Monday, April 14, 2008

Annabelle Baskets

During one of our first days in PCICU (as we were having a bow fashion show before Annabelle's first surgery), Scott mentioned to me that every little girl in there should be dolled up just as our precious daughter. We were fortunate enough to know months in advance about Annabelle's heart so we could prepare and pack- learning that bows were allowed. Many families either don't know that they will be spending their child's first days in the ICU or don't have the resources or don't know that baby stuff is allowed until they are already far from home. We committed to giving every little baby girl that comes into the PCICU some girl stuff from Annabelle in those first days and now we are going to make it happen.
I am in the process of putting together the first handful of many "Annabelle Baskets". It will include a small stuffed animal/babydoll (such as the ones that held her ventilator tubes in place and she is buried with- the nurses love these to help with their lines), a pair of girly socks (heart babies feet are always cold), a pink bow (of course!) and a letter from Annabelle to her heart sisters.
Saving Little Hearts, our congential heart diseaese support group for SC, has agreed to distribute them since they already take care packages to MUSC and are in the loop. They will also be notifying all the pediatric cardiologists in our state of the Annabelle Baskets so they can let their patients (either in utero or born) know about them. Scott and I are excited about delivering the first Annabelle Basket ourselves!
It is our prayer that our daughter's life & ministry continue to touch the precious families that find themselves in the same situation that we were in. It is very hard for parents to see their newborn baby in an ICU awaiting open heart surgery just as soon as they've given birth. We hope that this will help them celebrate the beautiful life they've been blessed with!
If you are interested in helping, please contact me through the comments or through my email.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would be honored to be a part of Annabelle's Baskets! Put us to work!
Kelly Potter (and Reagan!)

Anonymous said...

I would love to help with Annabelle's Baskets! What a beautiful idea! When can I start? Thinking of you all!Gretchen Westbrock

Anonymous said...

I would love to help put together some baskets - what a beautiful slide show! Thinking of you all - see you Wed with dinner :) Barbara

The Chavis Family said...

Rebecca,
Joe and I would love to help. I'll email you. What a WONDERFUL way to honor Annabelle's life and all that God has done!! Only you would know what others would need. Thanks for showing us a way to help.
Love you, Kim

~Sara~ said...

I am so honored to be a part of remembering Annabelle. Thank you for letting us be a part!

Hugs,

Sara
Saving Little Hearts
sara@savinglittlehearts.com

crowfamily said...

I have been following your story for only a few weeks, but I have been moved by your faith. I came across your family from a friend's blog (their daughter has HLHS). I would love to get involved in Annabelle Baskets. Is there anyway that I can help out from Arkansas? (That is where I live) I would love to try and get our womens church group involved, too. Please give me as many details as to what you need us to do. Thank you!
Jessica Crow
crowmommy@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

please let me know what I can do. I would be thrilled to help with these baskets to honor such a wonderful little girl.
Kim Keeney

Cami said...

I would love to do something to help you with your Annabelle baskets. Do you want money? Let me know what I can do.... I am a friend of Gracie Gledhill in Utah.
Cami
clfamily7@msn.com

tompkins family said...

I would also be happy to help. I'm sure you will never be short-handed! I live in Charleston and Ann works on 7C, so we just minutes away. Would financial contributions be better or do you need "worker bees" for Annabelle's project? My email is
jpt1946@comcast.net

The Tompkins' Family
Mt. Pleasant, SC

marty said...

"Annabelle Baskets" is a wonderful idea. I've been waiting for some way to do something in rememberance of sweet Annabelle. Thank you for coming up with this thoughtful tribute. I can't come and help but my husband and I would like to make a donation to this cause. Plese post an address i can send a check to. We continue to lift your family in prayer each day. Love from NC, Marty

Lindsay Dean said...

I would actually like to order one!!! That way, a piece of Annabelle will be with Lindsay rooting for her in a way. So, if you are willing to send one, I will email my address to you to do so. If were weren't in Michigan, I would love to help make the baskets for all of the children at the hosptal. You guys are just amazing! What good therapy for you as well. We think of you everyday and even though we have never met, I feel as though we have known you forever. Just wierd when something like this brings people together. God does know what he is doing and I was meant to find all of you. I hope you are holding up well and please let me know if there is anything that I can buy and send your way in order to help make those baskets.
Love,
Suzie Dean

tompkins family said...

It's me again!!! I continue to check this blog and continue to be totally amazed by Rebecca, Scott and Wyatt. Not to leave Annabelle's heart and spirit out.
This child of your's, Rebecca, did more on her short journey on this earth than most adults do in a lifetime. God must love you very much to have chosen you to be her parents and to continue
her work here on earth. His Plan is Divine... God bless you all and here's hoping to be a small part of Annabelle's continuing mission by participating in the basket ministry.

The Tompkins Family
Mt. PLeasant, SC

Anonymous said...

We would love to be a part of such a loving lasting memory through such a wonderful, dear family. Please let us know how we can help!

Jason and Rebecca Berry

Anonymous said...

Please let me know what I can do to help. I would love to be involved and I can make hairbows!! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to help.
Sarah K. Smith

Anonymous said...

I would love to help in any way I can! It is such a sweet thought. We think of you daily and would love to remember sweet Annabelle. Love,
Leah French

Anonymous said...

I would love to help you and Scott! Just let me know what to do. What a wonderful way to honor Annabelle and a wonderful way to share her spirit with others!

Leigh Ann Gandy

Erica May said...

Rebecca,
What a perfect song! I have heard it before, but it now has new meaning! I am in tears as I look at your blog for the loss of Annabelle, the hurt you all feel, but most importantly for the lives she touched and changed in such a short time! Your faith is so strong and I know God still has big plans for you all! I would love to help with anything and can't wait to get together for lunch soon!
God Bless!
Erica May

Anonymous said...

I would absolutely love to help you with Annabelle's Baskets!!! What a thoughtful and special thing to do! Let me know how I can help! Our thoughts and prayers are with you all daily.
Much love,
Caroline
p.s. hope you had a nice weekend away.

Kacy said...

Hi Rebecca, what a wonderful idea! I would love to help in any way, just email/call me and let me know what we can do! The first night after I had Mary Clare and the first time I saw her in PC-IC, she had a tiny bow that Joy placed in her hair. I remember thinking how beautiful she looked and I was so grateful to Joy for that small gesture. It is easy to forget that a life must also be celebrated while so much is going on. Annabelle baskets will do just that. I will be honored to be apart of it! Love, Kerri Pennington

Anonymous said...

The slide show is just beautiful! Wyatt and Annabelle together is so precious and she looks like she had a special secret just for him.
You are such an amazing person! And what a wonderful witness for God's love and grace you continue to be for all the other families with little special hearts. I would love to help you pink up all the little babies! Just let me know when! :)
Love- Karen

The Hardy Family said...

Rebecca,
Count me in to help you in any way I can! This is such a great idea and such a neat way to minister to other families who are experiencing the same thing you all did. Annabelle's legacy will continue to live on and touch so many people because of her amazing mom and dad. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to help you.
Love you,
Lea

Anonymous said...

Annabelle will touch more lives with her precious life than most of us do with ours!! I am so honored to help assist you in making her story travel through time and help families facing difficulties you know so well. I can't wait to see where God takes this, and how far reaching the effects are!!! Your willingness to follow God's plan is of epic proportions! I am continually amazed by all of you!!!
With continued prayer and support,
Dene Johnston

Julie Miles said...

Rebecca and Scott,

What a great ministry you have come up with! I would offer to help but we're still in the process of trying to get our own heart family support group started here in NC with care packages and all like SLH so we're going to be busy too. I'm so glad that Annabelle's legacy will be able to live on and help encourage other families!

Lomu's said...

You don't know my family, but I have been following your blog, and I can't even describe to you how it has touched my life. It definetly makes me appreciate life, and realize how precious it really is. I would love to help with those baskets, I have had a child at Primary Childrens Hospital for a seizure condition, and seeing those sick children always makes me want to do more. I would love to donate money, please let me know how. Thank you for allowing my family to be touched my yours.
Sincerely, Andrea

John said...

We want to thank you so much for the basket. Lorelei is home and doing great. It brought tears to our eyes to read your blog. Please let us know how we can help with the baskets. It is the least we can do after all the support we have been given through our journey with Lorelei.