There is a saying that has been shared with me countless times. It basically says that those children and babies that are taken to Heaven before they have a chance at a real life here are simply too beautiful for earth. I believe this to be true.

Since her conception in my womb, Olivia was just special. In utero she already seemed to exude this calmness and peace next to her already wild twin brother. During ultrasounds, Wyatt would be kicking and moving around like a wild man and she would reach over and put her little hand on his leg as if to say, “just calm down.”

As Olivia grew she was an exceptional baby. She hardly ever cried and had tremendous patience. I always had to feed Wyatt first because he couldn’t wait without sobbing, but Olivia would just sit there patiently and wait her turn.

She managed to find joy in every experience and trial, no matter how difficult. She smiled through most of her chemo treatments no matter how miserable she felt. She laughed. She played. She hugged and gave kisses. She just exuded this beauty from every ounce of her being that made me certain that I was in the presence of an angel.

The night that God called Olivia Home is one I will never forget. We knew the time was coming and her breathing had become very sporadic and labored. In her last minutes, she stopped breathing all together. We thought that was it and were sobbing as we held her in our arms. Then suddenly, she opened her eyes and took three soft, sweet, peaceful breaths and then we saw it… her soul left her body for Heaven and she closed her eyes again. A peace came over her face and her body began to almost glow. She wasn’t there any more. She had left for Heaven. God knew from the beginning that Olivia was too beautiful to be here on earth so he took her Home to him for eternity at just 20 months and 3 days old.

Olivia Caldwell Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research. All proceeds benefit the neuro-oncology research team at Children’s Hospital Colorado and all donations are tax-deductible. You can learn more and donate any time by visiting www.oliviacaldwellfoundation.org.