Stevie's 30 Days of Doing Good

Dear Readers,
Tomorrow is April 8th, which means just one month until Stevie's first birthday. I seriously can't believe it. Time is a very strange thing. I can vividly remember last July/August, feeling like a million years had passed since she was born, and now last summer feels like it was just yesterday. Time, you are both my best friend and my worst enemy. Making life easier and easier, while pulling my little girl further and further away from me as you move along.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about how I want to celebrate Stevie's first birthday. I know it's kind of  weird to"celebrate" a birthday for a baby who isn't around to open presents and smash her first piece of cake all over her face. But she was my daughter, and I believe her life is worth remembering, and the amazing impact she's had, worthy of celebration!

The next 30 days, leading up to Stevie's birthday are going to be really hard. To be completely honest, I've been dreading this month for awhile now. So I've decided that rather than spend the next four weeks lying around feeling sorry for myself (okay, who am I kidding, we all know there will definitely be some of that too!), I'm going to spend them doing lots of little things to honor my daughter's memory. Every day, up until May 8th, I am committing to doing one simple act of "good" in her name. I don't know exactly what these things will be just yet, but they'll probably include things like paying for a strangers' coffee order at Starbucks, or picking up some of the nasty post-winter garbage the snow has left behind along the streets, or donating to a couple of my favorite charities.

I'm going to be documenting/photographing as many of these acts of goodness as I can and sharing them here over the next 30 days.

I'd also like to ask you to join me in doing at least one act of random goodness in Stevie's name before May 8th. It doesn't have to be big, and it doesn't even have to cost any money. Just do something extra nice for someone else, and think of her while you do it.

I know in my heart that had she lived, Stevie would have brought so much joy and goodness to this world. This project will help me remember that she still has, and still continues to do just that. My world, and the world as a whole, is a better and more beautiful place because she existed.

If you've been at all touched by Stevie's story, I would really appreciate your support of this project. Please send me a quick email with the act of good you did, and even better, include pictures! My email address is kristin.cook23@gmail.com. If we're friends on facebook, you can also just send me a message over there. I'll be sharing these here on my blog, so make sure to let me know if you don't want me to share your story publicly. :)

Thanks everyone, for your continued love and support.

Xoxo,
Kristin