Hi y’all!

I worked on Colette’s memory box; you know those shadow boxes you can keep things in? I did one of those for Coley. Of course, the box had to come from Hobby Lobby, a favorite of mine, and I am SURE it would have been one of her favorites too. So I put it together and love it so much. Legit. I have enough to do another one, so I gotta get on that band wagon too. But anyway, I made it and I am so proud. I’m in a Hobby Lobby Fanatics page, I told you, I’m legit on my love for HobLob, and I posted Colette’s finished box. OVER ONE THOUSAND “likes” and HUNDREDS of comments…Whoa! (Chin drop…) What kills me is I keep being told how “inspirational” I am or “how strong” I am, or a slew of other really sweet comments, in their right way, but not at all, at the same time. Does that make sense? I mean, thank you, but I don’t really have a CHOICE. Loosing a child MAKES you strong; there’s no other real option but to fall apart into depression and quit living. Being inspirational is the same…not TRYING to, but just survive. Do things that would make Colette proud of her Mama and trying to take those lemons and make lemonade….or vodka with lemons, depending on the day! I’m trying to d the next right thing; I’m trying to live a life making choices Colette would smile on, becoming a bereaved Mama and living the best I can. If it ends up being inspirational or strong or whatever, it’s just a byproduct. I still cry at night occasionally. I cried when this memory box was finished. I cried over hearing about the Colette Cook Hasty Memorial Library, was approved at the Ronald McDonald House, in Austin where we stayed. I cry over missing her at times when life just doesn’t seem fair. I let myself cry and to feel the love I have for her. Then, I wipe away my tears (hoping I didn’t cry hard enough to loosen my eyelashes!) and go back to work. Choosing Colette, is up to 4 partners, maybe 5, to donate bows to, in memory of our Coley-Girl, to other families in similar spots we’ve been in. I’ve been contacted and asked if I would be willing to partner with different Boutiques to sell Choosing Colette bows and headbands I make. WOW! I started Choosing Colette for MY healing and to meet other families in some of their darkest and scariest days, with a simple bow to remind them their child matters; their life, however brief, matters and to always CHOOSE life. And now… it’s REALLY turning into something REAL. My jaw is on the floor. How did I get from a bereaved Mama who cried all day, healing from an emergency c-section, crying all day long, to seven weeks later, these bows will be in Boutiques? How did this happen? It’s so wild to me! But I am SO thankful. All I keep hearing is, “beauty from ashes”. I agree.