Remembering Emily – 3 Years

In September 2022 came the 3-year anniversary of my daughter Emily’s stillbirth. I try to write my Remembering Emily posts in time to post on her birthday, but I was not able to do so this year. Her due date is today, November 26, so I thought now would be a good time to post it instead. On her 3rd birthday I chose to honor my Emily in the following ways.

Purple Frosted Cupcakes / Purple Balloon

In keeping with my belief that God told me Emily’s favorite color is purple, I made cupcakes with purple frosting. They were chocolate, of course, because we love our chocolate cake. Once they were frosted I let my older son help apply the sprinkles.

I made some letter “E” toppers with white fondant, but I didn’t have enough prepared to put them on all of the cupcakes. Maybe I will try it again next year with the alphabet cutters I bought!

My intention when visiting her grave was to have three purple balloons to decorate the area. By the time her birthday arrived, I only had one left, so instead I wrote a “3” on the balloon. I hope she would have been just as delighted by the single balloon with the “3” as she would have been trying to choose between three unmarked balloons all at once.

Hair Donation

Generally, I like to keep my hair long. The only time I have my hair cut short is when I donate it to a charity organization called Wigs for Kids. This organization uses the donated hair to prepare hair prosthetics for cancer patients or others who have lost their hair from physical illness.

My last donation cut was in February 2018 and it takes about 4 years to grow my hair long enough, so it was time for another one. This year I chose to donate my hair in honor of Emily, who had no hair when she was born. I won’t know who will receive the hair prosthetic, but I do know it was received by Wigs for Kids. Prayerfully, it will boost significantly the recipient’s confidence and hope for recovery.

Backpack Donation

Emily very likely would have entered preschool this year. I purchased a backpack I thought she would like and filled it with art supplies, then I took it to a nearby preschool she might have attended.

When I arrived at the school lobby, I explained the situation and that the backpack was to be given to the family who was most in need of it. The very next day I received an email from the mother of three girls who sent pictures of her littlest one enjoying the backpack.

She told me her little girl was used to hand-me-downs and it brought her so much joy to have something of her own. It was a blessing to my heart to know my daughter’s legacy was being carried by this family. I hope that little girl will be friends with Emily someday. God willing, it will be many years from now after she has lived a full life here on earth.