Your prayers are needed!

Another mom I have "met" through my blogging and T18 journey is scheduled to deliver her daughter tomorrow (Monday). Please take a moment and pray that she and her family have lots of time with their sweet baby, Eva Janette. I know how uncertain your time is when you know your baby has a terminal diagnosis and every prayer helps. You can visit Eva's mom's blog at www.evajanette.blogspot.com Leave her a comment letting her know she is in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks!
Mandy

The Other Side

This post goes along with something I saw on another blog, the CF husband blog that I have posted here before. Nate's wife, Tricia, has cystic fibrosis and they had a little girl named Gwyneth 8 weeks ago. Gwyneth is doing well in the NICU but has at least two more months of growing to do before she is able to go home. Her mother, Tricia, is also doing well but is currently waiting for a lung transplant. You can visit their blog at http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ and see how others are telling Tricia all the joys of motherhood and all that she has to look forward to with Gwyneth.
Which brings me to my post today.......If I were on the other side of this blog, I would still act as if I had it all together. I have found out that I don't, never did, and never will.

Since becoming a mother to the boys and losing Madeline last year, I have learned:

that life is uncertain and we are not promised tomorrow so take advantage of today.

that children are a blessing, even when they come in threes (I have always known this but have to remind myself when the triplets are arguing or fighting over something and I want to pull my hair out!!!)

that a child can have a purpose even when she is taken from us too quickly.

that it is okay to be heartbroken....God has a way of moving you forward and earthly children keep you from giving up, while a baby in Heaven keeps you looking forward to a reunion like we can not imagine.

that your children don't care if you are not perfect.

that little boys are happiest when they are wet and muddy and desperately need a bath.

that a bandaid and a kiss from Mama can pretty much cure all things hurt.

that the sweetest sounds are your children singing, laughing, and praying.

that the hardest thing about parenting is not always jumping in to "fix" it but allowing your child to make their own mistakes.

that even with all the pain and heartache that comes with losing a child, the love you always feel for her makes it all worth it.

that at the end of the day you have all you need when you look at your sleeping children.

Exciting News

Hi, Everyone. We have been busy getting the Madeline Grace Foundation set up and organized. We have lots of ideas on how we can use Madeline's memory to help others. My sister has taken this on as a special project and I am so grateful for all that she is doing.
Our first fundraiser is a 5K Race in downtown Milledgeville on Madeline's one year birthday. This marathon is a "Run and See Georgia" endorsed race and hopefully, we will have lots of participants. All of the proceeds of the race will go to our local Pregnancy Center. We chose the Pregnancy Center since I was encouraged to have an abortion when we found out that Madeline had a terminal diagnosis. But we believe that only God gives life and abortion is wrong. I hope to personally work with the Pregnancy Center and encourage other woman who might find themselves carrying a baby with a poor diagnosis.
We are looking forward to what is to come and I will be giving more details soon on the race. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for a worthy cause and lots of fun.
My brother-in-law is working hard to get our website set up. Go to www.madelinegracefoundation.com and see what he has done so far. (Thanks, Dreau!) We appreciate all of your support and for continuing to pray for us.

Mandy

A Sweet Reminder of Madeline

I just had to share something I thought was so sweet. Madeline looked so much like her big brother, Harrison. I took this sweet picture early one morning when he fell back asleep in our bed. Those lips are so much like the ones I remember kissing of hers. I would give just about anything for one more kiss from that sweet girl...............

Mandy

asking for prayer

Maxwell brought it to my attention that I am always finding "sad" stories on the Internet.....some I have shared with him as we say our nightly prayers. I know how much prayer helped our family when we found out about Madeline's diagnosis and then after she died so I wanted to ask again for your help when you are praying. I have "met" a family through blogging that could really benefit from lots of prayer. You may go to www.cfhusband.blogspot.com and read the story of a very courageous mother with cystic fibrosis and her little baby girl, Gwyneth, born at 24 weeks. Her husband, Nate, does a great job keeping his readers informed and there are always lots of pictures. I really feel like I know these people, whom I have never really met. Please take the time to visit them and lift them up as Tricia, the mom, is waiting on a double lung transplant. God is listening!

Thanks and happy blogging....
Mandy

Praying for Mary Grace

Please join me as I pray for Mary Grace Summons, who is sceduled to be born on Monday, January 14th. Her parents have a blog and I have gotten to "know" them as they are traveling a very similar journey as we have. Mary Grace has T18 like our Madeline, and I am praying that her parents and sisters get to spend some precious time with her. Please pray for their strength and courage as they face the unknown. You may check on them at www.marygracesummons.blogspot.com

Thank you lots!
Mandy

Draw a circle. This circle is your life.
Draw a slightly smaller circle inside of the first circle.
It's okay if the edges touch in some places. This circle is your grief.

Now you can see that your grief almost totally fills your life.
There isn't room for anything else. Your life and your grief are one.

Now draw another circle the same size as your grief circle.
This circle is still your grief.
Draw a larger circle around it. This is your life in the future.
Your grief is still there, still the same size, but now there is space around it for other aspects of your life. As time goes on, the circle of your life grows and includes many other things, but your grief remains. It doesn't
go away. It doesn't get smaller. But now there is room for other things and you are not always focused on the grief. You can laugh at a joke, go to a party, get a new job, maybe have living children, but your circle of grief is still there.