Our Logo

We now have an official logo for Ella's Halo. Many thanks to Elizabeth for the beautiful design. The image is perfect for our mission and is a wonderful way to honor our little girl.

Reaching Out

If you know of anyone who has spent any time in an NICU, who lost a baby or who just wants to help out, please pass along our information: http://www.ellashalo.blogspot.com/, http://www.ellashalo.com/, or have them email us at ellashalo@hotmail.com. We want to meet as many people as we can, learn their stories and find out what might have been helpful to make their hospital stay more like home. We are reaching out to our families and friends for your help to raise awareness of Ella's Halo and keep spreading the message. Now that we are officially incorporated, we want to get as many people involved in accomplishing our mission as we can. So please pass it along to everyone you can think of. We appreciated everything you have done for us, and appreciate all the help and support you have shown us over the last six months, and now we are asking for your help as we get our nonprofit off the ground. We are reaching out and wanting you to help be part of Ella's Halo.

A Moment

After all of this time it still catches me in a moment. Sometimes in the middle of the day, in the middle of a thought, in the middle of a blink, in the middle of a breath. It will linger all day or last just a brief moment, but it is always there. I feel it when I close my eyes, when I am walking down the street or when I lay in bed. It catches me when I least expect it and it holds on to me forever. That sadness…that pain that is still deep within our hearts. And the very worst part is that the minute I think I’m past it, it starts all over again. It catches me and reminds me how much I love her and how much I miss her.

Big Hearts

Ever since Ella came into this world, we have been surrounded by people with big hearts. Whether it is sending us a sweet email, leaving us a sincere message on our voicemail, writing a short note on our caring bridge and now our blog, sending us beautiful cards, giving us a gentle hug, smiling a kind smile, or hearing the prayers that fill the air, we have been surrounded by people who care, love our family, and want to help us make it through this part of our journey.

And on Thursday night, our home was filled with three amazing women who have three of the biggest hearts. We had our first board meeting and my heart was so full with love and admiration for these women. They are taking time out of their own lives to help us accomplish something we have so much passion for, helping other babies and families. Our meeting lasted much longer than was planned, but ideas were pouring out, stories were shared, and love filled our little dining room. After the meeting was over, Ryan and I looked at each other and knew that we couldn’t have asked for a better board for our nonprofit. That each one has and will bring a different aspect to Ella’s Halo and will help us be successful. We approved our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, we set goals for the next year, and came up with so many ideas that will eventually help so many people.

To top it off, the day after our meeting, Ryan went to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office and filed our Articles of Incorporation. So as of October 16, 2009, Ella’s Halo is a corporation. And with big hearts we are going to start doing some big helping.

Candle of Remembrance

October is the start of fall but it is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Month. Ronald Reagan designated the month of October in 1988 as "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.” It is a way to honor not only our baby angel in heaven but all babies who flew up to heaven way too soon.

And today, October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. It is a day to remember all of the little ones we have lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS or newborn death. Each loss is just as painful for the loved ones left behind and we can all come together to recognize our losses, to heal together, and remember our beautiful babies. Our little angels are all together, playing and dancing, waiting for their mommies and daddies to join them someday in heaven.

I never knew about this day until Ella was gone and what a beautiful way to remember her. I love that today we will light a candle and remember the hope she brought to us, the love that filled our hearts, and the lessons she taught us. Her short time here with us brought so much meaning to our lives. Now because of her, we are starting an amazing new journey. Starting an organization that I believe will someday help many babies, many families, and many nurses in a NICU, just as she would have wanted. Ella Jo came here to do what she was meant to do and we will forever be so grateful. So today, October 15th we light a candle to remember a sweet beautiful little angel who is dancing up in heaven to Twinkle Twinkle.

Mission Statement

Ryan and I have written the mission statement for Ella's Halo. It combines all things that we want our nonprofit to be, do and accomplish. Not only will Ella's Halo be in memory of our little girl, it will also be a lasting impact on other families and babies who have spent extended time in a NICU.

Our Mission states:

Ella’s Halo is a non-profit organization that was developed to help improve the quality of extended stays in Twin Cities’ NICUs (Neonatal Intensive Care Units). Our mission is carried out by providing a variety of items to NICUs, babies, and their families to help impart a better sense of home while in the hospital. Ella’s Halo accomplishes this through fundraising efforts, community events and education.

Not only do we have our mission but we have our first board meeting scheduled for October 15th. We are so excited to get things started. October 15th is our first board meeting but it is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Please light a candle on this day to honor all of the little babies who have gone too soon. Ella's Halo will officially have its first meeting and we couldn't think of a more special way for us to remember Ella than to kick off our organization on this day.

Happenings

So much has been happening the last week. We have met with a representative from the hospital about setting up a fund, met with each board member and officially have set up our board of directors for Ella's Halo, and started our website.

We met with a woman from the hospital last week who will be able to help us set up a fund where Ella's Halo can donate money. That money will then be used towards purposes that we choose along with the help of the NICU staff being able to use the money towards items they wish to purchase as well. It is one of the many options that we have that will help benefit the NICU. Nothing has been done yet but we received so much information and she will be a wonderful reference for us to use in the future as we get Ella's Halo rolling.

Also Ryan and I meet with all of our board members and have officially asked them to be part of Ella's Halo. We are so excited they all accepted and want to help us make a difference. We have three board members along with myself who will be major assets to our nonprofit. We have someone with legal background, someone from the hospital who knew our little girl Ella, and someone who has had babies in the NICU too. They all bring wonderful experience, are all compassionate individuals, and have blessed our lives. We are in the process of setting up our first board meeting so we can get our Articles of Incorporation filed so Ella's Halo can officially be a corporation.

And finally, Ryan has set up a website at http://www.ellashalo.com/. We are still working out the details getting information posted, formatting and design but at least we have the domain name saved. We are also meeting with one of Ryan's coworkers next week and discussing our logo. She has been working on it and will be letting us take a sneak peak next week. I am so glad she is helping us out as she is an awesome designer.

On a side note, October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. What a perfect month to get Ella's Halo set up and filed with the state.

Rain

It is raining here in Minneapolis today. These types of days bring me back to the day Ella left us; it was a beautiful summer day. The sun was shining when we got the call and ran as fast as we could into the hospital. We were there for hours and when we said our goodbyes and came out that sad night it was raining…..not a hard rain but a soft warm rain. It almost felt like God was crying with us and hugging us at the same time. Now every time it rains it brings me back to that night we left the hospital for the last time. Sometimes my sad emotions come back and other times it brings me peace. I know that it is okay to cry after all of this time, it is okay to let others hug me when I am down, and it is okay to be sad sometimes. Rain is beautiful, peaceful and comforting…I know it is God’s way of letting us know that he feels our pain too.