When you know that the time you’ll have with your child may only be in the womb and for a few short hours afterwards, what do you do? How do you celebrate their life and choose to step into moments of joy and hope in the midst of the sadness?
First. You invite your community to join with you in honoring this little life, because you realize you can’t walk this road alone.
Second. You discover that there are people that want to rally around you and as our community has decided… to be our Supporting C.A.S.T (Come Along Side Them) in this story that is unfolding.
Third. You try to do things you would normally do… like have a gender reveal party… only sometimes, it just becomes a little more EPIC…
Welcome to our Gender Reveal Carnival… just one of many unique celebrations to come to honor this little life, our 2nd daughter, with our friends and family…
Here are some things we knew before this party… we knew we’d have a party, we had found out the gender earlier in the week, and we knew how we’d surprise our friends and family (thanks to the awesome creativity of some sweet friends, everyone would line up and we’d spray them with dyed water and paint of the color of the gender… not sure how blue started flying but I guess everyone just started looking for any ammo they could find!). What we didn’t know… is that it would be a carnival, complete with a stilt walker, a magician, cotton candy, a photo booth, face painting and a place for people to write us notes, pray for us and gather their friends from around the world to pray for us and this new life. We are so incredibly thankful for our family and friends who joined in this celebration, who have chosen to step into our lives and our story and lift our arms up to greater hope. From the people who have entered in who we haven’t yet met, to those that have been walking with us closely the past year and a half… Thank you. Thank you for being a part of the cast of this story that is being written for our lives and our community. We look forward to watching it unfold with you.
- A Time to be Silent and a Time to Speak - October 29, 2020
- Teaching Them to Hope, Birthday After Birthday. - January 15, 2020
- A Taste of Hope Fulfilled – Briella Dawn’s Birth Story - August 3, 2018
What a fun carnival! So thankful for your CAST that are able to be with you in person.
Wish I were there !
Thankful for your CAST. How lovely is the family of the Lord!
Amazing! It looked like an awesome time. I continue to pray for your family and your little girl. I’m certain she’ll have a beautiful name, just like her sister 🙂
What an amazing support system you have! A huge blessing. I still believe that there will be a huge miracle and WHEN that happens, there will be a huge party, none like ever before.
My name is Debbie. I am Nick Schultz’s aunt. I have followed your blogs and prayed daily for all of you. You are an amazing couple! Your love for Jesus is like something I have never seen before. You have reached so many people with the love of Christ. My husband and I will continue to pray for you. You have taught us so much. I wish I knew more Christians like you. Again, we will continue to stand and pray with you. Your celebration was remarkable! Beautiful carnival and supportive friends! Believing with you both!
wish I could have been there but still praying and celebrating from here…..God bless you in this next journey you are on and praying for you daily……love, marybeth
Life is precious. Thank you all for celebrating it.