Mackintyre Kindol McDill-Garton
August 21, 1999 - September 12, 2008
Lathrop, Missouri
August 21, 1999 - September 12, 2008
Lathrop, Missouri
I recently learned to do something new. I have started carving stone with my dremel. I have only just started so they are quite simple, but each time I do another one, it becomes nicer, neater and with more detail. My children's garden's were inspired by my friend Barb who lost her infant son about 9 years ago and my mother in law, Maryann who lost a child many years ago.
I work for Barb and her husband Dr. Warren Jones, DVM at Amity Woods Animal Hospital in Kansas City. There is a small statue under a tree in the front of the clinic in memory of their son Trey. Every day for the nine years I have worked for them, when I come and go I look at that little statue to make sure it is in place and safe. If the water rises at the creek, I look and make sure it has not risen enough to sweep the tiny statue away. I know the little statue has great meaning to Dr. Jones and Barb, but it has had great meaning for me as well over the years. I have spent my entire time there watching over the clinic and everything we do there. As Treys statue sits under the tree and watches over the clinic with me, I have tried to watch over it as well. Each day it is there waiting, each day it is a reminder of something that I can't explain or understand. I just find peace with that little piece of stone. Honestly I have never gotten too close to the statue for fear of getting to close to something I never wanted to experience. I just looked at it from a distance. In reality, I was closer to it than I knew. Maybe that's why I felt so strongly about that statue from the first day Dr. Jones told my why it was there. You never know how things will turn out.
A few days after Mackintyre died, my mother and father in law came by and and went up on the hill. When they came back by, Maryann was crying and said she wished she could bring David here. That's really all she said. She was in deep pain not only for the loss of Mackie but reliving her own loss of David again. The road has not always been a smooth one with Maryann and I. We probably both don't really know why and honestly, we problably both don't care much now anyway. It no longer matters. We are two people with a common understanding and tie now. My heart went out to her as she cried because I knew exactly how she felt. I could understand the pain first hand. A few days passed and as I talked with the man who carved Macks stone for us and I talked more with Barb and thought of Maryanne, I picked up my dremel and the carving blade I had bought for some unknown reason the night before Mackie died. Why I bought it I will never know. I had not used the dremel in 5 years. Anyway, I went to the yard and picked up a stone from the flower bed. In ten minutes, I had a stone carved with Mack on it and a heart. I took it to my mother for her flower bed. I picked up another stone and carved "David" in it. Within the next 2 days, I carved a stone for Trey, another Mack stone and and a stone for my friend Amy who is also Shelly's sister and Herman and Kathys daughter. I have now to date carved a stone for my somewhat adopted daughter Courtney. Her 16 year old brother died two days before Mackintyre and I have two more to do. Josh and Jason. Josh is the son of our friends Mark and Jill and Jason is the son of Ray, who sold me a new car last week when I totaled mine. (Maybe I should carve one for the deer I hit that totaled my car???) I needed to carve the stone for Maryanne because I didn't know how to bring David here for her. That was the best I could do. Bring him here in spirit and give her a place close by to visit. I needed Trey here because Barb and Warren are family. Their son Cole is a few years younger than Mack and they had a great time playing together. I know if Trey had lived, Mack would have grown up with him and they would have been great friends too.
These stones are in what I call the Children's Gardens around Mackintryes Church. They are there so no one will ever forget our children. They are there because I know Mackie will bring all the children in heaven to his church and the families will feel closer to their kids knowing they are up there on the hill laughing and playing with Mack. They are there so I can watch over them every day just like I have watched over Trey's statue for 9 years at Amity. They are there to give an understanding of things unknown. They are there so that a hundred years from now, someone will read their names and they will live on. You can read names on stones in a cemetary and you know why they are there for the most part, if you find a stone in a field in the middle of no where with a carved name on it, it definately gives you something more unusual to question.
I work for Barb and her husband Dr. Warren Jones, DVM at Amity Woods Animal Hospital in Kansas City. There is a small statue under a tree in the front of the clinic in memory of their son Trey. Every day for the nine years I have worked for them, when I come and go I look at that little statue to make sure it is in place and safe. If the water rises at the creek, I look and make sure it has not risen enough to sweep the tiny statue away. I know the little statue has great meaning to Dr. Jones and Barb, but it has had great meaning for me as well over the years. I have spent my entire time there watching over the clinic and everything we do there. As Treys statue sits under the tree and watches over the clinic with me, I have tried to watch over it as well. Each day it is there waiting, each day it is a reminder of something that I can't explain or understand. I just find peace with that little piece of stone. Honestly I have never gotten too close to the statue for fear of getting to close to something I never wanted to experience. I just looked at it from a distance. In reality, I was closer to it than I knew. Maybe that's why I felt so strongly about that statue from the first day Dr. Jones told my why it was there. You never know how things will turn out.
A few days after Mackintyre died, my mother and father in law came by and and went up on the hill. When they came back by, Maryann was crying and said she wished she could bring David here. That's really all she said. She was in deep pain not only for the loss of Mackie but reliving her own loss of David again. The road has not always been a smooth one with Maryann and I. We probably both don't really know why and honestly, we problably both don't care much now anyway. It no longer matters. We are two people with a common understanding and tie now. My heart went out to her as she cried because I knew exactly how she felt. I could understand the pain first hand. A few days passed and as I talked with the man who carved Macks stone for us and I talked more with Barb and thought of Maryanne, I picked up my dremel and the carving blade I had bought for some unknown reason the night before Mackie died. Why I bought it I will never know. I had not used the dremel in 5 years. Anyway, I went to the yard and picked up a stone from the flower bed. In ten minutes, I had a stone carved with Mack on it and a heart. I took it to my mother for her flower bed. I picked up another stone and carved "David" in it. Within the next 2 days, I carved a stone for Trey, another Mack stone and and a stone for my friend Amy who is also Shelly's sister and Herman and Kathys daughter. I have now to date carved a stone for my somewhat adopted daughter Courtney. Her 16 year old brother died two days before Mackintyre and I have two more to do. Josh and Jason. Josh is the son of our friends Mark and Jill and Jason is the son of Ray, who sold me a new car last week when I totaled mine. (Maybe I should carve one for the deer I hit that totaled my car???) I needed to carve the stone for Maryanne because I didn't know how to bring David here for her. That was the best I could do. Bring him here in spirit and give her a place close by to visit. I needed Trey here because Barb and Warren are family. Their son Cole is a few years younger than Mack and they had a great time playing together. I know if Trey had lived, Mack would have grown up with him and they would have been great friends too.
These stones are in what I call the Children's Gardens around Mackintryes Church. They are there so no one will ever forget our children. They are there because I know Mackie will bring all the children in heaven to his church and the families will feel closer to their kids knowing they are up there on the hill laughing and playing with Mack. They are there so I can watch over them every day just like I have watched over Trey's statue for 9 years at Amity. They are there to give an understanding of things unknown. They are there so that a hundred years from now, someone will read their names and they will live on. You can read names on stones in a cemetary and you know why they are there for the most part, if you find a stone in a field in the middle of no where with a carved name on it, it definately gives you something more unusual to question.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would not have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also.
John
Chapter 14
Verses 1-3
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would not have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also.
John
Chapter 14
Verses 1-3
Another angel joined Mackintyre. My friend, Sarah lost her neice in an automobile accident. A bright and beautiful 16 year old girl named Annie Curry is now a bright and beautiful angel. I have no doubt that Mackintyre was waiting for her. He loved the "older" girls. I have no words for Annies family that will give them the answers they need right now. I grieve with them and for them, as do the parents of the other children who play with Mackie now. I added more stones to the gardens this evening. Annie, Jason, John and Delanie. Delanie was a five year old little girl, a friend of a friend, John was the brother of my friend Sarah, Annie is Sarah's neice and Jason is the son of Ray, who I bought my car from. It seems as though we may feel alone in our travels through this difficult time, but as you can see, we are not. There are many stones in my gardens. There are many I do not know or have not heard their story. Unfortunately, there will be more to come. It is the cycle of life. It is impossible to imagine why we loose our children before we ourselves go. My hope is that someday when I join all of these children, the answer will not matter. All that will matter is that each of us watching and waiting from a distance will once again be together.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all of the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
Psalm 23:6
Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates praise. The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended.
Isaiah 60:18-20
Isaiah 60:18-20
Annie Curry
