PS:  Your brother and sisters miss you terribly.  If God allows, can you hug them and let them know you are near.  I love you daughter.

Well baby...here we are again on your birthday.  Now 16 years ago we lost you.  But Heaven gained a princess.  How we miss you so.  But I cling to the promise of Jesus.  That night he said "why are you crying?  You know I have her."  His loving gift to me has held me for so many years.  That image of you in my mind at church, asking Him to be your savior...just two short years before you left.  What a blessing I was given.  I am so sad without you but I rejoice and praise God...for you are no longer in pain.  You no longer will suffer.  And we will one day, hold, hug, kiss and cling to, each other again.  You have some sibs up there.  Kiss them for me and tell them I love them too.  Until I see you baby girl...giant hugs and a loving kiss.  Mother.

I can't believe it's been that long but with God, there is no time.  It seems like yesterday you were here with us.  But soon we will all be together again.  There is no time to think about in His rest.  Until that day baby...for us...just know you're in our hearts forever and we miss you.  Can't wait to see that beautiful smile of yours again!

Laugh and hold her close to your hearts in joy with the knowledge that we shall all be together in Christ Jesus soon!

"Praise be to God for the victory we have through our Lord, Jesus Christ!"

AMEN! 

Shavon wrote: "What a beautiful tribute to Athena, Aunty...I am awash with a flood of memories; her smile, her laugh, a hug we shared through the bars of a gate at a pool when we were about 9 or 10 in Bakersfield, the mischief she, Alex, Jason & myself would get into...it seems just like yesterday that were were all young children spending our days together running around & driving Grandma Mary crazy(or maybe that was just me driving Grandma nuts!) Lots of love to you, Aunty. Athena, rest in peace and may you be in the company of angels as well as Great-Grandma Mary, Great-Grandpa Augustine, Grandma/Aunty Loretta, Aunty/Grandma Jaunita, Aunt Dorothy, and Grandpa/Uncle John...xo"