Where Hope Grows..

This weekend we took a break and headed two hours Northeast of the Twin Cities to a remote town in Northern Wisconsin.  It's called Faith's Lodge and I couldn't describe it any better than the home page of their website which states: 

"Faith's Lodge provides a place where parents and families facing the serious illness or death of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present, and build hope for the future. In its North Woods setting, Faith's Lodge provides a peaceful escape for families to refresh their minds and spirits while spending time with others who understand what they are experiencing."  

It was SO WONDERFUL!  I really had no idea what to expect, and really was unlike anything else we've ever experienced, but man, they sure know what they're doing, because it was great!

When we got there Friday morning, we kicked things off with an outdoor scavenger hunt...

The rest of the day basically consisted of eating, playing and hanging out.  We were never in our rooms longer than necessary to sleep and get ready for the day.  

We were there with 3 other families and spent most of our time swapping stories as we spent countless hours perfecting our memorial birdhouses, and hanging out, while the kids ran amuck in the lodge :)

Here's our room:

The kids playroom:

And Logan perfecting his own masterpiece, in memory of his sister:

 We also had a group session, a group meal (provided by another bereaved family) and a couple of bonfires.

Lastly, before leaving on Sunday, we made sure to bring our "heart stones" out to Sophia's Bridge to join the other children that left this earth too soon.

 All in all, we made new friendships (one with a very similar story to ours!). We were guided, supported, loved and welcomed.  It was the perfect recipe we've been needing to reconnect with eachother and again focus on not only what we've lost, but what we've gained as a family.

Here's a few quotes I also picked up this weekend, and just thought they were WONDERFUL!
"Jesus, since I never got to hold and tell her about you, will you please hold and tell her about me?"  I have a vision for this quote in our home....so excited...
and
"Let go of the life we have planned in order to accept the life we have waiting for us"  So true...

Happy Family Weekend to Us!