For Sydney

I receive stories from so many of you about your own personal reason for giving to Rosie's Cozies.   Each one touches me in a different way, and more often than not your stories bring me to tears.

I have read stories of triumph.  Ones where you have given birth to a preemie and after many weeks or months in the NICU you were able to bring your baby home.  Others of you have had heartbreaking stories where your babies were never able to come home and you were left with a huge hole in your heart where your baby was supposed to be.

I have heard from a woman in Africa who donated hats in order to give back to the rest of the world because so much of the world gives to Africa.  I have heard from a grandmother who watched as her grandchild fought for life because he was born far too early.  And I have heard from of you who just want to use your gift to give back.

A couple of months ago I heard from Deborah.  She began to crochet after an awful loss and has been giving to Rosie's Cozies.   In January she dropped off hats she had made, but I wasn't home and wasn't able to meet her, so she left them on my porch.  Today she dropped off another bag of gorgeous hats and I had the amazing privilege of meeting her in person.

You see, Deborah lost her sweet Sydney Michele this past October.  She was born full-term, but she was still-born.  I can't even imagine.

Deborah told me this amazing story about how she began to crochet to help with her loss.  She had found my Shell Stitch Beanie pattern and was able to make that.  Then, in searching for help with hat sizing she found this post from Oodles4Noodles and found a comment of mine explaining Rosie's Cozies.  Deborah went to check it out and realized it was the same site that she had found the Shell Stitch Beanie.  She decided she wanted to help out and then realized that of all places in the entire world we were in the same city, AND, the Rosie's Cozies were donated hats to the children's hospital connected with the same hospital where she delivered Sydney.

What are the odds, huh?  Today we were talking on Facebook and she wrote this:

"I am so glad that I was given this sign from my daughter and that I can do something for others." 

My heart aches for her.  The mother in me cannot fathom.  I just can't mentally even put myself in her shoes because it is too hard, yet here she is....making hats, giving to others, and bringing light out of her darkness.

This is so many of you who give to Rosie's Cozies and share your stories with me.  I wish I could meet each and every one of you and sit down with a cup of coffee or talk over a glass of wine.  I want to hear WHY you give to Rosie's Cozies, and to give each and every one of your stories their moment to be heard.  Their moment to be felt.

One thing I have learned through Deborah is that Rosie's Cozies is just as much for herself as it is for the babies wearing her hats.  Making hats has become therapy for her, and it is a way to give honor to her Sydney and to give her life a legacy.  Rosie's Cozies is named after Rose DeVries, but it could just as well be named Sydney's Cozies, or any other name of who YOU make hats for.  It is a ministry to honor every one of those sweet babies and the families who know the pain of infant loss, prematurity, and the uncertainty of whether or not they will be bringing their child home.

This project is far more than giving to babies and families in the NICU.  I have found that it is something that has given people a purpose, a way to honor their children, and a way to use their gifts.  I am beyond thankful to all of you who give to Rosie's Cozies.  I am beyond thankful that Deborah has found an amazing gift she possessed that she is using to bless so many families.  And let me tell you, this woman can crochet!  She JUST started in October and she showed me pictures of her work and I was floored.

I have included the video below with permission from Deborah.  It is the memorial video made for her Sydney.  Please watch and honor their daughter and their family.  It's a hard video to watch, but sometimes I think there something special when we can relate to the pain of someone we don't know and hurt for them too.  Please say a prayer for this family, as Deborah was very open about the daily struggle it has been since October. To follow along with Deborah's family and their story you can check out their blog here.

Thank you Sydney, for your sweet life taken too soon, and for inspiring your mother to share her AMAZING talent.