Mel, Katie and I just got finished watching one of your dance recitals. It was the one where you danced to Silent Night. I love that dance, its such a beautiful dance! Its amazing, KK and I were watching it and she can spot you in that dance so fast, she knew just where you were. She pays very close attention when she is watching your videos. I know you were watching her as she was watching your video. You always said you wanted to teach again, and even though you arent here to teach in person, you are very much still teaching. She is learning from you still. We love you very much Mel. We miss you too. Its warming up now, getting to our favorite time of year, gosh we have great memories of awesome summers. I wish we could have had more time, and more memories to make. I will never forget you though, and KK wont either. Thanks for still teaching and for being with us.. I love you!
Merry Christmas Melissa / Samantha A. (friend)
Melissa This Christmas, as last was just not the same. I know it will never be the same as it was with you around. I miss seeing the joy it brought you to surprise everyone with your special gifts that always came striaght from your heart. You were always so creative for everyone, mostly the kids. I miss you so very much and as always I am thinking of you... Dance a dance in the heavans above.. I love you and miss you! Love Samantha
THINKING OF YOU AND YOUR MOM ON THIS CHRITMAS NIGHT....... / ROSETTA MORTATI (CAREING PERSON ) I WAS THINKING OF YOUR MOM MELISSA MORE THEN EVER ON THIS CHRITMAS NIGHT .. I PRAYED TODAY THAT SHE WOULD FEEL YOUR PRESENCE !!! LOVE ROSETTA
I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below with tiny lights like heaven stars reflecting on the snow
The sight is so spectacular Please wipe away that that tear For I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year
I hear the many Christmas songs That people hold so dear O', the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
For I have no words to tell you of the joy their voices bring for it's beyond description to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart. but, through our memories so dear.. We're never far apart.
I can't tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place Can you just imagine Christmas with Our Savior.......face-to-face.
I'll ask him to light your spirit As I tell him of your Love. Then I'll pray for 'One another' As you lift your eyes above.
So please let your heart be joyful and let your spirit sing for I'm spending Christmas in heaven and I'm walking with the king.
Merry Christmas / Maura (Mom)
Melissa I'm remembering all the wonderful times we've had in the past at Christmas. You always loved to come up with these ideas at the last minute. I miss your special touch upon everything. I'll miss those beautiful ideas. Send down your love and comfort to all of us today and every day. All our memories of you will never be forgotten. Every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to sleep I whisper your name. You were beautiful on earth and are more beautiful in heaven. I love you and miss you my princess. Mom
memory of a loved one / Rhonda Leavy (aunt) Sweet melissa,
This is for your mom and the rest of your family,
Memory of a loved one
We cannot know loss and sorrow with out Having first known joy. The memory of a loved one is a gift that they leave us. This gift is the remembrance of joy in the midst of our sorrow. May the memory of your loved one remain in your heart and bring you comfort.
Love uncle Darin & Aunt Rhonda XOXOXOXO
No Worries in Heaven / Maura (Mom) God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying or pain. Revelation 21:4
Melissa, I'm missing you so very much today. Send comfort. I pray I see you in my dreams.
Love Mom
Missing you / Samantha Today is the day, my heart crys out
Asking for justice, as they sit there and pout..
Today is the day, They know what theyve done
Put them in there place, why should they have fun?
Today is the day One year ago
A knife stabbed my heart and the pain will not go
Today is the day, I light a candle for all shes done
Wishing I could talk to her, laugh and have fun
Today is the day, I revisit the pain
The pain of her loss, and nothings the same
Today is the day, I know she sends love
Im sure she looks beautiful with the angels above
Today she is Dancing and,Singing aloud
I wish I could be there too above the clouds
Today is the day, God.. tell her shes loved
Wisper we miss her and give her a hug
Today I know things can never be as they were
Many times are remembered as this page fills for her
Today Dance for everyone, move gracefully and free
Sing for all who love you, love me....
thinking of you ......... / Rosetta Mortati (careing person ) THINKING OF YOU ALWAYS AND ON THIS HOLIDAY SEASON .. MELISSA I KNOW YOU WILL BRING ALL THE LOVE AND PRESENCE ON THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOUR MOM AND TO YOUR FAMILY . . I KNOW YOU WILL GIVE THEM SINGS THAT YOU ARE SITTING NEXT TO THEM ON CHRISTMAS DINNER .. AND I KNOW YOU WILL MAKE THEM FEEL YOUR PRESENCE WEN YOUR NIECES AND NEPHEWS ARE OPENING THERE CHRISTMAS GIFT UNDER THE TREE .. KEEP GIVEN YOUR MOM THE STRAIGHT YOU HAVE GIVEN HER . GIVE EVERYONE TEARS OF HAPPINESS AND JOY , GIVE THEM ALL THE LOVE YOU HAVE IN YOU TO EACH OTTER KEEPING THEM UNITED IN THIS HOLIDAY AND ALWAYS .... MERRY CHRISTMAS DEAR MELISSA MERRY CHRISTMAS DEAR MAURA MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MELISSA ... LOVE ROSETTA http://www.rosettamortati.com/melissajames.html
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM HEAVEN
I still hear the songs I still see the lights I still feel your love on cold wintery nights
I still share your hopes and all of your cares I'll even remind you to please say your prayers
I just want to tell you you still make me proud You stand head and shoulders above all the crowd
Keep trying each momemt to stay in His grace I came here before you to help set your place
You don't have to be perfect all of the time He forgives you the slip If you continue the climb
To my family and friends please be thankful today I'm still close beside you In a new special way
I love you all dearly now don't shed a tear Cause I'm spending my Christmas with Jesus this year
Copyright 1990 John Wm. Mooney. Jr.
Missing you today and always / Samantha A. (Friend Forver ) Melissa, On this day last year, I never would have thought all of the wonderful times we shared, would come to a hault, that Id never see that beautiful smile of yours, and Id never get to talk to you face to face again. I will never let those memories die. I cherrish each moment we spent together. I miss the times I leaned on you and you leaned on me. I cant imagine life without you, and Im still not used to this emptiness I feel all the time. I miss you so much. As my heart breaks for you everyday and today, please know I love you dearly and I miss you so much! I know we had so many more good times to come, that we never made it to, I am sorry that you life was so wrongfully taken. I wish I could take your place, and all the pain you endured. Today I know you are dancing in heaven free of pain, worries, and heartache. Thats what keeps us all so strong, I cant wait until the day we meet again, I already have so much to tell you. Im thinking of you now, in that beautiful black hat with the pretty broch on it, your black dress. You looked so pretty the last time I saw you! You always didI love you beautiful Melissa.. Keep dancing and sending signs... Love Samantha ~Spread your wings and FLY!~
A Poem For Melissa to comfort her family! / Pat Katrick (Aunt) Dear Melissa,
Please ask the Lord to send us A peace beyond this world Today our hearts need mending Which is only what God can do!
As we all wait for the day When we will be together again Dancing and rejoicing With our loved ones which will never end!
Far beyond our understanding A mystery to us all In time it will be revealed by God How you came to answer His call!
His Glory shines through you As all the Martyr's do His Wisdom we must trust For He allowed this path for you!
Dear Melissa be with us this day Lift the heaviness of our hearts Our prayers are lifted up to you In turn send us comfort, peace and joy!
One year already, / Maura (Mom) Melissa,
This time last year I was preparing for your arrival for Christmas. It was such an exciting time knowing that we would spend the holiday together and visit our family here and in Vermont. It would be the first time we would experience snow together. It only snowed once where we lived in Florida when you were growing up and it wasn't much and you had chicken pox then. You were so disappointed but I did let you walk outside and touch it.
I'm so sorry that you never made it here. The holidays will never be the same again with you gone. For when you died part of me died also. I never knew a heart could have a continuous ache but mine does. I still have the joy of knowing that I will see you again. And no one can take that away.
I know you are dancing even more now and performing for our loved ones who are with you. Today I will be watching your dance videos and remembering the joy you brought to us all. God blessed you so much with not only beauty but talent. What a beautiful dancer you are! I miss you my sweet girl.
Love Mom
Thank you for everything / Samantha (friend)
Melissa, I love and miss you! Thank you for everytime you listened, everytime you gave me a sholder to cry on, every peice of advice you gave, all the love you showed, the good times we shared, the friendship i loved, the moments we laughed till we cryed, for being there always, for loving Katie, for never judging, for being protective, for everything you were, and everything you are... for everything I never got to say.. thank you.. I love you, you mean the world to me and my heart is breaking, with you gone. I miss you so much right now... Dance my beatiful Melissa, and sing a song for us in heaven...
Missing You at Christmas / Hope (friend) Dear Mar, We put up the Christmas tree this weekend. Our thoughts of you were strong as we placed the ornaments on the tree that you made the kids. We cherish the memories of you and our good times. Dance with the angels as we approach this Holy Season. We love you and miss you. What we would give for one more day.....Love, Hope
Missing you more and more with time. / Samantha (Friend) Melissa, Its been almost a year since you were taken away from our lives. I miss you so much everyday, not a day passes when I dont think of you. Things are so crazy this time of year, and I wish you were here. I know how much you loved Christmas, and everytime im out I cant help bu think of you and wonder how much you would love somthing when I see it. Its always hard, I always miss you, that will never change. But this time of year, was so speacial to you. You are such a thoughtful person, and went out of you way for so many of our family and friends, making them feel so special and loved. Talent was an easy thing for you. So many of the wonderful things you did durring your life came so natural to you. God gave you many gifts, and you used them all so greatly. I always trusted your judement, fashon adivce (cause we all knew you had great style) relationship advice, everyday advice. I miss that so much. I miss our "girl talks" and getting dressed up all pretty to go out and do things. Im so thankful for memories and picutures. I thank God he gave me a chance to know the beauty of your friendship. I wish it would have lasted longer, but I will never forget. I miss you more and more everyday.. Please be with us all, and know we love and miss you dearly! Love~ Samantha
11 months today / Maura (Mom) Melissa, It's been 11 months today since you were taken from us. The holidays are here but you are not. I thought of you the other day when I walked in Target. I remember so many, many times we shopped in there and especially in the winter you would go crazy over the new scarves and hats with the matching gloves. I'll never forget the one year I went crazy and crocheted all those scarves for you. And you wore them so proudly. I miss that. I'll miss again this year our opportunity to do crafts together, to shop and bake together. I remember the one year you dipped all those pretzels. How funny that was. You would be up till all hours of the night. And you would make gift baskets to give away. It was so much fun. I thank God for all those memories. I only wish I had more. But I thank God for the times we spent together. We had such a special love for each other and still do. You're just in another place preparing my arrival and the rest of our family and friends. I wonder how many new dances you've come up with. Maybe a new version of the Nutcracker! I'm missing you so very much.
I love you, Mom
Healing the brokenhearted! / Pat Katrick (Aunt)
Dear Maura and Samantha, I was very touched by your recent letters in expressing all the heartache you are going through missing your daughter and your best friend Melissa! I can only somewhat share the pain you are going through as there have been several losses in our family and their deaths were very much close together. This horrible tragedy of what happened to Melissa brings us to the point of knowing in some small way all that the Lord suffered for all of us. All the tragedies in the world including Melissa's He carried with Him on the cross. She walked with Him through it all and He walked with her to give her the strength and the courage to endure as there is no other time in her life that she imitated Him more with the pain and suffering she endured! At those moments I truly believe God gives us special Graces to be able to carry this heavy cross especially with an untimely death such as Melissa's. I believe all Heaven itself was with her that tragic day bringing her to a light that all of us long to see someday, which is the Lord Himself. He said He will never leave us even unto the end of the world! I really and truly believe this and this is my consolation in knowing He is always true to His words. Those that speak against Him and Melissa really don't know Him or her. For if they did their words would be of comfort for you and truth. But you see, the truth is not in them. They go through life making up their own truth and all it is, is an illusion. The evil one's work they are doing. As far as being with Melissa at the time of her heavy cross, I go there now in my mind and I hold her hand and comfort her and talk to her and pray with her and God in His goodness will take us there to be with her through it all! You see everything is present to God! No past no future, just now! He sees all things at once. So you can go there and be with Melissa anytime you want to pray with her and in a mystical way you can share all of this with her. Holding her hand, comforting her and guiding her along the path that God chose for her. God is always there with you! We have to trust Him such as a little child! They can see these things so clearly! So dear ones, let the Sprit take you there as many times a day as He inspires you to. Your love and prayers are seen and heard by God and Melissa and that will bring you both great comfort and on the day you are all reunited again, you will have many things to talk about and then your joy will be complete! I pray that these words bring comfort to your heart and in knowing God hears all your prayers and knows all that you suffer and is taking good care of your daughter and good friend Melissa! Always listen to His words and not those that come from the dark side! Always stay in the light and your heart will be LIGHT! Only those with a Spiritual heart, mind, and soul will make any sense out of any of this! May God grant you that gift! May God Bless both of you and comfort you! May Jesus be praised for all the souls that were saved through Melissa and her sacrifice for them in her untimely death! Her reward will be great in Heaven! Dance upon the clouds, Melissa!
Forever missing you!! / Maura (Mom) Melissa, I am missing you so very much today. My heart breaks for what you went through and I couldn't be there to hold your hand. This morning I thought of all you had been through. And it broke my heart. I almost did not go to work.
The comment came up asking where was our God when we needed him. Well the answer to that is right here. God has always been with us. We always trusted God and believe Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I know God was with you through that horrible time. And his angels came and took you by the hand and led you to a place where no one can ever hurt you again. God has been with me every day throughout this painful journey. I cannot take my eyes off of him for a moment. He will bring healing. He is our God in the good times and the bad. We all miss you!!!
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that those who suffer unjust treatment will have a "great" reward in heaven (see Matt.5:10). The elect who have been abused, abandoned, stolen, from, taken advantage of--all will be rewarded for their pain.....
God knows when we suffer unjustly.....God has not abandoned you to the whims and wishes of those who are more powerful. God is taking it all in. He has already appointed a prosecuting attorney, a jury, and a judge. And they are all the same person--the Lord Jesus. On that court date he will bring about justice for His elect. From Charles Stanley
I LOVE YOU!!
Mom
Missing You / Mom Melissa you were so full of life. When I look at your pictures I remember so many things that we did. So many happy times and so many hilarious times laughing over everything. You brought so much happiness into my life from the time you were born. I have truly been blessed to have you as my daughter. My heart will always have that lonely spot in it for you. And the memories of you will carry me through until I see you again. I hope you're dancing!!!
Love Mom
I miss you!!! / Samantha (Friend) Melissa, How can this all be real? How can it be true? I just wish I could wake up from this nightmare and see you again.. I dont know where to start. Ive had such a bad day, and I just want you to be here. I cant sleep. I pray to God asking why? Its such a big confusion to me. All of this is just taking a huge part of me and I will never be the same again as I was. I cant help but think of you, miss you and wish to see you again. If I would have only known, why did I let you board that plane? I know you didnt want to go. I just wish I would have changed your mind. Im so sorry. I just want to wrap my arms around you... I just want to see you, and talk to you and I cant. God, it hurts. Everyday I am thinking of you. I carry your picture everywhere and I have a picture of you in my server book at work. Everytime I open it I see my Mickey. I cant wait until Justice is served. I see things that people write and somtimes its soo great and other times its not. I just want to jump out and defend you because I know you would do the same for me. Especially since its soo untrue. This is all so much to handle. I just dont want to accept this. I want it to be over, and have my Mickey back. Katie misses you, shes soo sweet, Mel, you would be so proud of her. Shes so beautiful and smart and soo talented, I know your soo proud of her, and Im soo sorry that somone took all of the memories you could have shared away. I dont know if I can learn to just accept this. Please send me strength, and comfort and love.. I sure need it. I miss the way you could always make me laugh and your hour long messages when I couldnt come to the phone.. I miss everything. I love you so much.. Dance for us Mickey!
Loving and missing you / Samantha A. (Forever a Friend ) Melissa, I miss you more than ever. My heart is so lonely. Sometimes, it seems to me that all this just cant be possible. I miss your advice and our long talks about everything. I often find myself drifting off from this world and slipping into memories of you that are left behind.. I cant ever begin to tell you how much you mean to me, the friendship you gave and the love you showed was so conforting and complete. My life has a big emptiness. I wait for you to call, sometimes, I miss it so much. I know you are in a far better place than I, but I can't help longing to see you again. It hurts. Please watch over us all. I am trying to find peace, not a day goes by that you aren't in my thoughts. I never thought I would lose you. I pray for you all the time... Kaytlyn and I miss you and we talk to you all the time. Brought you some flowers the other day. Somedays are way easier than others. But everytime I see your grave I lose it. It just seems so unfair, so young so beautiful so talented, so wise... I miss you.. Be with us all.. Dance for us and smile down on us as we all need you very much!
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