a special role in the "Life of Jacob". God bless you all. Angelea lives in Weaver, Alabama. I'll try to get a picture of her to send to you via your email address. Loving other children like you
love your son, might help.   God bless you in your quest to help others mourn for their loss as well as your gain for the blessing of the miracle of life of Jacob. You were truly blessed. I told my husband that we were so blessed to have healthy children. But, now, I realize that you were blessed too. With thoughts and prayers and love,
Rebecca, David, Shawn, Kaileen & Brittany S. 

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Always praying for you Mom  / Wylie Williams
What a beautiful story- Isn't it amazing how God works?? What a Christmas story- Close

Mike and Amy Smith  / Kirk Moon (Related in Spirit )
I am a friend of Mike and Amy Smith.  Mike and I work together in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Amy and I worked together at one time as well.  

Mike shared the story of Jacob's balloon with me.  Mike and I both hunt and have spent many days and hours in the peaceful setting of the woods.  For Mike to find Jacob's balloon is nothing short of a miracle.  I believe that as improbable as it is to find a balloon in the woods, the fact that Mike Smith found it is amazing.  There are reasons that thing happen this way.  Mike and Amy Smith are two of the most caring people I know.  They are raising two wonderful kids of their own.  They are very thoughful and genuinely good human beings.  Mike and Amy are the kind of people that would take the time to find the rightful owner of the balloon.  The Smiths would go out of their way to bring joy to the lives of others.  That it happened through Jacob's balloon brings a joy to our hearts.  I too, now, have the spirt of Jacob in my heart.  I am very sorry for your loss but I am happy to know that a message has been sent to all of you (us) from a little angel above. Close

The Fall colors are so beautiful...........  / Mommy
Jacob,
As I sit here looking out the window I see the beautiful colors of Fall and it takes me back to the last Fall you spent with us.  I remember us being outside one Sunday afternoon.  Austin was having so much fun pushing you in your swing and you had the biggest smile on your face.  The higher he would push you the more you would giggle and kick your little feet.  

Austin talks about you all the time.  He will say, "mommy do you remember how Jacob used to love for me to push him in his swing, he thought it was so funny because he would just laugh and laugh."  Austin misses you so much.  I wish that I could take away his pain.   He asks me all the time if I am ever going to adopt a baby.  It is so hard to tell him "no, not right now".  He plays with any baby he comes in contact with whether it be in the grocery store, church or wherever.  He always tries to make them laugh.  He misses hearing your laugh and I miss seeing ya'll play together.

I will always cherish those Fall days that we spent out in the yard playing and laughing.  That is what keeps me going.  Remembering all the fun times we had together.   Remembering the joy that you brought to our family.

We love you and miss you so much!

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An Angel  / Polly Smith (Angel_Wings Prayer Warrior )
An Angel kissed my tears away
today when I was sad
I wasn't feeling quite myself
my day had been so bad.

I felt a warmth brush by me
that quickly dried my tears
A gentle, kind, and loving touch
that seemed to hold me near.

Immediately, I felt so much better
and the day seemed brighter too
I guess that's just the way you feel
when an Angel comforts you.
~~Anonymous
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You gave sight to a baby boy.............  / Mommy
Jacob,
I have finally been contacted by the mother of the baby boy who received one of your corneas.  His name is McKinley and he is now 9 months old.  He was three months old when he received the transplant.  The day of your "Celebration of Life" ceremony.

His mommy has sent me two pictures of him which I will be posting on your memorial page plus parts of some of the first and second letters that I received from her. 

I have been crying all afternoon as I look at McKinley thanking God for blessing him with the gift of sight.  He received your cornea in his left eye.   He wears glasses to protect his eyes from an type of injury.

I will write more and add his pictures soon.  You now have a new little brother, Jacob.  He is just as precious as you are.  His mom is supposed to be sending me a scrapbook of him and I cannot wait!

I love you, Punkin and miss you so very, very much. Close

Happy Halloween  / Mommy
Jacob,
MawMaw and PawPaw Harper grew pumpkins this year for you and Austin.  They brought each one of you one over to our new home this past Sunday.  Austin and I carved them late Monday night and I brought one to your grave laste Tuesday night.  I lite the candle inside and sat it in the center of your grave........It looked so pretty...................a punkin for my precious punkin.

I took Austin trick or treating last night and saw so many little kids being pushed around in strollers looking so cute in their Halloween costumes.  I felt empty not having you there with me.  You would have loved the neighborhood we went to because each house was decorated to the max!  Austin got scared at one of the house because it was set up like a haunted house and there were monsters walking around and sneaking up on you.  Your brother Wes picked Austin up and tried to put him in the car window with one of them and I laughed and laughed because Austin started screaming and hitting the poor guy in the head with his bag of candy!  It was so funny.

I hope you and all your angel buddies enjoyed all the goodies of Heaven.  I miss you so much.  Give baby Jackson a kiss for me and you, Remi, Kevin, Kinsey, Kylee, Dylan, Josh, Justin, Austin and Sonet have a good day today.

I love you! Close

Baby Jackson  / Mommy
Jacob,
Last night I went to see baby Jackson as he lay resting in his little bed.  He looked absolutely beautiful.  I wanted to kiss him all over and tell him how happy that I was for him to be in Heaven feeling no pain, but at the same time my heart was breaking for his parents.  He looked so much at peace.  No more wires and tubes..........he is finally free.  His mommy and daddy were being as strong as could be expected. 

I went into the funeral home with my "jacob hankie" in hand....(I call it my Jacob hankie because it is the one that your PawPaw Harper gave me at your Celebration of Life) and I always keep it in my purse.  It is so stained with my tears and makeup but I always keep it close to my heart.   I expected myself to fall apart when I saw Vickie but I prayed before I went in that God would give me strength to be strong for Vickie.  As I hugged her I prayed for God to give her strength, peace and comfort and to carry her through this time of sorrow for I know that her heart was breaking as mine did for you and always will.  There is nothing that anyone can say or do to take that pain away.............all I could do was pray for her.   

I smiled and told her that you were waiting on Jackson at the Gates of Heaven and she smiled with big tears in her eyes and said that she could see all of you boys now running around and getting into all kind of mischeif.

I am so proud of her for being such a great mommy to Jackson as well as a wonderful nurse to many children, but most of all you.  You gave her many smiles, Jacob and she will never forget you. 

Jackson and Jacob, 
you will be forever loved and missed and will remain in our hearts forever.  We are not sad that you are in Heaven, we are sad that we are still here on this Earth and cannot be in Heaven with you enjoying the eternal life that God has promised.  We cannot wait to see you again someday.  Until then, please send us your love and visit us in our dreams.

We love you so, so much! Close