pray for daisy

i "met" daisy after her story had already been written.

she was a beacon of light and pink butterflies who passed away four days ago from cancer. but her story and her message have made it around the world at LEAST four times. at least.

if you have the time and some spare tissue, i suggest reading her story at prayfordaisy.com . watch a video or two. read her parents' brave words and outward hope they carried since learning their kindergartner had a rare form of childhood cancer three years ago.

i sat here crying like a crazy person when boy wonder came to see what was wrong. "why do you do that to yourself and watch it?" he asks. it's a fair question.

as a mama, how can i not? i am blessed so far to have healthy, happy, amazing babies. some not so baby-ish anymore, but still. bright, shiny babies. but the truth...the hard, gut-wrenching truth is that not all mamas' children are healthy. they get sick. they go through hell and back in treatments and testing. some get better. some don't. but they all have a life worth learning about and remembering and honoring.

"that's all i'm doing," i tell my anxious child who hates it when my mascara runs down my face like a crazy person. "i'm hearing her story and saying a prayer for daisy love."

daisy's mama wrote the following on the family web site. you should read it. it's advice from her and the family for living from this day forward.

My final request to all who read this blog: love. Love your babies, your husbands, mothers, sisters. Love each day like it’s your last. All you mamas out there, you have been entrusted with the precious gift of a human life who depends on you. Enjoy your gift. Breathe in the scent of your child’s hair, breath. Let them cook with you and make a mess of the kitchen. Play hide and seek with them, build sand castles with them, take them on picnics, read to them!  Listen to them, value and respect them, never shame them.  Your words they will carry with them their whole life and you have the power to give them wings or stunt their growth. Motherhood can be tough but it’s worth it. It can be exhausting, boring, tedious, but never for long. You blink and they’re grown. It has been my honor and privilege to love Daisy these last 8 years. I’m thankful for every minute; the joyful and the terrible alike.

“I know The Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:8-11 NLT)

daisy love's memorial service will be february 23. it will be live streamed and to give you an idea of how amazing this little girl truly was, she wanted people to dress up like characters from the 1979 cartoon version of "the hobbit" (boy wonder's and my favorite movie to watch together).

god bless, daisy love. and love and peace to your grieving family.