of
Baylee Rose Tadlock
February 14, 1996 - January 9, 2010
At the age of 13, Baylee peacefully passed away in her mother's arms at home. Baylee loved Ariel and riding horses at Project Ride. Baylee is survived by her Mother Cassonda, Father Duane, Grandparents Mel and Juanita Tadlock, Shirley (Jim) Carter-Gill, Mike (Glenda) Carter, Dennis and Geneva Fredricks, Aunts and Uncles Kim Tadlock, Becky (Scott) Hadaway, Nicole (Jim) Rauline, Crystal (Brad) Langston, Bonnie Sareeram, numerous great-aunts and uncles and numerous cousins.
We are here to celebrate life not death; the life of Baylee Rose. I remember when that little bundle of joy made her appearance on Valentines Day, February 14, 1996. We were joyous over the treasured gift God had given us. Little did we know on that day that Baylee would become far more than a normal little girl. She would become God’s gift to all she met and touched. If you read any of the online guest book entries you quickly see how God in His divine way touched people whether they had personally met Baylee or not. She just had that candid way of making you feel so special. I would like to share with you the words of one of Baylee’s friends:
A TRIBUTE TO BAYLEE TADLOCK
GODSPEAK
My friend too me to visit Baylee again today. Baylee is sick. Very sick. Doctors say she is dying. The pain my heart cries out, “NO! No!” A thousand times “NO!” But await! Is God calling His gentle agent home? Is her mission among us finished? I often sense God is presence when I am with Baylee. She manifests so much of the gift of the Spirit, - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
Life expectancy at birth was two years. She is now 13. Have we had our miracle? Baylee’s piercing cornflower blue eyes are set in a petal-soft face of flawless skin, framed by a head of sunset red hair. Both her eyes and radiant smile speak of Joy and Love. Unable to vocalize, Baylee uses Godspeak. God is Love.
Baylee and I are an unlikely pair pair. She with her youth and I with my age. She with her soundless Godspeak and I with my vocal. But we chatter away when we visit each other and play our activity games. When it is time for me to go, I lean down and kiss her on the cheek, “I love you Baylee,” I tell her. I will se you again soon!!
Gbaylee was less animated today, but her blue eyes still penetrated. When I leaned down to kiss her cheek, she turned her face toward me and I felt her cool lips on my cheek. From hear by I heard a gasp, almost in a whisper, her mother said, “She kissed you on your cheek!”
OH! Baylee! You clever girl! You spoke to me in Godspeak and you knew I would understand. “Yes, I will see you again!”
With my friend holding my one arm and Baylee’s Dad holding the other, I stumbled towards the door. I looked back toward Baylee and she smiled at me. As I left the house and walked to the car, I fought back tears and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
Helen Sparks
God is Love, John 4:8
Galatians 5:22-23, Gifts of the Spirit
Almost everyone who encountered Baylee left with those same experiences.
God in His wisdom knew that Baylee would need special parents. I don’t know of any parents more tentative, patient and loving than Duane and Sonda. And I don’t know of any child that loved their parents more than Baylee loved hers. The mere mention that Papa was coming and Baylee’s face would light up and quickly start looking for him. She loved everything about her Daddy except the tickling and then she would quickly tell him NO in her sweet little way. She had Daddy wrapped around her little finger, how else do you think she managed to get roses out of him every year for her birthday?
Baylee and Mom were best of pals. I don’t know of another dedicated Mom like Sonda. Mom gave and took Baylee to countless hours of therapy, at home, Easter Seals and Project Ride. She was Baylee’s TA at school. She took Baylee to fun places like the shopping, to the zoo and ice-cream parlor. When Baylee looked at her Mom you could see the deep admiration and love in those cornflower blue eyes.
Auntie Kim always made Baylee’s face light up. A visit from or to Auntie Kim’s was a favorite time for Baylee. And more than likely Auntie Kim always had an Arial gift waiting for her. On occasions Sonda’s sisters would pile in for “girls night” and Baylee loved the attention. An evening with her Aunts was hard to top.
Now for the older generation, well, we grandparents have our bragging. Just ask any grandparent, she was the most beautiful grandchild on the face of the earth and we didn’t mind telling you so! And when she was at church and I was preaching she was quiet as a mouse unless she needed to sneeze. You who heard her sneeze know that it was never a simple quick sneeze. Inward I would smile and just keep preaching. After church there were lots of hugs and kisses.
Even the end Baylee always had a smile for those who came to visit. You stopped by to encourage her, but always left being encouraged by Baylee. A special thanks to Pastor Steve Belden and his wife Tami for their support and encouragement to the family.
I would like to close with this passage from…
In Matthew 19:13-14, “One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. [14] But Jesus intervened: "Let the children alone, don't prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like these."
Jesus says that it is our childlike faith that makes up God’s kingdom. It is a child like faith placed in the redeeming work of jesus Christ that enables us to have assurance that one day we will be with Baylee again. In my minds eye I can see Baylee in heaven dancing on those streets and looking into Jesus eyes. I know that she is waiting for us to get up there so she can show us around. Though we would have much preferred to keep her, God in His wisdom has called her home. Her brief but powerful work here on earth was done.
Her smiles warmed our hearts. Here pats and kisses melted our hearts. Her cornflower blue eyes penetrated our hearts. And her Godspeak is cherished in our hearts. We celebrate and cherish the life of Baylee Rose Tadlock.
January 30, 2010
