Starting Tyla Treasures

The day our daughter was born, we were given a little heartshaped box painted with a bear on it. It was perfect because her nickname is babybear. However, the box was very small and did not have anything in it for the most part. The hospital staff put the clothes she wore in it, a film with very few (bad quality) photos on it, her stats card, and that's basically it. It was so small that it didn't close properly. But I still liked it.

Even at my deepest grief that day, I immediately thought that I would like to make memory boxes for other mommies. I knew I had to do something to validate my loss and my daughter's brief life.

After a while, I met a few people online who have had losses as well. I came to find that some people's memory boxes were filled with alot of wonderful memory making items and memory preserving items. It became very clear to me that I was to make the memory boxes for my hospital to be even better than before.

It took me a long while but I finally got one done and took it to the hospital. I discussed with the head of the Bereavement Program about what was needed and what wasn't, but overall she seemed to really like my memory box, and so I promised to make more.

I intend to keep my promise, however, I am having a difficult time finding items for the boxes and having enough money to buy it all. Which is why I have decided to ask family and friends and perhaps even a few strangers if they are willing to donate items. I got almost all the items in my original box from the dollar stores, so it really will not cost anyone a whole lot to donate a few items, if they so desire. I hope that I will get some responses to my request. Some people think this is a silly idea and a waste of time, but as a bereaved parent, I can honestly say that the little things count the most, so I know that this is a perfect thing to do.

The photo you see here is the first memory box I made. Believe it or not, I painted it myself. I'm proud of my achievement, and I hope that I will be able to continue this project. With your help, I will succeed.