Elle's Viewing

We had a private viewing for just family and close friends before the official viewing started later that night.

Getty stayed at Elle's side for about an hour.

Watching Elle's DVD set to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by IZ, "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by the Police, and "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban.

Posters, cards, and drawings for Elle during her hospital stay from kids in the neighborhood, her cousins, and brothers and sisters.

Granny's table for the "Princess of Everything!"

Aunt Meme and Cousin Sara made an awesome scrapbook of Elle for guests to look through and set out a bowl of Hershey's kisses and a bowl of gum balls with a note that read, "When you are sad, because it is me that you miss, Just remember I love you and blow me a kiss."

My neighbor Deborah's display of some of Elle's favorite things: her Justin Bieber barbie and Barbie girlfriend, her favorite music player with a microphone and best CD, one of her seven(!) tutu's, the pink rabbit Cam won for her on a family vacation, her fairy wings, and her pink high heels

Elle's Uncle Scott and Uncle Craig

My brothers, two of my sisters, and a long lost sister, cousin Jen (far right). My real sister Jen came later with her three-week-old newborn. Britt had her own baby just a week later. Two coming from heaven and one going within a couple weeks of each other.

Uncle Scott, Aunt Megan, Bentley Hughes, Ireland Hacking

Grandma passed out the small stuffed animal friends Great-aunts Julene and JoNell bought for the kids and cousins to keep them company during the funeral.

Elle got one, too.

Aunt Jen talking to her Izzie and Avery Hughes

I was amazed at how the kids coped with seeing Elle in the casket. They weren't at all afraid. They touched her softly. They were reverent. They were curious. I'm so glad they came. I think it's so important for kids to have the opportunity for some kind of closure.