Only For The Brave

A little over a month ago, on a cold, tired night, a sweet friend asked me about wanting to do something to support our family.  As we thought about this kindness, this act of love, we knew it was too wonderful to keep to ourselves.

Our friend, full of beauty, singing words of encouragement, comfort, and hope wanted to release a charity album and give the tips to our family.  Humbled.  I think I cried for two nights as I attempted to respond to her message.  Really?  She would share her talent, her hard work, with us?

In one of her recent musical projects, she had recorded a song for kids with little bald heads.  She told me she thought of Esther the whole time.  That's when I knew with whom we wanted to share this unbelievable generosity.

Our friend, Katrina Stone, just finished a special collection of songs and released the EP on Noisetrade.  It is hopeful, encouraging and threaded with words to inspire.  You can download the album, Only For The Brave,  for free and leave a tip if you can.  Katrina is not keeping one cent. She is donating every tip to Brent's Place.  

So, listen and download the album, it's great.

  Tip as much as you want, but don't let that stop you from downloading the album!   

It will "be a light in the dark."

Share this blog post, tell your friends, it will benefit families in an incredible way.

Katrina, we are so grateful.  Thank you.

It is $93 a day to house a family at Brent's Place, but knowing the average cost of a bone marrow transplant is over a million dollars, our friends at Brent's never want to send the family a bill for their stay.  Thanks to generous donors and fundraising efforts like this, families are provided their days free of charge.  We were at Brent's Place for 106 days, almost $10,000.

Not only does Brent's Place provide a place for families to stay, but activities, meals, and support. 

The staff is incredible, welcoming an interruption to celebrate a success, to listen about a hard day, and are always intentional about asking how everyone is doing.    

In Katrina's song, Here For You, she sings, "I'm with you, I get you, no matter what you do, or what you're going through."

Brent's place is a refuge for the parents, the brave kids fighting cancer, and their siblings.  It is a place where they don't have to worry about getting sick or having a break down.  A place for kids to be kids, to make friends, for parents to not have to explain because they are understood.  

One of the groups that regularly volunteer to prepare meals was gathering information about what the volunteers mean to the families staying at Brent's Place. This is what I shared...

"When your life is out of control, the future uncertain, and your precious child is hurting you spend all of yourself caring for them, thinking of them and the rest of your family.  I often find myself feeling very childlike, and just wanting someone to take care of me, to think of me.  When it comes to meals, especially at dinner time, I just can't even fathom giving any more, and my family suffers through another drive thru meal or box of mac & cheese.  A meal is respite for me.  It's a way I am cared for and also a gift of time to just be with my family, rather than cooking and cleaning up.  In a very practical way, a meal cares for me and gives the energy I need to keep going for the next minute, hour, or day. 

Along these lines...thank you [the staff at Brent's Place] for loving us in this way as well.  Just that you are excited to see us and our kids is such a gift.  You get their lives, and that is such a blessing!  I feel very embraced and loved here.  I suspect leaving here will be a bit like going to college.  That moment where you realize you have to do it on your own, but deep down you feel like such a small child and really just don't want your parents to leave, so you put on your big girl panties and just keep moving forward.  At the same time, just like leaving home, I know that if I need it, I can call."

Thank you for staying on this journey with us, for enduring our pain, celebrating our victories, for praying for us, for holding up our weary hearts, for feeding our family, moving furniture and installing floors, for bringing hope when we've felt scared and hopeless.  Thank you for serving our family with your time and finances.  Thank you for choosing to be a health care professional for kids with cancer, for loving our daughter, for caring for her.  We will love you all forever.  There are not enough thank you notes to express our gratitude.  

"Sometimes you to learn to swim, right in the midst of drowning. Don't ever loose your faith, because of the waves surrounding."  

Katrina Stone, In The Midst