Christmas Box Angel

**This post is also on Alexandria's website for those that follow it**

October 15th is slowly sneaking up on us and I am so not ready for another year of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness day. I dread it because I know it is a sad day for so many people and I dread it because I always feel like we should be doing more then we are to remember Alexandria. But we remember her every day. This year we got an invitation to the Walk To Remember at Mercy. We always debate on whether or not we want to go. On one hand we feel like we should be there to remember her, on the other hand it is extremely depressing to be there. Like I said, we think about her every day so I often think that we are better off honoring her that day by spending the day together as a family. But...this year they are dedicating the Christmas Box Angel statue at Mercy, so I kind of want to be there. This statue is beautiful, to say the least.

From what I understand, this angel started in a book-turned-movie called 'The Christmas Box.' A mother mourns the loss of her only child at the base of the statue. It's rumored that the statue actually existed and was destroyed by mother nature, but nobody knows for sure. Much later the statue was commissioned by Richard Paul Evans and now many of them are showing up throughout the country. He felt it was needed for all of the parents silently mourning the loss of a child.
Last year a local group tried taking up donations to get one of these statues here and they were so close. We got an invitation to be at the dedication ceremony, and then later we were notified that they were unable to get it for one reason or another. But now Mercy is getting this statue and I think it's great. I must say that I am inspired to read this book and find this movie, although I can only imagine that I will need a box of Kleenex!
If you are interested in being there, please let me know. They typically do a service in the hospital chapel, followed by a walk, and then the dedication ceremony and reception.