First, we celebrated Selah's first birthday on October 29, 2013 by going to UNC Hospital and giving books that are now being given out to families who are experiencing similar situations that our family experienced the year before in that very hospital. The book we decided to donate was the same book we read to Selah, "On the Night You Were Born," by Nancy Tillman. This book meant a lot to us and our family so we wanted to share it with others. We contacted the author and she sent us to the publisher who donated 20 hardcover copies of the book, which we were very thankful for.
We stayed in Chapel Hill for the night and went to dinner together to reflect on our little girl's life and impact she had on so many. It continues to amaze us how many people tell us how much our story and her story have impacted their lives. But we just want to point to Jesus and share His message through our lives.
Another way we celebrated Selah's birthday was by having a balloon release with a few of our close family and friends. We then had a small party with birthday cake. For those who have never lost a child, we realize that some of these things may seem strange to you. But we try to figure out the best way to continue to honor Selah's life and the blessing that she was to us. We are thankful to get to have a birthday party in her honor.
Another way we intend to honor and share our daughter is in participating in community outreach events that help continue Selah's legacy. So, for her second birthday we decided to do something a little different. This year we want to donate needed items to the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill that houses families who have children in the Children's Hospital. Although we did not use the Ronald McDonald House, they were very helpful in finding hotel rooms for our family members and friends while we were in the hospital with Selah.
We have decided to collect items up until her birthday that we will then take and donate to the Ronald McDonald House and the families it serves. The items needed range from food to household items to gift cards for food, gas, and groceries. Many of these families are out of work for weeks or months on end and we know that they will get great benefit from any items donated. Brittany and I intend to donate several items on our own, but we would love your help with this as well. Below you will find a list of the most needed items for the house and/or families. If you would like to help us donate items for this cause or have questions about donating, please feel free to contact one or both of us on Facebook. We will be delivering the items on her second birthday, October 29, 2014.
*Items needed:
-Paper towels -Laundry detergent
-Toilet paper -Clorox/Lysol wipes
-Plastic wrap -Aluminum foil
-Gallon/quart Ziploc bags -Batteries (AA, AAA, C)
-Toothbrushes, toothpaste -Floss
-Travel size toiletries -Feminine products
-Coffee creamer/sweetener -Cookie/Brownie mix
-Juice boxes -Granola bars/PopTarts/cereal
*Gift card ideas:
-Food Lion -Harris Teeter
-Lowes Foods -Dominoes Pizza
-Carrabba's -Panera
-Outback -Red Robin
-Burger King -McDonald's
-Wendy's -Pre-paid Visa/Mastercard giftcards
-Starbucks -Walmart/Target
Thanks so much for your help in this endeavor. We hope to bless many families with these items in just a few weeks. Selah's legacy continues to impact our community even two years later.
Blessings,
Jason and Brittany
