Kendall Keepsake Foundation

So, in building our non profit Ashlee told me to pray for someone to help us with legal stuff. I knew no one to ask. And every Tuesday The Fish would do Random Acts of Kindness, where someone would call in and ask for help with something. I thought about it and decided to call this morning. I posted about it on our FB prayer page last night and got up to listen this morning. The song before they asked people to call in was How He Loves, one of our funeral songs and I started praying hard and crying. I had a feeling something awesome would happen. I told God that no matter if I got through or not, this was going to happen some way or form. I called...

And got through! Shaking and sniffling, and trying to sum up our story quickly.

John called in afterwards and said he'd help! Awesome guy!

We're on our way!

I've said a little here and there about what we'd like to accomplish, so here's more:

To spread the love of Jesus Christ by providing parents of unborn children with an adverse diagnosis with a keepsake package to memorialize their child through creative and personalized art that embraces the legacy of life that God has created.

As prenatal testing advances, more families are finding themselves faced with heartbreaking news and their world comes crashing down. In the mix of emotions, they have choices to make. Do they carry on with the pregnancy?

Some people consider these babies lives medically futile and pointless.

We will be providing a service for these parents to honor their child’s life, no matter how short. We want to provide more information to mothers on the benefits to carrying to term and how it works into God’s natural plan. It’s not about waiting for death, but embracing and celebrating a life.

Choosing to continue a pregnancy is a parenting decision that honors the parent and child. It allows parents to protect their baby for as long as they can; just as if it were another healthy child, doing everything possible for that child’s survival. Then, when and if the child’s death occurs, that time is a peaceful and natural goodbye in God’s timing.

We're building an organization that goes in and works with the parents in the hospital by creating foot and handprint art with the family. Something to display at home that celebrates their life. This will also allow us to be in contact with them before birth and have a way to encourage more mom's to carry to term.

We will be starting locally in Atlanta, targeting certain hospitals. We're going to be building the foundation first and getting a portfolio together, making brochures for the doctors offices, and making a website. Then we can be contacted by the parents; even those who would like it done for a baby that doesn't go full term, therefore getting our foot in the door before termination. And if that is still their decision, then we still have the opportunity to share the word of Christ with these families.

Future target artist could include art therapist, art students, crafty people in general and other grieving family members. For mothers who have been though these situations, giving their time to do art for other parents can act as their own art therapy; a way to remember their child and be able to share their story.

Christmas Ornaments

Keychains

Coasters

Designs

Canvases

Molds

Monogramming

Art for the whole family

Dear Kendall

We miss you and think of your often (non stop in my case). After picking Kristen up from school today, we headed over to the cemetery. I brought a hamburger bun for Drew and Kristen to feed the fish. There are ducks too, but they usually don't come to get food when we've been there with bread. I'm glad feeding the animals makes it a fun place to return with your sister and brother, so we can come often.

Today the cows were out in the adjacent field. We were looking at the baby calves, then it seemed like a stampede started. The horses must have seen us before we saw them, and they came running to see us. The cows knew to get out of the way. Drew was a little scared to be next to such a big animal, but I picked Kristen up to pet the horses.

From there, we went and visited you. Took some pictures and looked around a little before heading over to the pond.

The fish know when people come to feed them. They were waiting, looking at us. They would have followed us around if we didn't stay in one spot. We started feeding the fish a little before the ducks came waddling up. I'm not sure why they didn't fly from where they were. There was one duck that wasn't like the rest. It became a good lesson for Kristen to learn the difference between "weird looking" and "different because God made him that way".

 

"The book" Update

"The Book" will need a title one day, but the working title is A Journey Through Anencephaly, for now. Typed (8.5x11), I have about 67 pages so far. About 24 Chapters. Many of those are the blogs, which you've read. When talking about it, I have been referring to it as "the book". I'm still working through it, on it. Reading I Will Carry You, as well right now. Kirk's cousin sent it to me. thank you Tanya! I'm about half way through. 

A verse I posted on Feb. 23:
1 Cor. 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Endure- to suffer patiently or tolerate.

In short- He won't give you anything you can't handle.  

You might be suffering patiently or tolerating something. He wants us to turn it around and still give Him the glory. The whole passage talks about people baptized into Moses, believers. Christians can stumble too.

Verses 23-33 are good to read as well. We might have the right to do anything, the choice. But that choice isn't always right. 

Bible study break out...  I didn't see that one coming... I typed it as it happened. It's cool that I was just working on "the book", decided to type a little on the "the blog" for an update, and God decides what He wants me to type. 

Don't hesitate to let me know who God wanted to share that with!

Bad timing; I'm human.

This is for all the people that have ever asked someone something and then put your foot in your mouth for asking.... Like: How's your baby? When the answer is not good.

We sit in the same area each Sunday at church, around the same groups of people. Each Sunday we shake hands with the ones around us and say "good morning". Most of the time, that's the extent of it... if I do see someone I don't recognize, then I'll say more.

There's been this couple who we sit around for years, I feel horrible I don't know their names. Our church directory probably needs updating, since it hasn't been done since even Kristen was born. Older couple, could be our parents. The lady has always been excited and sweet when we've been pregnant. Even gave us a gift when we had Drew.

She had a great smile, but I knew that she had recently been sick and not walking very well. Since we'd found out about Kendall's anencephaly, we hadn't sat close enough to chat when shaking hands. But every now and then she'd look over and wave. She might have been the one person I didn't want to disappoint when telling about Kendall, as she always told us that we could be like her kids.

Her husband had been coming to church by himself or with his daughter the last few weeks. And yesterday was the first time we'd sat close enough (right in front of) to talk with him. My thought was that his wife was at home. So when we turn to shake hands, I asked how his wife was doing.... and I was hit with a ton of bricks when he said, "She passed away, so not too good." For the short time we had to stand there, I said my condolences and turned around.

I cried (out of empathy) the entire service, not knowing a word of what the preacher talked about (sorry Bob), it was also communion day. I hadn't gone through 3-4 tissues since in a long while. In our bulletin there are usually loose papers, but not any blank side, but yesterday there was. I didn't have a card, but I wrote him a note about how sweet his wife was and handed to him when we left.

When it was all said and done, I probably felt worse for asking then he did for being asked. That's how I usually feel talking about Kendall. But in hind sight, I like being asked about Kendall, because those will be the only times I get to talk about her. So, like my friend who sent me the picture of the "Kendall Crib", if there is ever anything that reminds you of my baby, please don't feel bad for letting us know. We'd be happy to know she's been thought of.

Happy 2 Month Birthday baby girl!

Update: I received a  Thank You from Jim (husband, Linda wife). Sweet guy with a sweet wife.

Picture Drop

Made Kendall's Flowers

Horses and cows next to cemetery

Friend found Kendall's name while shopping... the BRIGHTEST!

She's with us every where we go!