May SPOTLIGHT - Tender Mercy Angels

With what frequency do you have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others, and during a time when they need comfort the most?

If your name is Melody Penrod you have a chance to do this often.  The reason for this stems from her involvement in a unique product she offers to families who have come face-to-face with the unthinkable; the loss of a child due to being stillborn, prematurity or miscarriage.

Her company (NPO pending), appropriately named "Tender Mercy Angels", creates tiny dresses and tuxedos so that families can bury their children in a beautiful, one-of-a-kind outfit.  These outfits are really quite beautiful, and reflect the natures of the precious angels who lived on this earth for too short a season.

Melody distributes the workload among 35 seamstresses who labor to manufacture these outfits and pre-stock hospitals in Salt Lake and Utah counties.  They are receiving on-going donations of gently used wedding dresses and prom gowns (light pastels) which are re-purposed into "Blessing and Bereavement Clothing" as described on her website:  http://tendermercyangels.com.  If your child passes away in the NICU, the hospital can request an outfit for your son or daughter to be given to you at no charge.  If your child is not in the NICU at the time of passing, or over the age of 1, outfits can be purchased for a nominal fee of around $50.  Proceeds are used to support local NICU's in Utah.

Visit the Tender Mercy Angels website at http://tendermercyangels.com.

Melody can be reached at 385-230-8440 or at melody@tendermercyangels.com.

We are AWESOME! - A tribute to Mom's .... from a Mom!

We are AWESOME!

I have been thinking about this post for a couple of days.  I want it to be positive and uplifting.  I don’t know about you but I usually get this big guilt trip on Mother’s day because I am reminded of all the things I either didn’t do for my children or should be doing now.  I also wanted to include everyone, Moms,  Dads who are  doing the dual role of mom and dad, guardians, foster mom’s, grandparents, anyone who is filling the role of Mom in our children’s lives.   And this is what I came up with.

WE are AWESOME!

We are strong. We can handle whatever is thrown at us.  We may not think we are or want to be, but we are strong.

We are flexible.  We can change our plans and reorganize our lives, in a heartbeat.

We do not wallow.  We all have those days when we want to give up, where we don’t want to be the Mom anymore.   We may have our very own pity party but we do not wallow in it.  We pick ourselves up and move on.

We can multitask.  We can drive kids to school, schedule appointments, eat breakfast, work on PT goals, and make our kids laugh all at the same time.  

We are inventors.  If they need it….we will find a way to make it.

We are just a bit crazy.  Because sometimes we need a sense of humor to get through it all.  (with soda and chocolate).

We are teachers.  We teach others about our children.  How to care for them.  How to treat them.  How to love them.

We are students.  Our children teach us something new all the time, and if they don’t their doctors or therapists do.

We are advocates, or in other words we are Mama Bears.  Do not mess with our kids!

We are hopeful.  We hope the new medicine or therapy we try with our children will do what we need it to.

We find joy in the little things around us.  Anything from a beautiful smile on a dirty face, to a dandelion, to stick figure drawings, to dare I say, poop art?

We love unconditionally.  We simply love our children.  We accept them for who they are and all of the things that come with them.  Machines, feedings, therapies, doctor appointments, procedures, temper tantrums, seizures, sloppy kisses, hugs, beautiful smiles, messy faces, silly songs,…….

We are Mom’s and WE ARE AWESOME!