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.