Here is an email written from Kristin to the priest. He ended up using this email word-for-word, as a tribute to Peyton during the funeral:

Father,

Here is the second reading that we have chosen. I believe you had all the other information as far as the first reading, songs, psalm etc. Please let me know if you need anything else before tomorrows service. You had asked if there was anything specific to mention tomorrow and I had some trouble putting it into words but I would really like Peyton's spirit to come across. She went through these fights without complaints, as babys go she was extremely unfussy and always greeted each day with bright eyes and interest in all those around her. She allowed us to love her and hold her, to snuggle with her and cuddle her despite all of her tubes, infections, medications, and discomfort. I have never received such unguarded love in my life as I did from this sweet little baby and I have never experienced such fullness as when I held her skin to skin and watched her turn her head to hear my heartbeat and fall asleep. I know that many people think of her only as a fragile sick little thing but she was so much more than that. She had an incredible strength, wisdom and spirit that came through when she looked into our eyes. With all of the poking and prodding, the surgeries, the pain, the medication she really never complained. As her parents we would watch her go through this fight and we would start to cry because we knew the odds were so stacked against her and she would look at us with an expression that said "whats the big deal" It was as if she was trying to comfort us and say "hey mom and dad why are you so sad, Im Ok, its not so bad, see Im chugging right along, Im still here" That was Peyton being Peyton. Her loss is so much harder because she is really the one that comforted us throughout her sickness. The doctors would give us one terrible report after the other and we would come back to the room, hold her and have hope and faith that she was going to be that 1 percent to make it through. We never ever thought we would lose her so soon. I would really like for all those who never got to meet her in person to know that about her.

Thank you.
Kristin Binder


A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 2:1-4,14-18
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.