Day 18 {beauty for her to remember}
I can’t believe I am even writing Day 18. My daughter and I have been in the hospital for 18 days. In this hospital room it is like time has stood still, but I know life as normal has gone on outside these walls. Our days here are the same. They have been full of waiting. It makes me think of Dr. Seuss…”Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of guy!” Later today we are escaping all this waiting and staying…later today we are going home!!!
In all this waiting and staying I looked up what the most current Craft Hope project is….bracelets for orphans. There are two things FireCracker has loved the most while we are here: stickers and bracelets. As I thought through this I began dreaming up a fun party to throw when we get home. I’ve collected ideas and brainstormed ways I could make it a cute girly celebration….celebrating being home again and celebrating good friends. I saw this inspiration board on pinterest and thought it would be a perfect jumping off point for my bracelet making party.
{Source: Visual Vocabulary “First Birthday Inspiration Board” found via pinterest}
My daughter’s middle name means “fair warrior”. One of our prayers for her is that she would be a voice for those that have none…that she would fight for those that can’t. There is no doubt that for years and years to come she’ll hear the story about breaking her leg and ending up in the hospital for a few weeks. Her leg will most likely always bare two little scars reminding her of this time. As I think through that I don’t want the story to end there. In the years to come when she hears the story I want there be something more than a broken bone for her to associate with this time. So in these final days at the hospital I’ve been making bracelets. Instead of throwing a cute party in our field, I’ve invited friends to stop by the hospital and make one too. When I get to leave here with my girl, I am also going to leave with a bag of handmade bracelets for children that may never know the overwhelming love from others that we have felt in this hospital. I hate being here. I hate that my tiny daughter is stuck on her back in traction. However, one day I will get to share with my daughter how even in a horribly tough circumstance God used her as a tiny girl to show His love and grace to those in deep need.
So I got busy making bracelets and she checked them for size. We had fun in the quiet moments crafting and laughing.
Others joined in. My grandpa even made one – which was so incredibly special to me. Thank you grandpa for doing that! I cherish this photo. My grandpa’s hands have built so many things for me…it is beautiful to see those same hands making a bracelet for a little one.
Stuck on her back with a metal rod drilled through her leg my girl giggles when she fills her arms with bracelets. I can’t help but think that maybe a little girl who very deeply knows the pain of life without loving parents might find a few moments of joy when she places a bracelet we made on her little arm. And in this painful time for our family, we’ve discovered beauty.
Resources:
Join the fun in making bracelets for the Orphan Project, find out details, deadlines & shipping info here
