va
...the story of a Superprincess

It was raining. Not a lot, just a sprinkle really. She wandered the garden, collecting flowers and clutching a pink handbag. And when the water fell a little more, she dashed indoors. "Oh, my hair is getting wet", she exclaimed. Her mother laughed. "Of course it's getting wet, Ava. It's raining! My, you're such a princess". She turned on her heel and let out a hmph. "I am not a princess" she said. "I am a Superprincess".

. . . . . . . . . . .

There was a day, a beauty full August 2003 Winters day, where our long yearned for baby girl joined our family. We named her Ava and she grew and we loved and we planned a lifetime of togetherness. Then there was another day, a middle of Summer day, that came along and took our adored daughter back to Heaven. Three short years later and a lifetime too soon.

Ava was an incredibly beautiful child, inside and out, and was so cherished by our whole family. We could never have imagined losing her, or surviving life after that day. Her passing has forever changed our family, our lives and our future but from the darkest of days, we have taken many baby steps and in time are finding a new kind of happiness. The wishing and the missing will always stay but we will continue to focus on celebrating Ava's three years on Earth and finding beautiful ways to keep her light shining bright.

I am grateful to have been able to share the bad and the better days here and will always be amazed and overwhelmed by the incredible support shown to my family by friends and strangers.

We would be honored if you would take some time to read about darling Ava, our Superprincess. You�ll find links to many different places that honor Ava below. If you wish to read from the start of our grief journey, you can begin here.

Love Sheye, Crayton and Family.

va's Tea Party is about taking time. Making time. Moments put aside to love and laugh with those you adore.

We celebrate Ava's Tea Party each year around Ava's birthday, August 22nd. We'd love you to join in, where-ever your heart lies, with whom-ever your heart loves.

Visit the Ava's Tea Party website here for further information and to see the beautiful images from previous tea parties held all over the World.

If you think you can contribute to Ava�s Tea Party as a business or a crafty individual, we�d love to hear your ideas.

va's Memorial Site was created in the early weeks after we lost Ava and shares a little more of her story and includes images and lots of beautiful tributes.

We plan to create a book from this site as a keepsake for Ava's siblings.We would love you to light a candle and you are welcome to contribute to the Tributes section if you wish.

Thank you to everyone who continues to visit Ava’s site and take a moment to remember our princess. It means so much to our whole family.

n 2007, Mandy Sutcliffe from Belle and Boo completed a beautiful set of illustrations, named �The Superprincess Series�, that reflect special moments in Ava�s life. These artworks hold a special place in our hearts and we are comforted to imagine Ava�s illustrations hanging in homes around the World. Please visit the Belle and Boo website to check availability of The Superprincess Series, along with other sweet products featuring Ava�s illustrations.

In 2009, Mandy added a new and very special illustration to the collection, called Ava's Tea Party. This was the inspiration for the annual event that has become a tradition for not just our family, but hundreds of families around the World. This print is available directly from Belle and Boo in A3 sizing, or from myself in A4 sizing here.

The Ava With Wings Illustration was chosen for Ava's headstone along with some adapted words from one of Ava's favorite songs, the Backyardigans Rockabilly Lullaby". You can hear it here.

t is important to us that other families are made aware of the dangers of hot cars. It took less than fifteen minutes for Ava to sustain severe injuries in our vehicle and only another ten before she lost her life. A brief window in a very normal day with three loving adults close by..it still seems impossible to fathom that this could happen, yet it did. While we always knew not to leave our children in the car when out and about, it never occurred to us that such a tragedy could occur on our own driveway.

Please download the Ava's Rule Postcard and distribute either electronically or in print where-ever possible. Since 2007 we have been told of numerous "close calls" where missing children have been found in time because a parent had seen the Ava's Rule Postcard. Please help us spread the word.

or the celebration of Ava’s life held on February 10th, 2007, our wonderful friends Kate and Steve from Inhouse Studios put together a beautiful slideshow, which you can see here. (It may take a little while to load).

hen we first lost Ava, we vowed to keep her memory alive, to share her light, to let other people see just what we were missing so desperately. I wanted others to still have the opportunity to know Ava and I wanted her to continue to make a beautiful difference.

Through the generosity, love and support of so many people around the World, I believe Ava’s memory burns brightly every single day.

We’ve been so blessed to have amazing artwork and many other wonderful keepsakes created by beautiful friends and complete strangers, inspired by Ava. From Ava’s quilt to Ava’s Tree, and so very much in-between, we are hugely thankful for the very special ways in which Ava is honored.

Each year, there are many pink balloons released in Ava’s honor. You can see some of those balloon releases through beautiful images here.

I strongly believe that creating beautiful memorials for Ava has been a vital part of learning to live with our grief and finding a way to move forward. To every person who has helped us do just that, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

To our angel, Ava. For choosing us, for being everything we ever wanted and more, for teaching us lessons and for making the World a better place. Sweet Super Princess, thank you.