I haven’t written anything in a long time and I wasn’t planning to write anything until I started to make an Instagram post and it got way too long! So I thought it might be nice to make a post on Marcella’s page and here we are!! 

Three years ago, we were in the thick of everything and living minute to minute. I look back on those days and miss them in a weird way, but also wish I could tell myself all would be OK.

We celebrated Marcella’s third birthday, like we have in years past, by collecting contributions to her CICU birthday donation. This year was amazing for many reasons and one of those is that we got to deliver all the goodies IN PERSON to Children’s Hospital. It was amazing to get to meet the people I’ve been emailing back and forth organizing and working everything out with - they are awesome individuals who really do great things!

We were able to deliver the goodies to Children’s this evening and they were so appreciative of all that we were able to give. We were able to provide the 15 sound machines they asked for, 98 art canvases, 5 acrylic paint sets with 66 paints in each, 77 toys/rattles for the babies, several books, and lots of Amazon Giftcards for them to give to families or use as needed. I am blown away and so grateful for those who help us keep Marcella’s memory and spirit alive. She is still touching lives today and that makes us so happy.

It was also very special to go back to, what we affectionately call, Marcella’s home and be back in the halls that hold so many memories (good and bad!) for us. Even Kenzie and Will have memories and that became apparent when we walked into the Cafe and Will said, “Oh yeah, I’ve been here. Grandma and Grandpa brought us here when we visited Marcella for the last time”. He even chose to sit in the exact same table they sat at back then!

I was worried when Marcella passed away that she would be forgotten, but because of our fabulous family and friends, she continues to live on and touch others. I am SO grateful for that!! I miss her every single day and I wish she was with us, but I am so happy and grateful for the way we are keeping her memory and spirit alive. I am so happy with how Kenzie and Will talk about her with Isabelle. I am so happy Isabelle notices when I take Marcella’s picture down and says “uh oh” when it is missing, like something isn’t right and smiles when I put it back up. I am so happy that our little angel continues to touch other lives each year around her birthday and I am so darn appreciative, honored, and thrilled we have family and friends that make that possible with us!!!!