This time last year I was sharing the tragic and sudden passing of a friend’s 18 month old daughter on Thanksgiving day. I will never forget sitting around the table as a family, serving up our Thanksgiving meal only to hear from my brother that baby Palmyr didn’t make it. I absolutely broke down. Palmyr was the same age as my baby Ezie. They played in the nursery together. She had a twin sister and an older sister Z’s age. Her grandfather has pastored our church for 33 years. He was the one to dedicate me as a baby and he baptized me. He dedicated Ezie last year. Needless to say, I have known this family my entire life and when something this catastrophic happens to them it as if it had happened to me.


I had the honor of photographing the girls with some of Palmyr’s special keepsakes last spring.

God is so faithful though. He is so merciful in how he heals our wounds and works all things together in His timing for His glory. Palmyr’s mom was the nursery coordinator at our church and she had it on her heart to have people make donations to the church nursery in lieu of flowers. The nursery was desperately in need of a renovation. The money came in and the people went to work. The whole project has been a lengthy process, but once the construction was complete my brother was able to go in and put a mural on the walls of one of the rooms. It is absolutely breathtaking.

My iPhone photos certainly do not do it justice.

In case you are wondering this is all hand painted. My brother is such an extraordinary artist.
Several news stations in Northern Kentucky will be featuring this story on Thanksgiving day. If they post it online I will update this blog to include a video of the interview.

That’s my Ezie on the far left, Z is the tall boy, and Palmyer’s sisters are on the right.

My brother and his son.

Palymr loved to swing. This is an image representing prince Jesus the King of Kings pushing her on the swing. 

Not only is this little girl’s legacy honored through this beautiful nursery, but the project continues as they have been able to do more fund raising to see the Palymr’s Playhouse Project go global. The next location is in Kenya Africa.

The Lord showed Palymr’s mom a vision of a building with a green door and some time later she was looking through a photo album of someone’s mission trip to an orphanage that had the exact picture the Lord had showed her. She knew then what needed to happen and after talking with the missionaries there they were brought to tears. The African children were needing a safe place to run and climb and the idea of Palymr’s Playhouse was an answer to their prayers.

It still hurts. There will always be a space in their hearts for their daughter, their sister. However the story of what God has done with them and through them is a powerful testimony that will continue to reach so many. Please remember to keep the Keith family in your prayers this week. They will be spending Thanksgiving in Disney Land this year, which I think is a phenomenal idea. The whole Holiday season is not going to be easy though. I am reminded that there are many grieving around this time of year and as we celebrate we can also pray for God’s comfort to envelop those that are hurting.

We will never forget sweet little Palymr, and as we remember her on Thanksgiving day we are thankful for the joy she brought in her short time here on earth and the joy we will have when we are reunited once again.

For more information about Palmyr’s Playhouse and how you can get involved check out their Facebook page.