Celebrating Baby Chase!

(Side note: New updates and pictures have been added to "Our Story" in the post below this one!)

I've been looking forward to doing this entry, because the pictures alone make me smile and bring back such a warm and happy feeling in my heart. (Thank you Cassie & Kylie for being the photographers!)

Even though there was still sadness, and some tears, the day of Chase's celebration was peaceful, the sun was shining, and we spent the time surrounded by our family, while still constantly receiving the thoughts and prayers of many, many friends across the country.

When we were suddenly faced with the decisions of how to honor our precious baby, I was very certain of what I wanted and did not want. If you know me well, this is surprising, because I don't make decisions easily. Not that this one was easy either. We reviewed countless options, visited various memorial sites, and tried to decide what would be best for our girls, best for us, and most honoring to our sweet boy. Oh, the heartache in making that decision. And, again, our hearts cried out to God for direction and discernment as we took each step.

One way that God helped us decide is by speaking to us directly through Kendyll's words. When we first told her the news, we told her that we would like to have a special area in our backyard that would be a happy place where we could remember Chase. Her exact response was "I just don't want it to be like a funeral." We again told her how happy it would be, and that it would not be like a funeral. And, there we had all we needed to make our final decision.

It wouldn't be a funeral. It would be a childlike celebration for our baby boy.

The girls helped plan many of the details, including what color balloons we would have, what songs we would sing, and how we would design Chase's special garden, now lovingly called "Chase's Corner". Mark and I wrote a letter to Chase, and planned the short celebration ceremony we would have. A very generous landscaping company got the yard completely spruced up, with new flowers planted and flowerbeds turned over. And, my sisters (as I've mentioned) worked hard to make all the little touches that made it personal and sweet. All of our parents and grandparents provided food, drinks, and even the tiniest details that I would have never thought of in my state of mind...plates, cups, ice, everything!

Preparation began that morning and the girls were looking forward to this day. They got dressed in their bright "balloon" colors, and began blowing up balloons, which took some hard work! 100 balloons later, we had a dining room full of bright colors.

Kendyll and Mark hung the girls' art work they made at Grandma's house... ...and Kendyll decorated "Chase's Corner" with the blankets and stuffed animals she had picked out for him the day we found out he was a boy. When I came outside to see her work, she was just sitting there thinking quietly. I love my big sweet girl.

Carlie's contribution was to set out the pinwheels all over the yard, which you can see in this picture. She was very proud and made sure everyone knew she had arranged each one of them!

Cortni and Cassie hanging their cute banner with a very cute name. :)

Here are the Life Scripture frames we sent home with each family member, with his sweet footprints too. My sisters made these, and also made the program pictured here too! I tell you, they were busy little bees!

And, here is their scripture banner that I have referred to before. Also, if you can see it in that picture, they also gave me a sweet frame with the three girls, and my tummy, representing Chase. It now hangs in my house, and I LOVE it!

As it came time to go outside for the celebration, the yard was filled with color. I know these pictures may seem redundant, but they all represent to me the beauty of the day. The sweet chaos of family everywhere...the blessing of many healthy children running around the yard...the beauty found in a rainbow of colored balloons, which represented God's faithful promises to us just as it did to Noah long ago...and the celebration of a life that was too short by our standards, but that was also exactly as God had planned.

We began our service with songs picked by the girls. Grandad led us in "Jesus Loves Me", "Blue Skies and Rainbows", and "God Made the Big Round Sun". Such sweet songs for a sweet baby boy.

Mark shared some thoughts and led us in a prayer of thanksgiving...

I shared Chase's life scripture with our family...

And Pops led us in a prayer of celebration...

Then, it was time to send our balloons up, up, and away! These are some of my favorite pictures, captured by my sister, Cassie...The joy on the faces of everyone is just priceless to me.

After the balloon release, the cousins and kids all helped plant the first of many flowers that will brighten "Chase's Corner" in our yard. We plan to add a birdbath/fountain and a handpainted scripture plaque, as well as seasonal flowers throughout the year. We hope this will be a happy place where our family can always be reminded of the joy Chase has brought us, even in such a short time.

We have also been completely blown away by the number of people who joined us in celebrating Chase's life with balloon releases that day, and many days since! We have tried to get an accurate count of how many honored Chase that day, but we still have not accomplished that task. So far, we have received pictures from places all over Texas, and other states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Utah, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, and they just keep coming! So, thank you all so much for joining us in honoring our baby boy. It has meant the world to us!

The day after our "Balloons for Chase" day, our neighbor--who didn't know anything yet--stopped us on our walk back from the park to say hello. From the car window, she yelled "Hey, did y'all have a birthday party yesterday? We saw all the balloons!" I tried to nonchalantly walk away with the girls, as the tears began to well up. Mark went to her car window to tell her the news, which made her feel awful. At the time, I was so sad to think that it looked like we were having a birthday party, when it was so far from that. But, now, I think back and realize that--in a way---we were having a birthday party. It was in celebration of a sweet life, and a celebration of a new life that our baby now has in the arms of Jesus.

One scripture that has been special to me was given to us by a good friend, who made a plaque for our home with this written on it. I love that this verse sums up what Chase has received in his new life in heaven, and is the very reason we honor our sweet son with a celebration--because there is much to celebrate!

"You welcomed Chase with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked You for life, and You gave it to him---length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories You gave, his glory is great; You have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence." Psalm 21:3-6