birthdays

At the beginning of each month, I update our Hope Babies Calendar for the website so it will accurately reflect how old our children are if you click on their name.

Each time I edit one of the birthdays, my heart feels like it sinks a little bit lower with each passing month. I look at the names of the sweet babies that are only 3 months old in Heaven, and my heart breaks for that family, remembering the tenderness and raw heartache at 3 months.

This month two of our sweet babies are turning 1 year old. Although I'm still a few months away from Gwendolyn's first birthday, I'm already aching at the thought of it. Its so hard to believe that an entire year has passed... and yet God has waited faithfully for us each day, ready to carry our burdens and bind our wounds with every passing hour.

Hope Mommies wanted to give each Mom something unique for this first birthday... something that will be a small measure of encouragement, and reminder that we're One Year Closer.

We've been working with an amazing ceramics artist from Seattle, Kristin Love. She's currently creating a beautiful ceramic wall plaque or coffee mug with the words, "One Year Closer" for each Hope Mom. We'll post more details and photos soon, with information on how to receive your own One Year Closer gift  OR how to donate/buy one for someone you know.

I encourage you to take five minutes today to look over the calendar on the website, and pray for those families listed. Each of them is still burdened and hurting, and needs a lollipop of grace to get through the day.

Thank you for praying with us!

Because He lives, I hope.