If you haven’t been reading Julie’s blog, you need to start. Like now. Subscribe, bookmark, Google read, whatever.
I really try to be disciplined about the number of blogs I read.
Joy’s Hope is definately in my top 5.
Julie is hysterical. She is crafty. She is *real*. You might consider taking a day off work, dropping the kids off at grandma’s…because you’ll likely spend hours reading back through all of her posts.
If you are new to this blog, read HERE to get a sense of what this is all about.
* * * *
It was a happy normal day.
I had been contracting all weekend.
The ladies at bible study were giving me tips on how to jumpstart labor.
Funny tips.
I had my last OB appointment that afternoon.
The clothes were washed.
The room was painted.
The crib was built.
The suitcase was packed.
The carseat was safely buckled in the back of our car.
We were ready.
But in fact, we were far from ready.
Not ready in any sense of the word.
Not ready to hear the words “there is no heartbeat.”
Not ready for the dark and scary road that suddenly was in front of us.
The road we were forced to suddenly walk.
A road where babies die.
Where arms are empty.
Where planning a memorial and choosing a casket are part of the journey.
Two days later I gave birth to our 6lb. 8oz. daughter
Joy Emma.
Our daughter that we would never see take her first steps.
Graduate from high school.
Get married.
Have children of her own.
Everything we planned, everything we knew, changed that day.
We were parents without a child.
Grieving for a future that we would not see.
Dreams that would not come true.
Our hearts broke that day.
We became different people.
What we did not realize is that we became better people.
Stronger people.
People who have more strength than we ever imagined.
Love more fully.
Care deeply.
Live passionately.
Serve thankfully.
Give generously.
Long for heaven like nothing else.
That day I never would have imagined the legacy that Joy’s short life would leave.
The people who have been changed and encouraged.
The mother that I am now is an entirely different one than I would have been without Joy.
Every day is a gift.
Every moment is precious.
I am abundantly blessed.
With my three sweet girls here on earth and with my sweet girl in heaven.
My daughter that I will see again.
Hold again.
I realize now that the months of mourning and grieving are just the dark brushstrokes on the beautiful, wonderful painting that is my life.
The painting that is still so much a mystery, but a wonderful masterpiece that will all make perfect sense when it is completed.
I simply cannot wait for that day.
Being a mother who has buried a child, I am gutted to think of anyone else having to face that reality.
What breaks me is knowing that every single day 4,500 mothers have to walk that awful road because their sweet, beloved children died due to lack of clean drinking water.
Every. Single. Day.
I have chosen Charity:Water for their phenomenal work in getting safe water to those who need it most. They have just launched the Unshaken campaign to focus on the water crisis in Haiti.
Just $10 can give one person clean water for ten years.
Ten years.
Ten dollars is a small sacrifice for me, yet can save a life a world away.
Let that sink in.
You can do something so little. To change the world in a big way.
***
And now here’s the best part:
Please consider donating to Charity:water in honor of Joy. In honor of Julie. In honor of mothers and their beautiful babies everywhere.
For His glory.
Don’t be overwhelmed at the thought of giving. You don’t have to give $10,000 for it to make a difference.
Even $1 helps.
If each person who visited this site gave even a teeny, tiny bit…well, let’s just say that it would be amazing.
And to give you a little incentive, every dollar you donate gives you one entry to win one of Julie’s fabulously handmade necklaces in your choice of colors!
Giveaways not your thing? Donate anyway. If you win, give it as a gift. You’ll be a cool friend.
It’s really a pretty good deal all around.
Tweet, Facebook, Blog about this giveaway. It won’t get you extra entries, but it will be worth your time nonetheless.
This fundraiser/giveaway will run until April 16th.
{Typically, donations given would go through GiveForward.org, however, because Charity:water has such an amazing, easy, FREE group fundraising setup, I’ve decided to have us donate directly through them.}
Leave a comment if you’d like telling Julie she is awesome for sharing. :)
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Any way to donate without a credit card?
mub-
YES!
http://www.charitywater.org/donate/giving_information.pdf
I love Julie’s blog, her cause & her passion! I’ve been reading her blog for a while now, ever since you told me about it :) She is hilarious and so real…just like you! Someday I hope you two can meet in real life! Oh, and her necklace would be awesome to win too!
Julie is also one of my top 5 fav blogs – this charity is amazing and I am so glad I am able to give again.
I wish I would have known about this organization a few months ago. Me and the kids baked hundreds and hundreds of muffins to raise $$ for Haiti and we donated it to UNICEF but this looks like a great charity as well.
Love Julie’s blog, so happy I found it a while back, just love her sense of humor!
I Love Julie’s blog and I am so happy that I know have found yours too! Her passion is inspiring- thanks for sharing!
How long will this be going on for the giveaway? Just wondering…..
Kari-it goes for 2 weeks. so April 16th. i know that’s a long time to wait, but it gives us more time to raise money!
I LOVE Julie and her blog! I read about sweet Joy before but it was nice in a bittersweet way to read about her again.For Christmas this past year I wanted part of my gifts to be donations to Charity:water because I loved the idea of helping others in such a simple yet hugely impacting way. Hopefully I’ll be able to donate again! :)
♥
I love Julie’s blog…she makes me laugh and makes me think. She is inspiring and I so appreciate her sharing her life with the blogging world!
So cute!!
I am Johnnie-come-lately with the Welcomistas! But, I wanted to chime in to welcome you to the SITs party:-)
I’ve read and know this story since Julie is a friend… but every time it gets me in a different way. We do live such a blessed life and it’s so amazing that we have the opportunity to help make a difference, to change those horrible statistics. Count me in!
I love reading her blog too! ;)
she has a beautiful spirit and heart!
I adore Julie (through her blog) and hope one day to meet that crafty/inspiring/charitable lady!
I too am a faithful reader of Joy’s blog. It is so inspiring and lovely.
2 things every mom needs more of on a daily basis!
Look at what you started Julie! And Jeannette…such a cool idea to do this. You guys are great. :)
Your story touched my very soul. Beautiful story and beautiful family. Blessings
Sadly I belong to the same club as Julie. Her post could have been easily my post. Our stories are very similar. That scheduled doctor’s appointment, so close to your due date and so excited, then hearing those horrible words that there is no heart beat. It changes your life forever, you are never the same. I came here from SITS, I was thinking of applying to be a featured blogger. Not sure if it would still work since my story is almost identical. But I would fundraise for a different company. Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep…www.nilmdts.org…check them out, its really amazing what they do. Thanks for sharing this.
Just curious, what prompted this article? Did it originate from personal experience or something else?
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