"But one thing was weird, Mom. They were all barefoot, except for her..."

This post is dedicated to Natalie Starratt, and is written for her sweet Momma, Pam Starratt.   I have her permission to share pictures of Natalie, and her Mom knows that Rowan has something special to tell her, but she has no idea what it is.

Be prepared to be blown away...

  These are Rowan's words, Rowan's dreams.  To me, it is one more piece of evidence of God, and one more glimpse of Heaven, as told by Rowan.  I know it will bless her Mom.  I pray it blesses others too.

Natalie passed away tragically in January of 2014.  She was just 22.  Rowan and I did not know Natalie.  He never met her either.  We "know" her Mom Pam just through Facebook and mutual Facebook friends.  Rowan has seen a few pictures of Natalie, but probably not for many months, maybe even a year ago.  When I did show him pictures of her months and months ago, I clearly remember that he almost cried, saying "Wow! She's so pretty.  I like her eyes and her smile."  And he felt so bad for her Mom, I remember him saying how sad she must be.

A couple nights ago, Rowan told me, "Mom, we need to go back to the beach.  At the beach last weekend, someone else was there, but I didn't write their name in the sand.  I need to go back and do that."  I asked who and he answered, "That really pretty girl, the one who loved the beach and the sand.  You  know, she's in heaven now and her Mom misses her so much.  I wish I would have written that in the sand for her."  He then told me that he was going to try to dream of her, so he could apologize.  Here he is as he fell asleep that night.  Bless his heart, he fell asleep asking God to let him dream of Natalie in Heaven.  

He slept in late the next day.  I wanted him to wake up so bad, so I could hear if he did indeed dream of her.  When he finally woke up that afternoon, he told me that he did.  I asked him to tell me about his dream, having no idea how profound it would be.

Rowan said (and I quote) "She was there in Heaven, and she was with Chrissie and Jalene and Julian.  It's like she was babysitting them for their parents, until they get up there with them."  Then he added, "They all were having so much fun, and the kids loved her.  She was taking really good care of them.  But one thing was weird, Mom.  They were all barefoot, except for her.  She was the only one wearing shoes.  She was wearing flipflops."

Now, to most of you that just sounds sweet, like a nice little dream to have about someone in Heaven.  But there is so much significance in this...that Rowan couldn't have known about, some of it that I didn't know about, all of it that you are about to know about...

The following photo was posted on her Mom's Facebook page just over a year ago.  Rowan never saw this picture, ever.   I don't believe I ever did either, as a matter of fact. I found it tonight, when I was looking for pictures of Natalie to include here, from her Mom's Facebook photos.  Notice the pair of flipflops on her gravestone.  

This next photo was posted on her Mom's Facebook page 6 months ago.  Her Mom posted that Natalie's shoes were right where she had left them.  That she couldn't bring herself to move them.  When Rowan said she was wearing flip flops, I just bawled crying.  I remembered seeing this post a while back, so I looked for it today.  I showed it to Rowan tonight.  He says that he never saw this one either.

That enough would be a beautiful sign.  But no, there's more.  While Rowan was telling me all about his dream, I was giving him a bath.  When he mentioned the flipflops, I was shaking, speechless (because I remembered the photo of the flipflops in their place from 6 months ago).  I told him, "Wait a minute.  I need to message her Mom right now and ask her to call us.  You need to tell her this yourself."  I reached for my phone, and when I went into messenger there was a message from Natalie's Mom already (that she sent less than an hour before).  I had messaged her the night before telling her that Rowan said Natalie was at the beach with him, and letting her know that he was going to try to dream of her again.  I told her I would let her know if he did.  This was in her reply... 

"I was once told that Natalie is surrounded by children...that she helps look after them until their parents get there.  Nat LOVED little kids so much.  And they loved her.  She laid on the bed with me and watched Chrissie's funeral livestream.  So she was very familiar with Chrissie's story."

Now keep in mind, Pam did not know what Rowan dreamed about that night yet, or what he told me about Natalie "babysitting" in Heaven, when she sent me this message.  And I hadn't read this message from her yet either, when Rowan started telling me about his dream...but Rowan basically confirmed exactly what she told me!  Pam lives in Florida, we live in Texas, and almost simultaneously (within the same hour), she messaged me almost exactly what Rowan was saying to me.

How can you NOT believe?  Rowan had no idea about Natalie's love of children, or the message her Mom had received from someone telling her that Natalie was looking after children until their parents get there. He didn't know she knew of Chrissie, or that she had watched her funeral (which he was at).  He may have once upon a time seen pictures of her in flipflops, maybe, but not the gravestone engraved with flipflops or the photo of her flipflops by her dresser.  Why would flipflops be in his dream?  Why would he remember and mention that specific detail?  And why would she be the only one wearing them in his dream?  Why would she be "babysitting" Chrissie and the others?  There is only one explanation for all of this...God.

Pam, sweet Pam.  We are so sorry for your loss.  Your daughter is so beautiful.  Our hearts break for your broken heart.  We wish we would have known Natalie here on Earth.  But I am so grateful that Rowan feels he knows her now, in Heaven, in his dreams.  I pray that Rowan's dream is confirmation for you, that Natalie is not only happy, surrounded by children, wrapping them in love, in Heaven... and that she still has her beloved flipflops;)  If not one single person believed this message of Rowan's, but it brought you the slightest bit of comfort, that is enough for Rowan and I.  God bless you and keep you strong Pam, until you get to her hug your precious angel, Natalie, again.