The Helping House

This entry is special because it's about a special lady- we will call her Hope because that is what she symbolizes.

Hope had a daughter.  We will call the daughter Grace because that is what she brought to Hope's life. The day that Hope had Grace, she laid there in that hospital bed and her heart grew to hold all of the love that she had for her new little baby.  Grace had big beautiful blue eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes Hope had ever seen.  Grace's eyes were big and bright and full of so much sparkle. Hope sat there and day dreamed of future birthday parties, Christmases, and every special day in between.

Over the years Hope tirelessly decorated for those parties and those Christmases. Hope's dreams were coming true.  Grace was Hope's perfect little helper and her small little hands helped her mama with all the big tasks.  There were things that came up that Hope had never thought of that day in the hospital. There was the time that Grace broke her wrist riding her bike on that hot summer day. All of those horrible stomach bugs that came along. Hope found herself up in the middle of the night washing Grace's sheets and favorite teddy bear. Hope always wondered how that Grace would bounce back to being herself the next day while she was lying in bed exhausted and totally spent from the night before. Grace's eyes were full of love and sincerity as she brought paper cups full of water to her mom and made her homemade 'Get Well' cards.

Grace became more and more beautiful and it seemed that years were passing in a day's time.  Hope started noticing that Grace didn't sleep with her teddy bear anymore, but instead had him tucked away on her closet shelf.  Grace spent more time at friends' houses and less time with Hope.  Hope wasn't depressed by this, but took time to do fun things for Grace and her friends.  One time, Hope planned a huge elaborate sleepover for Grace and four of her friends.  She made each room a new station of fun.  The dining room became a huge buffet of homemade cupcakes and make-your-own-pizzas.  The master bathroom became a mini spa with countless nail polish colors and face masks.  The living room became an endless movie night where all five girls eventually fell asleep the next morning.  The next day, Grace's eyes were full of exhaustion and a small twinkle of the fun she had.

The next three years were tough ones for Hope and Grace.  There were many arguments that involved slamming doors and shouting from the first floor to the second floor.  There were mornings that Grace was told to change clothes before leaving for school and mornings when Grace would wear those same outfits just to make Hope mad. Boys were added into the mix and that made Hope wish for Grace's toddler years.  All of the boys that Grace attracted seemed to be jerks.  Hope couldn't understand why Grace didn't have higher standards and at least try to find a nice boy.  Grace seemed to ignore her mom for the most part of the next year.  When hormones settled a bit and Grace realized that she really did need her mom's help, things began to look up.  Grace hugged her mom- her eyes full of tears and in her own teenage way she apologized.

Years passed and with them a lot of things came and went.  College came one September with the change of the leaves and also a change in Grace.  Grace fell in love.  When she called and told Hope, Hope was a little less than enthusiastic. "Grace, I just dropped you off two weeks ago!", Hope had said.  Their conversation lasted long enough for Hope to be convinced and for dinner to burn as she got all of the girly details from Grace.  It was a year before Grace brought her boyfriend home with her and it was another three years before they got married.  He was openly accepted into the family and Hope realized that she was getting further and further away from those hospital bed day dreams. 

On Grace's wedding day Hope was more nervous than she had been on her own wedding day twenty-six years before. She walked into Grace's old room where Grace was getting ready.  As soon as Hope saw Grace she couldn't believe that it was her little girl standing before her.  Grace was wearing white like most brides do, but she looked nothing like any other bride Hope had ever seen.  She was the most beautiful bride that Hope had ever seen.  Grace's soft blond curls draped softly onto her collar bones.  The dress gently hugged each curve of her body and the long white gloves elegantly extended to her elbows.  Her smile was perfect- not just from those years of wearing braces, but it was perfectly portraying her joy. Grace's eyes met her mother's as Hope walked up to her.  Grace's eyes were full of happy tears.

Grace had five successful years in her career as a nurse.  She loved serving people at their lowest point and helping families that were in desperate need of love and support.  Grace witnessed babies taking their first breath and sometimes them taking their last breath.  With a few years of witnessing the frailty of life, Grace decided she wanted children of her own. Grace and her husband had two beautiful children over a time period of three years.  Both children were healthy and both were the love of Grace's life.  The eldest was a little boy that had Grace's small round nose and freckled cheeks.  Grace's little girl had her smile and blond curls.  Grace told Hope that out of all of the blessings in her life, that her children were set apart in their own special category.  Grace's heart had grown to hold more love just like Hope's had thirty years prior. Grace's eyes were always full of love and pride when she bragged about her children.

Grace planned birthday parties and decorated for Christmases just like her mom had all of those years.  Hope was always just a call away and Grace saw spending time with her mom as a chance to make up for her years as a teenager.  They shopped together and Hope would help with parenting advice.  Over those few years Hope and Grace became something more than mother and daughter- they became friends.

An appointment with her doctor changed Grace's life in a day.  She was diagnosed with 'Stage Four Colon Cancer'.  The announcement brought Hope to her knees, but Grace wasn't easily broken.  For nine months she fought and she fought hard.  Grace went through treatments and did everything she could to improve her health.  She stayed optimistic despite what the doctors were telling her.  They said it was only a matter of time until the cancer would take her life.  Grace lived as if it were only a matter of time until she was well again.  Grace prayed more, took time to breathe more deeply, and hugged her children and husband more tightly than she had ever before.  Grace reserved all of her fears for Hope.  She would tell Hope how scared she was and how she was afraid to leave her children.  Grace knew that Hope was a safe place.  She always had been.  Grace's eyes were tired and weary,  but still full of love.

Hope held Grace's hand when Grace took her last breath.  In the silence of her hospital room, Hope held Grace's hand and Grace's husband gently kissed his wife's cheek for the last time and then walked out of the room crying.  Hope held Grace's small hand in the hospital bed just as she had the day Grace was born. Hope remembered Grace's eyes looking up at her just minutes before- Grace's eyes were full of peace and knowledge of a better place.

It has been a very difficult year for Hope, but she is using Grace's death to bring hope and life to other families in the East Tennessee area.  When Grace died, her husband and two children moved out of their home and bought a home closer to his parents.  Hope has a dream to turn Grace's home into a cottage for families of cancer patients to live in while that patient seeks treatment.  Hope dreams to make the cottage comfortable and a place of hope for those families.  Most families have to stay within the walls of the hospital during their loved one's course of treatment.  The cottage will provide a place for weary family members to rest at the end of the day.  It will be their home during their time in the area. Hope dreams that many families will have the opportunity to find rest and love in Grace's cottage. 

Hope is currently searching for used furniture, decor, kitchenware, and all other household necessities to make the cottage a reality. For ways to help, please contact me via Facebook or my e-mail: kristinanewbauer@hotmail.com . Cash or check donations are welcome.  If you live in the East Tennessee area and would like to donate furniture, non-perishable foods, or household items please ask me how.

Your used items could help furnish 'The House of Hope and Grace' and bring love and God's hope to so many hurting families.