Cooking Together

My girls love to help me cook. (And those of you who have children know that I use the word "cook" in the broadest sense of the word!)

Ann Catherine has always enjoyed helping me. Now, Lily has hit the stage where if Ann Catherine is doing it, she has to do it. So, this morning when I got ready to make muffins they both wanted to help.



Usually they are fine to just help stir the batter, but this morning they wanted to help put the mix into the muffin pan. So, I grabbed a spoon and let them scoop away!



Doesn't that look yummy!!! :)

The funniest part is I was so wrapped up in taking pictures, that I realized as I was putting them in the oven that I hadn't even stirred them (I usually help them stir, but this morning they did it all by themselves). Needless to say, I was a little scared about trying them, but they were delicious! And best of all, my girls had a fun time making them.

What Do Fractions and Blankets Have in Common?

More than you think!

I was at Whitesburg Middle School yesterday to accept blankets on behalf of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

The 6th graders in Rita Byrom and Melissa Feldmann's advanced and regular math classes made them as part of a study of fractions. It started a few years ago when Ms. Byrom was using the example of how to estimate the amount of fabric you would need to make something. A student suggested they make blankets, and the rest is history. This is the first year the NICU has received some of those blankets and we are very grateful for their gift!

Pat Newcomb of The Huntsville Times wrote a nice article in today's paper (with a photo). To read it, click here.

I was so touched by what these children did. I gave them a brief presentation about the NICU and the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund and even brought our tiny preemie diapers so they could get an idea of just how small some of our babies are.

We love donations of blankets to our NICU. Many people don't realize that most of our really premature babies were born before their moms could even have a baby shower.

I was one of those moms. I didn't have any blankets for my daughters when they were born. In fact, it was the last thing on my mind during that time. On the second day that Ann Catherine was in the NICU, I walked in and saw this beautiful tiny, pink blanket over her. I asked the nurse where it came from and she told me a church group had made it.

After a while, we received a bigger blanket that we kept over Ann Catherine's isolette to keep the sunlight out. We brought both of those blankets home with us and one day I will give them to Ann Catherine. They are so special to us because they are one more example of how total strangers gave love to our family while we were in NICU.

There are so many groups who make blankets for the babies in our NICU, and we appreciate them all! If you are interested in making blankets (or hats) for the babies in our NICU, post to my blog and I'll be happy to give you more information.



Teachers Melissa Feldman (l) and Rita Byrom (r) with me and some of the 6th grade students



Look at all of those blankets!

Thank you Whitesburg 6th graders. What a beautiful thing to do during this season of giving!

Will She Ever Know?

Lily Baker is just the greatest kid. Today as I was trying to get her to calm down and take her nap, she pointed at my nose and said, "I love your nose, mommy." I couldn't help but smile.

She fills my heart so much. Sometimes when I'm holding her, I think my heart will burst. I'm currently working on some quotes to include in a coffee table book our photographer is putting together for Lily. As I was in the process of researching verses and quotes this afternoon, I thought, "Will she ever know?"

Will she ever know how she healed hearts that were absolutely broken in two?

Will she ever know the dark, gaping hole she filled when she came into our lives?

Will she ever know that she gave me permission to love with my whole heart again?

You see, when I was pregnant with Lily, I tried not to bond with her for the first six months of her life. I know it sounds crazy, but I was so afraid she was going to die like Melissa did, and I just could not go through that pain again. So, in my mind I thought if I didn't get too attached to her, it might not hurt so bad if something happened to her.

I think that's normal for a mom who has a lost a child, but now it seems so strange.

How could I not be attached to Lily? This beautiful little girl showed me how to love someone again with my whole heart, without the fear of losing them. I cannot imagine my life without her.

Thank you God that you know what is best for us. Thank you God that you bless us so richly. Thank you that even in the midst of tragedy, you have a plan for our lives.

"'I know the plans I have for you,'" declares the Lord, "'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

That's exactly what he gave us when he gave us Lily. Hope and a future.

I call Lily our beautiful completion. She's not a replacement for Melissa, but she completed our family in a way I could never have imagined.

Will she ever know? Will she ever truly understand how she saved our family?

Probably not.

But, I'll never forget.

Our Christmas Angel

Ann Catherine and Lily Baker had their Christmas program at daycare last week. Seriously, is there anything sweeter than watching little children sing Christmas songs about Jesus' birth? Their Christmas program is always one of the highlights of the holiday season for me!

As Ann Catherine's class starting walking in, I noticed they were dressed as angels. I had no idea they were going to do this. Those of you who follow my blog know how special angels have become to me since Melissa died. As I watched Ann Catherine dressed in that white dress with angel wings and a halo, I got tears in my eyes. I just thought, 'there is a little angel in Heaven who looks EXACTLY like you.' That thought was pretty overwhelming to me. To see my little angel on Earth and to think of my sweet angel in Heaven just filled my heart. (If you're wondering why her gown is pulled up, she pulled her arms out of the sleeves and when the song started, she couldn't figure out how to get them back in. Chris and I were cracking up!)

So, where is Lily Baker? I was holding the movie camera when her class came in, so I didn't get any pictures. However, I did take some before she and Ann Catherine left that day for daycare. This one turned out pretty cute.



Have you ever tried to take pictures of a 3-year-old and 2-year-old at the same time? Good grief!! I was begging, bribing and doing all I could do just to get them to look at me at the same time.

On a side note, I wanted to post this picture. Don't you just love lazy Saturday mornings? I do! And, so do my girls. I snapped this picture Saturday morning while they were laying on the sofa watching TV. I just had to share.

Spirit of Hope

Last night's Spirit of Hope was so much fun!

We had a great turnout, and not only did I get to see a lot of friends (many of whom we met through our NICU experiences), but I also got to meet some other parents for the first who also share our common bond. They either had a child in the NICU, or they lost a child in the NICU. It is so nice to be able to meet people who have been through this similar journey.

To those of you who came, thank you! So many families told me the Spirit of Hope tree lighting has become a holiday tradition within their family. I think it gives families, such as ours, an outlet to celebrate the lives of our children - whether they are still with us or in Heaven. I am so proud to be part of an event that gives parents that special opportunity.

And thank you to those of you who dedicated a light on the Hope for the Future tree. Even though the tree is lit, it's not too late to dedicate a light. To do so, call Huntsville Hospital Foundation at 265-8077 or click here. All proceeds benefit the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund and we will use the money to purchase critically needed equipment for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

As you drive past Huntsville Hospital during the holiday season and you see those lights, remember they aren't just decorations. They represent hope for children and families across the Tennessee Valley.

Channel 19 aired the tree lighting live and you can watch the video below.

Early Wake-up Call

I had a bright and early wake-up call this morning!

I was a guest on NewsChannel 19 This Morning. I sat at the anchor desk with Lisa Washington and Steve Johnson (two of my favorite people, by the way) and talked about tomorrow's Spirit of Hope Tree Lighting Ceremony.

I've posted the video for those of you who want to learn more about this event. And if the forecast is true and it rains, don't worry! The tree lighting is under the portico at Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children, which is covered. I promise, you won't get wet at the event!

Lastly, it is NOT too late to dedicate a light on the tree in honor or in memory of a special child in your life. To do so, call the Foundation at 265-8077 or click here. All proceeds benefit the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation. This is such a wonderful way to thank God for the blessings in your life this holiday season, while also helping to save the lives of other little blessings.

Also, bring your children tomorrow night because Santa will be there! We'll have hot chocolate and other goodies. It starts at 6 p.m. And if you do come, please say hello! I love meeting people who follow my blog.

Sorry for the Delay!

I pride myself on how I keep my blog updated, so forgive me for lapsing on my updates. It's just been crazy around here!

First we had Thanksgiving. Then, the next day, we headed to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl. Chris' birthday followed soon after, so as you can see, we've had a lot going on. Here are some pictures of what we've been doing.

Thanksgiving was great! We had Lily's official birthday party at my mom's house on Thanksgiving. So in addition to all of that turkey and dressing, we had Elmo cake. Is there anything better??



Lily loved her Elmo cake!!





Lily wearing her Mousketools!



Lily and her Aunt Suzie



Ann Catherine and her cousin, Coleman, hanging out with Tigger in Poppy's front yard



Ann Catherine and her cousin, Ally. Boy, does she love Ally!!

From there, we went to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Auburn game. Ann Catherine and Lily Baker got to hang out with their cousins Ally and Will, and believe me, there is nothing they would rather do!



After the game, Lily's godparents Steve and Laura (or La-La as Lily calls her) stopped by. They love their Lily!



As I said, Chris' birthday followed soon after. I won't disclose his age, but I will say he's older than me :) The batteries in my camera died while he was opening his presents, so I didn't get many pictures. I did snap this one of him reading his card with Lily.



I believe I have sufficiently brought you up to date. I will do better this week! Oh, by the way, our Spirit of Hope tree lighting is this Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. Bring your family out for this great holiday event! I'll post more about it tomorrow. In fact, I'll be on WHNT's morning show tomorrow around 6:40 a.m. so tune in!