December, THE MONTH OF RECKLESS LOVE! Don't worry, Folks - there are still plenty of ways for you to still participate and to continue Ellie Kate's legacy of love. I will get to more of that here in a moment, but you can start right now by changing your Facebook Profile picture and even your background photo as well!
Yesterday would have been Ellie Kate's TENTH birthday! This ten-year mark has been quite emotional for me, as I still remember the sites, sounds and smells surrounding the hospital and her birth in such a real way. In our minds, Ellie Kate will always be SEVEN, for that is the age she was when we last saw her. A beautiful, happy, joyful seven-year-old girl with gorgeous green eyes and light brown, curly hair.
I must say - I didn't want yesterday to end! It was just such a happy day and Mike and I were smiling, laughing and remembering with joy, the entire day. He was able to take off of work this year, which was a huge gift to me. Late Thursday night, I dug through Ellie's "Precious Box" and found so many treasures - endless school projects with Ellie's fingerprints and handprints, school pictures, artwork from Wonderfully Made at Bridgeway Church . . . the photo albums seem to be the most precious though, marking milestones in Ellie's life, along with everyday things as well. Happy days, sad days, hard days, triumphant days - they are all there, documented in photo form for us to remember, always. I am so grateful to have these tangible reminders.
"Ellie's Spot" decorated for her Birthday and for Christmas
Something so sweet happened and it was just too precious not to share here with all of you . . . as many of you know, we are incredibly grateful for Mike's current job at Ascent Resources. Mike works in oil and gas, which is a very tough industry right now. All of the low gas prices take a HUGE toll on companies like my husband's (side note - those in Oklahoma need to pray for prices in oil and gas to rise because so much of our state depends upon this industry). Mike's company has been supportive of our family in every possible way, loving us through hospital stays, ER visits, last-minute emergency calls from me, when I've needed Mike to come home and help with Henry during a bad flare. These same folks donated gifts in Ellie Kate's honor - gifts to be delivered to Children's. They also gave us birthday cards for Ellie Kate, including precious messages from each co-worker. I've never seen something so thoughtful, especially from such a large group. It took my breath away to see Ellie's name written on the cards and to see the prayers and encouraging words, especially when most of these people never even met EK. As her mother, I felt honored and touched that, even after three years, My Daugther's story is still being shared to new people and new people are learning to recklessly love because of all that Ellie Kate endured here on earth. Thank you, Lord for this most unexpected, tender gift from you!
One of our MOST favorite parts of Ellie's Month of RL is delivering gifts to OU Children's Hospital in her honor. Yesterday was the day we took gifts door to door, along with our friend Cara from Child Life. These are the gifts YOU donated and purchased through the Amazon Wish List! We were overwhelmed that, after THREE years, you would still be willing to give - you would still be willing to take the time to get online and purchase gifts in Ellie Kate's honor. Some of you brought gifts to our house or brought gifts to Mike's office. We also delivered darling parent packets this year - "Thirty One" bags full of comforting items to make their hospital stay more bearable. Knowing that sacrifices were made on behalf of little ones at OU Children's, and that they were made in honor of OUR Daughter . . . it just means more than you could ever possibly know or understand, although I do pray God will give you a taste of our gratefulness!
Our Annual Pic before the Big Delivery of Gifts!
This picture doesn't do justice to the many things that were donated this year! There were SO many gifts given out last night and we were also able to share Ellie's story and encourage the hearts of families like ours!
Each gift, each item had either a special letter included or a darling "Reckless Love" sticker, which were made by Jay Lohman at Boss Printing Design. Jay and his sweet wife Sarah donated these cute stickers and got them ready in less than 24hrs! What a gift!
Stickers include our blog address so that people can read Ellie's entire story!
There are many of you who've contacted us, wanting to contribute in some way or give gifts in Ellie Kate's honor. Even though we've already delivered our gifts to Children's Hospital, there are several ways you can still give - even by purchasing gifts for children who are sick or suffering from serious and rare diagnosis like Ellie Kate. Hope Link, the non-profit we founded in EK's honor back in 2007, assists families who are in similar situations as us. There are several aspects to Hope Link and we are incredibly proud of all that God alone has done in and through this sweet ministry!
This year, Hope Link has TEN families who have been adopted for Christmas. Each family was chosen by Hope Link leadership and is deserving and in need of assistance. Each family has at least one child who is living with a serious disease or disorder. In several cases, families have multiple children with serious diagnoses. Medical bills pile up, even when you are blessed with good insurance coverage and a great support system. Our goal in adopting our Hope Link families is to lift the burden of purchasing gifts when they are trying to make ends-meet. This allows the entire family to focus on what's really important this Christmas - the birth of Jesus and time with each other.
We've asked each family to choose three items for every family member. There is a Hope Link Amazon Wish List - you can easily go here and buy a gift for one of these family members. It would mean the world to us for you to bless a Hope Link family in Ellie Kate's honor! So, if you didn't get to order from Ellie's Wish List before her birthday (yesterday), if you are just now joining in on the blog OR if you are looking for another way to go out and recklessly love others this Christmas . . . click HERE and purchase one of these Christmas gifts. By doing so, you will bring so much joy to these families whom we so dearly love!
Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we face the ups and downs that this month brings. We covet your encouragement, love, prayers, texts, cards, calls and everything else that Reckless Love leads you to do. Please do let us know how you are serving and loving those around you!
With HOPE in Christ,
Ryan
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FOR WAYS TO GIVE while receiving a tax write-off (simply click on the links in blue):
*Give to the Ellie Kate Project through Helping Hands Ministries - This is the family medical fund, and ALL donations go directly to Lucy Belle and Henry's medical costs.
*Give to OKC Hope Link- - a ministry we help lead; Hope Link reaches families of children with rare, serious and undiagnosed disorders.
*Give to NKH Crusaders and help us find a cure for this terrible disease which causes GI issues, epilepsy, extreme developmental delays, mental retardation, and more.
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