The Spohrs

Perhaps you remember this little girl? I can't get her off my mind. I've been thinking about Maddie for weeks now, praying that her family will find some ounce of peace without their baby girl. And I've been thinking about what on earth I could possibly do for the Spohrs. I'm a complete stranger to them. But they are not strangers to me.

Remember when I was high risk pregnancy lady? And every week we were relieved to find that I was not in heart failure yet? I (we) lived through that pregnancy praying that we wouldn't have to take the baby early, that my body would stay healthy enough for her to make it through 40 weeks in utero. And we were so very very blessed that she did make it the whole way, a week over in fact. So many people have the look of sympathy when I tell them that I was induced at 41 weeks, but guys, really, being 41 weeks pregnant was not that bad for me. I wasn't all that uncomfortable. I'd rather be that fat and pregnant for extra month than go through the hell that was the first 16 weeks of my pregnancy. And my baby wasn't born early, she didn't have to go to the NICU (for more than an hour), we didn't have doctors bills out the wazoo, and I didn't have to live through that constant fear that my baby wouldn't make it. We got lucky.

But, while we were still expecting the worst (but praying for the best), I found Heather's blog. Maddie was in the NICU. And let me tell you, that little girl was an inspiration. She fought her hardest, and she won! She lived! She came home! She became such a beautiful little girl! I remember thinking, "If we have a premie, we can get through it. We can fight hard, just like Maddie."

Anyway, so I've been thinking. And then I found this. If you are too lazy to go to the link, here's the post in a nutshell: this girl and her best friend decided that to honor Maddie Spohr they would go to their local NICU bearing gifts in the form of "Parent Survial Kits," an idea inspired by Heather herself. Basically it's what every NICU parent needs: kleenex, lotion, chapstick, antibacterial lotion, wet wipes, energy bars, etc. All in a purple bag (Maddie's favorite color).

OK, this is an awesome idea. Inspired, really. So that's what I'm going to do. It might take me a while to get all the stuff together, but I am fully planning on bringing some kits to the Dixie NICU. And if any of you guys want to help out, donate some time/products/money, you just let me know. Because, really, it's a beautiful way to honor such a special girl, and to help alleviate someone else's burden in some small way. Who's with me?