There is something that I want to share with you that I really feel is worth your time to read and be involved in. It's called Elle Bird. If you've seen my facebook you've probably seen the link already. But I want to share it here too.
Carrie Stanley is the founder and creator of Imprints of the Heart and Elle Bird. On her website she tells a tiny piece of the story of how these companies came to be and why they are so important. It's just the tip of the ice berg.
I went to high school with Carrie (wow, a long time ago). We sang in the same choir, went to the same church, and double dated to prom. We both married boys from our home town and had children. But then I moved to California and we live separate lives. Still, I feel connected to her as someone I shared so many of my growing up years with. And as a mother I share a compassionate heart.
Carrie's daughter Leiryn was diagnosed with a terminal illness before she was 2 years old. I followed her Caring Bridge site as Carrie updated with new tests, new struggles, new hope, lost hope, and I cried every step of the way. No one, and I mean no one, should have to go through what Carrie and her family have gone through. And yet, they are so positive. They are still smiling. And they get through one day at a time.
While I cannot begin to compare my own struggles with what the Stanley family has been through, this cause touches a special place in my heart. There was a time when my own daughter was in the NICU, weighing only 3 pounds, that I wasn't sure we were ever going to bring her home. To look at her lying there in an isolette with IVs, a feeding tube, and monitors broke my heart and often my spirit. But eventually we did bring her home, something not all mothers get to do.
I have a necklace that Carrie made for me two years ago with my son's fingerprint on it. Every time I wear it I place my finger over the little indentation that was made by his tiny finger and I remember how blessed I am that he is healthy. I cannot wait to get one made with my daughter's fingerprint. It seems so small, it's just a piece of silver. But it's a piece of my child that I wear over my heart. And for families who have lost a child that piece is all they have.
Carrie has an infectious laugh and contagious spirit that I can see in her daughter's eyes when I look at pictures. She started Imprints of the Heart and Elle Bird to help other families who are dealing with similar struggles, illness, and the loss of a child. It's important. Please, please read her story, watch the video, and support Elle Bird. Every dollar is one step closer to helping a family receive a precious keepsake. www.ellebirdstudios.com
