Lincoln on his 1 year birthday
Today Lincoln would have been 4 years old. Which is so hard to believe. His birthday is bitter sweet to me. We have amazingly thoughtful friends and family who help make this day so special each year, and yet at the same time I'd love to sleep the day away and pretend it's not happening. Each year we have decided that his birthday is "Pinwheel Day", where we do some act of service to honor Lincoln and "help other's heart spin!" I haven't yet had the strength or mental capacity to organize a brilliant service project but maybe one day I will. For now we make pinwheels and pass them out at the school and a park to make people smile. For now that's all I can do. However, I am always overwhelmed by the love and support we feel from our friends and family who go the extra mile to help honor Lincoln on this special day.
Here are how some of our sweet family and friends honored Lincoln on his birthday:
- volunteered at a daycare for low income families, cleaning and playing with the children
- baked cookies to cheer someone up
- took pinwheels to class to share with teachers and students
- donated toys to a local children's hospital
- shared Lincoln's story with many
Someone decorated our street again this year with pinwheels and left a sign in our yard.
Jezelle wearing her pinwheel clip to school
the kids at my clinic decorated pinwheels
Jezelle and her cousin passed out pinwheels at the park. It was extra windy that afternoon which was fun to watch all the kids run around with their pinwheels spinning!
The Kindering Center lined the pathway with pinwheels.
Lincoln's ice cream birthday cake.
Amazing pinwheel cookies and cupcakes were sent to us!
On the afternoon of Lincoln's birthday we went and put pinwheels by his grave at the cemetery. Every time I go there I feel I'm having an out of body experience. I think I've said that before. It's like a terrible nightmare and at any second I am going to wake up and all this terribleness will be gone. Our daughter was in a silly mood- probably trying to lighten our moods a little and we couldn't get a pic if we had tried all day!! But it made me smile. It's such a strange part of our life, going to the cemetery. Our daughter will just grow up with memories of going there often, which is so weird to me, and yet she will think nothing of it. I wouldn't say it's the most peaceful thing to do with a 7 year old but at least she helps keep the mood light. And there is an etiquette to being there as well, which she is learning. I realized this when I heard Shane say, "Don't step on the headstones! It's disrespectful". Oh dear. Welcome to our life. It's just so strange. And sad.
Lincoln loved ice cream so we went and bought a delicious ice cream cake and celebrated his birthday with my family. It was a nice day, where we felt so much love and support from others. But I'm so glad it's over.
After that we went to get an ice cream cake from Cold Stone.
A dear friend of mine made this adorable movie that I LOVE!!!
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