Where this all started

After Ellie died, there was understandably a hole in my heart.  It was so empty and nothing filled it up.  With her birthday closing in, we decided to have a party. But what do you do at a birthday party when the birthday girls isn't there?  So we decided to do something for someone else.  We chose a charity that was close to one our nurse's hearts and the idea of Ellie's Birthday Party was born.  

As good as it felt to do good and watch the amount of donations roll in, she still wasn't there. Over the next few years we raised money...a lot of money for different cancer charities and kept on celebrating Ellie's birthday by choosing other charities to help, but that hole wasn't filling up.  After each big event or fundraiser, I'd wake up the next day as empty as the day before.  

I knew I wanted to do something that shared our love of Jesus, in Ellie's name. I think the problem was I was making it all about Ellie for the first few years. Then I heard about Hope for Appalachia.  I remember driving to school, I remember exactly where I was in the car when I first heard them on the radio. God spoke to my heart and told me that was my next charity.  We reached out to Pastor Mike and told him our story and what we wanted to do.  

In 2017 we packed 120 Hope Boxes in my basement!

I don't remember the exact feeling that next day.  But a few weeks later, Richard and I headed to Kentucky on our first mission trip ever to deliver these boxes. 

And I remember that feeling.  I remember being exhausted in the best way ever!  I remember feeling so nervous and excited all at the same time! After that trip, I knew we had found our place!  It went from 120 boxes, to 400, 500, to 600, to 1061, to this year's 1625! We went from covering a few grade levels to covering an entire county.  The biggest thing is that this has become more about spreading the good news of Jesus and less about Ellie.  

I was so worried in the beginning she would be forgotten.  Raised all the money, spoke at all the events, just so I could talk about her.  That was my way to deal with grief, if I talked about her, it made her real, it made her life seem worth it.  The more and more Hope Boxes we made, the more I realized she will always be in my heart.  I will always carry her story with me wherever I go, be it work or to Kentucky.  Telling people about Ellie doesn't change their eternity but hearing about Jesus does. God has led me to an organization where I get to tell people my story of how God used a little girl with cancer to help kids in Kentucky! 

We just celebrated Ellie's birthday for the 8th time without her. Never fails to hit me the next day.  I feel empty again...but it sure doesn't take long for me to remember to fill that hole up with the thought that He has always been right there.  He holds me up when I feel like I can't stand anymore. He helps me breathe when I can't find the patience or the breath. Reminders of all He has done! 

Thank you all for making it possible! Without your continuous donations we couldn't do this.  Thank you for being faithful and allowing us to share our passion with you! Thank you!

We have one last fundraiser to top off our Hope Boxes and purchase some bibles to take with us.  If you are interested in a shirt or a hat, please visit our fundraising page by clicking the picture below! (You only have till Friday to order).

I do have a prayer request.  Please pray for our mission trip. Please pray that the doors will be open to the schools and that we will be able to talk to the kids!

Prayers, Praise and Pink

~ Carly