Story's (what would be) first birthday was spent as a family today. We ordered butterflies from Lukas Butterfly Nursery (highly recommend for any butterfly release) 2 weeks ago. We started the morning of making French toast and then in our prayers thanking the Lord for the short time with Story, that she may continue to touch lives. Kale was so excited to make the French toast for the first time.
We cleaned a bit and got dressed to leave. I couldn't help but retrieve the pearls my grandmother left me, which I was wearing when Story was born, and put them on before we left. They've been tucked in a drawer with all of her other mementos.
I did finish her shadowbox last week. (I make shadow boxes for all of my kids with the clothes they wore at birth and any mementos from birth, as well as the baby's first picture.) Her shadow box is proudly displayed with my other three children's shadow boxes.
I digress....
After our fun breakfast, we got dressed. Timber decked out in a butterfly dress and a flower bow in her hair, and Kale wanting to look nice in a polo and khakis. We went to Lukas Butterfly to pick up out order; A gorgeous basket of large ornate indigenous butterflies, and a smaller box of (just as ornate) indigenous butterflies in single envelopes.
We planted butterfly plants, for two weeks, around the willow tree that was gifted to us last year on the day of her funeral. We call it "Story's Tree". Today we sang Happy Birthday as we untied the basket of large butterflies and released them by Story's Tree.
Then, one by one the kids opened the second box with the individual envelopes and released an assortment of butterflies.
I can't help but mention the "moment" Timber had. She has never absorbed Story's death so deeply.... After picking up the butterflies we were headed home. As we pulled into our neighborhood, Timber started crying and screaming. I asked her to calm down and tell me what was wrong. Through deep gasps, she replied. "We didn't get Story yet!! It's her birthday, where is she?!" I tried to explain that we were picking up butterflies for Story and they would fly to heaven and tell her Happy Birthday. She said, "It's Story's birthday! Where is she?!!" I was talking through tears at this point. "She's in heaven." Timber stopped crying and thought about it. We came inside and she ran to Casper crying - "Mom, said Story is in heaven.... but it's her birthday party. I want Story." She hasn't had a reaction this deep, ever. It was a really hard moment.
After the butterfly release I had wood crafts (a cross and an angel) for the kids to paint and place around Story's willow tree when they were done. Casper and I sat and talked with them as they painted. It was a really nice bonding moment.
When the crafts were finished, we went out to Build-a-Bear and Kale and Timber made a bear and bunny (respectively). We thought these would be wonderful momentos to make and keep in memory of Story's first birthday. They print out birth certificates for their animals, so I love that they have this with her birthday on it.
It was an amazing day to remember her life and a very emotional day as well.
Happy Birthday Story. We love you and miss you.
Here is the photo album with photos and videos of butterflies and the whole day:
Thanks for looking. It was a very special day.
