August Sweet Pea Spotlight: Gavin

 August Sweet Pea Spotlight

Gavin

 This month our Sweet Pea is Gavin. Gavin graced this world for a precious 60 1/2 hours but will forever live on in the hearts of loved ones. This week on August 16th will be Gavin's 1st heavenly birthday. Please send warm thoughts and prayers to Gavin's family.

His name is Gavin Michael and he was beautiful. He had his mom's hands, skin tone and hair color and his dad's everything else. He came into this world weighing 1 pound 7.34 ounces, without a doubt, the tiniest baby we had ever seen, but also the most perfect. He had a iron will and the heart of lion. He was pure and gentle and only knew love and kindness. When he was born last August 16th, despite his 23 weeks 6 days gestation, he cried and opened one of his eyes immediately. Like every baby with a birth as early as his, he had his fair share of medical struggles. His lungs were underdeveloped, he had trouble controlling his blood sugar and his body temperature, just to name a few things. But he was a fighter. He took everything in stride and managed to give his parents 60 1/2 beautiful hours filled with nothing but love, joy, hope and inspiration. We were able to have Gavin hold onto our fingers, watched him wiggle his feet when they were tickled and on the morning of the day he died, he opened both of his eyes and stared into his mom's. They were so dark brown, almost black, exactly like his dad's. This sweet boy, a miracle in every way, gave us the most beautiful 60 1/2 hours on this planet. We will spend a lifetime being grateful to have been blessed with him.

Though the past almost year has been a difficult journey to say the least, my husband and I are eternally grateful to be Gavin's parents, to love him and to be loved by him. This August 16th, his first birthday, I encourage each and every one of you reading this story to hug your children and family members a little tighter, to go above and beyond what others expect of you. Let love and hope be your guide to greatness in this world. And Gavin, you are our first born, our son, the love of our life and we can't begin to thank you enough for allowing us to take this beautiful journey with you. We love you all the days of our lives.

-Ashley and Jesse Ortiz (Gavin's Mommy and Daddy)

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Thank You Thursday: Ronald McDonald House Charities

Today is Thank You Thursday! Every Thursday we take the opportunity to show our appreciation to organizations and individuals making a difference in the lives of ICU families.

This Thursday we send our sincerest thanks to the Ronald McDonald House Charities! Their program provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost.  Their Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest.

For 38 years Ronald McDonald House Charities has been making a difference in the lives of ICU families.  Please take a moment to visit their website to see all of the ways they are making a difference!

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Forever My Sweet Pea: National Bereavement Program

Project Sweet Peas has always sought to provide comfort to bereaved families experiencing the loss of their baby. We have done so by providing memorial boxes and other resources to local hospitals all across the country as well as through an online request service. As an extension of those efforts, we are very proud to announce that today we are launching our National Bereavement Program Page: Forever My Sweet Pea. Through this program we are offering memory boxes and affordable keepsake kits, along with support and other services for those who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss. Be sure to visit our Forever My Sweet Pea Facebook to learn more about Forever My Sweet Pea, and to enter a couple of SWEET giveaways!

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