water.

Cora's life has touched thousands of people.
Complete strangers have joined together to help raise money for "Cora's Playground."
Click on this cute pink button to see all the fun things being sold in her memory.



It's wonderful and it's amazing, but it has kept me awake at night lately...


Back in November, I read about this on another blog.
I read that 4500 children die every day due to water related diseases.
I read that 144 billion dollars would provide safe, clean water to the world.
And I read that Americans spend approximately 450 billion dollars each year at Christmas.

So I gave to Water For Christmas and I watched with amazement how a few stay at home moms in Iowa were able to raise $59,000 to provide clean water in Liberia. It was a good cause... a very good cause. But it wasn't personal. It didn't keep me up at night.


Cora's death was personal for me.
I know her mom and dad.
I know her Grandma and Grandpa.
I had held her.
I had been at the hospital and heard how encouraged they were that she was doing better.
It was personal for me.

Many of the people who read about Cora's journey were strangers. Strangers from all over the world. Strangers who read about this little girl... this sweet baby that they have never seen or held or touched... and her story became personal for them. Thousands of people wanted to see her healed. To see her healthy. To see her little life be saved. I know that if money could have cured her, thousands of people would have given whatever they could... just to save this little girl. I would have emptied our entire savings account, without a second thought... if I thought it could save this little girl.

But what about this little girl?

$20 could save this little girl's life.
$20 would provide her with clean, safe drinking water... for 20 years.
$5000 would allow her entire village to stop getting their water from here...

and get it from here, instead.


Thousands of people were devastated by Cora's death.

I was devastated by Cora's death.

Losing one little girl has rocked many of us to our core.

Why doesn't the thought of losing 4500 children every day do the same?

Why did their stories not affect me the same way that Cora's story affected total strangers?

(all photos from charity: water)

Water for Christmas was supposed to end on December 31st.

But for the moms who organized it, the moms who let it become personal for them, the moms who couldn't bear the thought of 4500 children dying every day, it couldn't end.

So 300 voices was created.

I look at the comments... thousands of comments left on Jess and Joel's blog. Even the comments left on my own blog... many from people I don't know. $20 can provide clean drinking water for 20 years. $20 can save a life. We are seeing what can happen when a few people decide to come together and make a difference. A few people... each doing just a little bit... and Cora's beautiful playground will be the result. One person alone couldn't do it. But a few people, coming together, deciding something is important... can make a difference.

So give to "Cora's Playground." Help make this playground be a lasting reminder to the memory of this sweet little girl. Help make this playground be a place her mom and dad can look at and smile, knowing that their precious baby changed the lives of so many.

And if you feel like doing more... doing another small thing, a small thing that when it is joined with other small things, ends up doing big things... donate here. No amount of money could make Cora healthy. No amount of money could have saved her life. But it could save lives in Africa. Joel and Jess have no connection to charity: water, Water for Christmas, or 300 voices. They are not endorsing it or promoting it. This is just me.

Just me, still trying to make sense of all of this. Just me, sharing my thought process and the connection that I made as I lay awake in bed the other night. The connection that if Cora could become personal for strangers across the world, then this should become personal for me. The connection that, as a mother, as a Christian, I should be devestated by the death of any baby. Especially one that is preventable. And the connection that if there is something I can do about it... even just a small thing... then I have to do it.

So I will sign up for 300 voices and I will give $20 each month in honor of Cora. And maybe, just maybe, I will see more lives changed, more lives saved, because of this baby girl.

blessed be your name.

"My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Psalm 139:15-16



Cora's memorial service was amazing. Completely heartwrenching... but amazing. I've heard several describe it as very God-honoring. It was. Truly.

This verse was printed on the back of the program:

"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:21

I pointed at it, and through my tears, said to my friend, "This just about kills me."

To read that verse. To think about Jess and Joel's unwavering faith. To know that despite all they have been through... despite the fact that we were there that day to say good-bye to their baby girl... they could still say "blessed be the name of the LORD."

Our pastor read letters that all of Cora's family members had written to her. In one letter, she was referred to as "a little missionary." Her uncle wrote that in the past 3 weeks, Cora changed the lives of more people than he will ever be able to. And she has. The number of comments on their blog has been overwhelming. Comments like this:

"...I don't see any good in this. But, I want you to know, that I am a questioner, a skeptic, when it comes to faith. My life is so good, with healthy children, and a healthy marriage and I cannot have faith like you. I wish I could, and I want to learn from you. If you can still have faith, after the worst thing possible to happen to parents happened to you, I really do believe God's hand is upon you. Please continue with your blog to inspire people like myself, who need these hard, hard lessons to open my eyes. Thank you for sharing Cora with the world, so I could have the chance to learn more about Jesus. I will never forget about your special baby."

Pastor Dave also shared a story about a recent conversation he had had with Joel and Jess. Joel is a farmer. Jess quit teaching to stay home with Cora. They live in the country, miles away from any other houses. There were times they would go a few days without seeing anyone but each other. They wondered about their "isolated life" and questioned how God could use them to influence others.

God knew that Cora could influence the lives of others. God knew that Cora could change the lives of complete strangers. God knew the plans He had for Cora and He knew that Joel and Jess were the parents He needed to entrust her to for that short time. Parents who would love her more than anything. Parents who would trust in Him and trust in His plan, even though it would never have been their plan. Parents who would share their story with the world and share Christ's Love in every blog entry that they made. Parents who could endure the worst thing possible and still be able to say blessed be the name of the LORD.

Every blessing You pour out, I'll turn back to praise.
And when the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say,
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be Your glorious name.

You give and take away.
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord blessed be Your name.

I love this song. I've always loved this song.
But I cried all through it.
I will always think of Cora when I hear this song.
I will always think of Joel and Jess.
And I will always admire the fact that they could walk this road and still choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name.

more tears.

Apparently, I hadn't cried quite enough for today.
I just read this quote that someone left on Jess and Joel's blog...

"Dear Lord, I would have loved to have held my baby on my lap and told her about You, but since I didn't get the chance, would You please hold her on Your lap and tell her about me?"

answered prayer.

I'm trying hard to understand Cora's death.
Trying hard to wrap my mind around it.
Knowing that good will come of it... there will be many people touched, and hopefully some people saved, because of her short life and her parent's faith.

But wouldn't people have been touched by her story of survival?
Her story of how she beat the odds? A story of how our great and powerful God was able to heal her, despite what medical science said.

I read this on a friend's blog...

We prayed for the cancer to be gone. And now it is. She is now perfect. Being held by our GREAT AND WONDERFUL GOD. God did not answer our prayers for Cora like we wanted Him to, but He did answer our prayer to take away Cora's pain.

God is a good God. I keep telling myself that over and over even though it is sometimes so painful to say.


I don't understand.
I may never understand.
But I know that God is good.

I know that He had a plan for little Cora's life. I know that it hurt Him to take her away from her mommy and daddy. I know that He is hurting for Joel and Jess and all of their friends and family who are so devestated right now.

I also know that Joel and Jess will have a greater understanding of Our Father's Love than I will ever know. The pain that they are feeling right now... the unbelievable heartache of losing their only child... is the same heartache that God experienced when He sent His Son to die for us. He sent Him to Earth, knowing the pain and suffering He would endure. Yet He still sent Him... His Son.

How great is His love for us... that He would willingly go through the pain that Joel and Jess are enduring... so that we could live eternally with Him.

cora and jesus.

Cora went to be with Jesus this morning.

My heart is breaking for this sweet family.

I have so many questions.

I don't understand.

Please pray for Joel and Jess.

bible verse.

I don't think I should let Corey help Lawson with his Cubbies verses anymore.
He practiced with him before I got home.
When I had Lawson repeat it for me he said,

"Love your neighbor as your wife."

new stuff.

None of it's "new," but all of it is new to us...

We bought this before Christmas and it finally made it's way to our garage loft.
Since it was about 6* most of last week, and the loft can be a little chilly, it's still waiting to be used.
Soon...


We made a trip to my cousin's house to get this gift...


and came home with this...


and this...


and these...

and these! (Thanks, Pam!)