204 Months

Happy 17th birthday, our sweet Lola Grace!

We received a small package in the mail from Bookwork Gardens a couple days before Lola’s birthday. For many of Lola’s birthdays, we’ve donated or purchased something in her memory. It really is a magical spot. A must stop on our visits home.

The letter was about the “Butterfly Effect” and how small acts can create big impacts. Our actions can make a change, or make a difference. Of course, they asked for support and donations but this message has been sitting with me...

“The Butterfly Effect”-how many people, families, or even organizations has Lola had an impact on in the past 17 years? In my heart, I hope it’s many. Maybe her story. Maybe her picture. A donation in her memory. Helping others by spreading an act of kindness in her homor. For me, Lola has provided life-changing moments that I could have never imagined.

I didn’t find a penny today, but I saw so many different butterflies and it brought me the tiniest bit of joy. Trying our best to celebrate and carry on Lola’s memory, we pixie-dusted some Disney items around Vero Beach this morning with a little pink tag that read:

“You’ve been Pixie-Dusted in memory of Lola Grace.”

We’re hoping whoever found these special little Disney treasures had a little extra joy added to their day. The Butterfly Effect.

We wrote her name and birthday in a shell. Finley etched her name in the sand. JP bought pink roses, and Milo was along for the ride.

Her special candle was lit for 17 minutes, and Finley thinks her favorite color would be green, so he wrote a happy birthday message just for her on green paper. (Remember her room was green and blue!)

We’re also buying “glitter” for Bookwork Gardens in Lola's memory. A special leaf we picked off their giving tree when we were there in July. We all agreed Lola would like glitter!

I think a lot about the last time our hearts beat together and the last time we were able to hold  Lola. I always wonder what she would look like, and what memories we would have made. I miss her everyday but I know the impact she’s having on the world.

I bet heaven agrees. We will meet again.

Love,
The Mother of an Angel

203 Months ( A little over...)

I know I missed writing on the 16th last month. I remember the day so clearly. I was lying in bed at our Airbnb and realizing, close to midnight, that I was going to miss writing it.

Lately, I’ve been trying to approach life with the mindset that it’s okay if things don’t go exactly as I planned or wanted. I’m learning to go with the flow, and especially on vacation, that felt okay.

Our summer adventure in Wisconsin was absolutely full of Lola moments!

There were the six-plus pennies we found. "Special pennies from Heaven." There was our visit to Bookworm Gardens, where we got to see her granite book and her brick. The boys sitting on the rocking chairs in the garden and waiting for these little girls to finish reading their books...just so I could get one picture of her book and my dad's. Even though she isn’t here with us, it became a new memory we get to carry with us. 

I’ll always remember Finley writing “Lola” on the water wall and then turning around and smiling at me. If my memory serves me right, I think he even put a heart next to it.

Those little moments mean so much.

This summer trip was so good for my soul. It reminded me that even when life doesn’t look the way I imagined it would, there are still a lot of beauitful unexpected moments.

Thank you, Lola, for being part of our summer memories. 

Love,

The Mother of an Angel