Countdown

Tomorrow is decorating day at the Festival of Trees. We just loaded the crib, cabinet, bedding, and so much of all the other items we are including with our entry. In the morning, we will load all the rest of these things, and go to set it all up for the final presentation. Opening night is by invitation only, although you can purchase an invitation for cheaper than going to a movie. Opening night is when the bidding will occur. The rest of the week will be for the public to come and enjoy all the entries.

We hope you'll come to support the Festival of Trees, and to see the entry we have been working so hard on for Bridget!

Bedding

This is another update on the entry we are doing in honor of Bridget for the Festival of Trees.

Yesterday I met again with the ladies who make up our decorating committee. We went over all the supplies we have and discussed what we have left to do. We have made a lot of progress so far, and yet still have so much more to work on. We will be meeting again in one week to finalize everything. Decorating day is November 30th!

I had been hearing all about the beautiful fabric that was donated by a generous fabric shop. I hadn't had a chance to see it until yesterday. It is so amazing! The quilt and tree skirt are still being finished up, but another neighbor got involved and used some of the fabric to make some beautiful pillows! Yet another neighbor made a complimenting receiving blanket! I already had a four piece bedding set that I'd bought for Bridget's first Christmas gift, along with the matching mobile, an extra sheet and a nice soft blanket that could go with it all. I had assembled the crib, and so after the ladies left, I decided to put the bedding inside.

Honestly, it was a little hard to do that. It was the first time I ever had a nice bedding set for any of my babies, and I was finally able to put it into a crib. It really is such a nice set, and a part of me grieved so deeply to see it and know that Bridget didn't get a chance to be wrapped in the pretty bed dressings. And yet, I was glad to see it out and to think that although we didn't get to use it in the way we had hoped, we are still going to be using this for Bridget. And it has been added onto in such a beautiful way! The crib skirt will have to be modified since the crib design is not a traditional design. I think it will also really come together with the hand made quilt that will compliment the tree skirt. This is just the beginning, and it already looks so beautiful.

Generosity

I am still just so grateful to Michelle and her generous financial donation for Bridget's tree. Her contribution was the first we received, and it was enough for me to feel I could overcome the intimidation I felt and move forward with the project. I had really wanted to do this for Bridget, but it was hard to think of doing it myself. She had proven to me that it wasn't going to be all left up to me.

And I didn't comprehend just how many generous donations would continue to come. I had thought about calling IKEA to ask for their help. They had been so kind, so genuinely concerned and wanting to help after Bridget had had her crisis event there. They had told me that if we ever thought of anything they could do to help our family to let them know. I never doubted their sincerity. But when I called to ask, it was a very difficult thing to do. The manager I'd spoken with two years ago was no longer there, and the person who I would need to speak to was out of the office. I left a message.

In the meantime, four ladies from my neighborhood came over to assess where we were and where we needed to go to make this tree a beautiful entry for Bridget. I felt very encouraged that it would turn out.

IKEA called back. I was just so grateful that the woman who was on the other end of the call was just as kind and sincere as the manager I'd spoken with two years before. She wanted to help. IKEA was going to be able to donate a crib!

When we were in the store with Bridget, we were looking for bedroom furniture. We were going to be buying a new bed for the kids, possibly a crib or toddler bed or a crib that would convert to a toddler bed. We were there to consider our options. I had already found a bedding set for Bridget that was going to be her First Christmas gift. The bed was going to be a part of our Christmas gift pile. We ended up in the mattress area of the store and that is where rescue efforts were done for Bridget.

The crib donation means we can display the bedding along with the tree, and I will finally be able to set up Bridget's bed the way it was supposed to be set up. She was never able to unwrap her gifts that first Christmas, but this is still a wonderful gift for Bridget.

What a delight it was when our neighbor went to pick up the crib, one that converts into a toddler bed, and came back with a crib mattress, a cabinet, and a changing table top that can be added to the cabinet! IKEA was more than generous! It was a tremendous gift that will greatly increase the appeal of this tree at auction, and will help our entry to truly be of benefit to the hospital that cared for both Bridget and Dominic until their deaths.

IKEA's donation is a tremendously generous one. And yet we continue to receive donations from the community. I contacted a toy company about a "my first doll" that we thought would be helpful to use in decorating the tree. It was unavailable in stores, and we needed several of them. The company replied that they would send all the rest they had in their stock room. I just received the shipment of five dolls at no cost! A local store is donating a beautiful $70 doll! A fabric store has donated the fabric for our tree skirt and a matching quilt! The generosity of all these businesses in such a time of economic hardship is inspiring to me.

There are still more items we need to purchase for this tree. As I mentioned, I had received a generous donation from a friend. And her donation has been greatly added upon. We were able to have a group of young women come to our home and watch a slideshow tribute of Bridget's short life. We talked briefly about her. It was a wonderful thing to be able to share her life. Then we talked about the tree we are working on in honor of Bridget. These girls went around the neighborhood a couple of nights later and collected many more donations. Other neighbors also contributed when they heard about this project. We have had some from our family also make financial contributions. We are just very grateful for the generosity of so many people to ensure that this tree really will be a wonderful way to remember Bridget, to honor her and the love that she brought to this earth in her brief life, and give back to our community and the hospital where she was cared for.

Thanks can never be enough. Gratitude of this magnitude can not be formed in words. To any and all who have generously contributed, even if you may think it was such a small amount or a small thing, know that your kindness is a literal blessing. Thank you!