How to Honor Conner: One-Year Later

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

Smiling because we know Conner is celebrating in Heaven!

Yesterday marked one-year since our son, Conner, was born. He was born at 26 weeks after my water broke at 17+5 weeks due to PPROM (Pre-term Premature Rupture of Membranes). Sadly, he passed away to be with our Lord on May 4, 2012. His lungs had not developed enough to live in this world. In the past year my family has learned so much about hope, love, loss, grief, peace and trust. 

The cycle of grief is complicated and different for each person. I have learned that most moms of loss become very anxious about approaching the one-year mark on which their sweet baby was born. That is completely understandable and I even felt some of that too. Do you celebrate a baby that is no longer here? What does that look like? Do we eat cake?

First time we saw Conner

I started really thinking of Conner's May birth date at the beginning of the year. I knew I wanted to do something to recognize him that others could participate in too. My thought process started with me thinking about the pink ribbon to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I thought maybe we could do a sticker...hmm...too complicated! Since our CWC Foundation shirts are blue I decided that we'd invite everyone to wear blue on May 3rd, in honor and memory of Conner. We started to spread the word on social media in the weeks leading up and in addition to wearing blue, invited everyone to take and post a picture of themselves, families, co-workers and neighbors wearing blue so we could see.

I went to bed the night before feeling good. I didn't really feel sad. I was actually thinking about how the past weeks and the coming weeks have just been filled with me asking people to do things: wear blue for Conner, buy Meredith Andrews concert tickets, vote for Stephen's band for Kingsfest, pray for this PPROM mom, help me with Cadence, read my friend's blog, read my blog...endless requests! For a person who doesn't really like asking people for anything I sure ask alot! That was my thought going to bed.

Just a few of the many blue pictures I woke up to!

I woke up Friday morning to make my usual pot of coffee. I work part-time at Barton College but Friday is not one of my workdays so that was nice. Cadence was still asleep when I got on my computer and my newsfeed was already filled with pictures of blue! I started commenting and thanking each person while downloading them to keep in a file. The minute I thought I was caught up, more pictures would pop up! If you are wondering what I actually did through the day, this was pretty much it! Cadence and I hung out some and went outside but I spent more time than usual on the computer watching the world recognize and celebrate Conner's life with us. I didn't want to miss one! Pictures were popping up from everyone from grade school friends to college buddies, to PPROM moms I'd met online, to people I didn't even know! People all the way from California and Washington state and even other countries like Canada and Iceland.

Maybe it was a simple act but it meant so much to my family. It was a symbol of their love to us and our story. One of our prayer warriors from church, Kim, shared the verse I posted at the top of this blog in specific response to the love that was being shown. It really summed up what was going on yesterday. While I am obviously sad Conner is not here, the real reason I got emotional in that moment is that I was able to really see how Christ has been woven into the lives of so many through Conner's story. On some of the posted pictures other people were even asking "Who is Conner?" and in response they were sharing my blog. That is pretty cool. The domino effect is continuing!

That night we went to visit Conner's grave site with some of our family, all dressed in blue. We do not visit the site often. That is another one of those things that varies with each family. I went to the store and purchased some bright blue flowers for his headstone. Stephen brought his guitar and we sang "It Is Well" and "Amazing Grace". I love old hymns. It was unusually windy that afternoon. It was so windy that at times all I could hear was wind in my ears. Stephen spoke some beautiful words about Conner and it seemed like the wind would gust up at just the right moments, almost like a dramatic movie!

All decked in blue!

My birthday is May 6th and since I'll be with my side of the family on my actual birthday we decided to celebrate with Stephen's side of the family right after visiting Conner's grave. At first I thought about whether or not it was weird to recognized my deceased son's birth date and then go directly to my own birthday party. Then I remembered that we are celebrating Conner too. Sure, sometimes it's sad but he is in heaven with our Lord celebrating in ways we can not comprehend yet. He definitely was having the better birthday party than I was!

Strawberry birthday cake!

One-year later we have come so far. We have received so much love from those around us that we were called to start the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM. We have given out monetary grants to other PPROM families and offered support to so many others as well.  Most importantly is that we are praying for and with these families. We are even taking steps with a NC State Proclamation already acquired and hopefully moving towards a National Proclamation to raise awareness for PPROM. It's pretty amazing and it's only because of our Lord and the support of all of you.

In closing, I will sum up how we can all continue to honor Conner: Love one another. Remember that even the simplest of actions can show love and impact people in ways you wouldn't even imagine. I am so grateful that this has been our experience since the beginning of this journey. I can only thank God for that because I know that is not the case for everyone. We no longer ask the Lord the question "Why?"; we ask "What are we doing next?"

To God be the Glory,

Caroline Combs

To purchase Meredith Andrews Concert tickets or make a donation to our foundation visit: www.cwcpprom.org

Vote for Stephen's band (May 6th- 13th) to perform at Kingsfest 2013 (Christian Music Festival) at www.kingsfestival.com

...So That We Can Comfort Those...

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
                                2 Corinthians 1:3-4


The Combs' family has experienced March Madness, and we aren't talking about basketball! Seems like so many things have already happened this month and we can only give the glory to God!

The Combs/Boyd family out to support Stephen's CD release!

The month started with a huge celebration! Stephen released his 5-track EP, "Ignite", on March 2nd. We decided to have a CD concert party and invite everyone who wanted to come! We held it at Wilson Community Church where Stephen and his bandmates got together to share the songs on the album while Stephen spoke a little about the writing and inspirations behind each song. As his #1 fan, it was a very proud moment for me. Some of the songs have been on his heart for years while others more recent. Since we have been married I have always known that part of his calling was to write music for the Lord. Making this CD is just another step in God's great plan for that!

Visiting with baby Jayce and his mom, Lisa!

The Hope necklace I made for Lisa

Jayce is getting stronger everyday!

Since 2013 hit, the Lord has open all sorts of doors for me to connect with other PPROM moms, both those with loss and those with little PPROM babies still here with us. One of those is a lovely mommy who only lives about 30 minutes from me. I am part of a PPROM group online that has women all over the country and all over the world so I was beyond shocked the first time I saw another mom from North Carolina, let alone down the road from me! She experienced PPROM around 28 weeks and her sweet little baby, Jayce, was only born about a week after that. We first connected not too long after he was born. I know that the journey in the NICU is a roller coaster and that has been no exception for this family. There have been moments when Jayce's weak lungs have stopped breathing but thankfully, the Lord has kept him here. I was so excited to have the opportunity to meet Jayce and his mom, Lisa, a couple of weeks ago. It was a wonderful time to visit and just encourage her as it has been hard, especially because she has three other boys at home too along with her husband.  A gave her a gift I made which was a necklace with Jayce's name on it. I told her that I pray the necklace will be a reminder that regardless of what difficulty you may be going through, always your hope in the Lord. He will not fail you. Other board members of the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation PPROM also got to visit Lisa on a different night, taking a meal to her home for her family. While I know we can't take a meal and make a hospital visit for every PPROM family we connect with, I loudly recall the words I heard from Andy Stanley a couple years ago at Catalyst Conference: "Do for one, what you wish you could do for everyone". The Lord will use us to change the world for him, one person at a time!

I have one free weekend in the month of March and the Lord allowed me to use that Saturday to attend a workshop in nearby Raleigh. It was called "The Loss of a Dream and the Hope God Gives" and was specifically targeted at infant and child loss. There were so many amazing things shared that morning that I can not cover them in this one blog. But you will see different parts pop up in future blogs, I promise! I wrote so many notes but one that I especially liked is: "suffering is always meant to draw us to the Lord". That's the sort of statement that will really put into perspective not only your losses, but all the sufferings experienced on this earth. It was also at this workshop that today's verse from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 was really brought to my attention. I had to underline, star AND highlight that verse but it was very clear to me that this verse represents ME! This is my calling and why we founded the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM. Life is a puzzle and finding this verse was one of those moments where one of the puzzle pieces fell right into place!

Cadence and her friends at dance class

Dancing like a pro!

The moments in between have been fun too! Cadence had her last dance class which was a mini recital where family was invited to come watch. She loves dance so much!! 

Things are full swing with the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM. We are praying to receive an application for our spring grant. In addition to that we are working hard getting ready for our June 7th Meredith Andrews Concert Fundraiser. The biggest need with that is raising the funds we need to hold the fundraiser. That seems like an oxymoron but it's true! If you or your business would like to sponsor or even if you'd like to just give a small donation, we would be so grateful! 

Thank you all for continuing to follow the Combs' family and how the Lord continues to work through both the tough and easy days! 

Stephen Comb's "Ignite" on iTunes for $4.95!

Link to buy tickets to the CWC concert fundraiser

To God be the Glory,

Caroline :)

Princesses, aPointments, Pprom moms and Promotions

 "Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
                                                                                     Psalm 30:5

"How are things going?" That's a typical question we all ask each other regularly. The simple answer from me is, "Crazy, but good". The longer answer? Well, that lies within today's blog!

Cadence's Cinderella Cake

PRINCESSES: We celebrated Cadence's 3rd Birthday in January. Those following our story will remember that it was one year ago at her 2nd birthday that we shared the great news of being pregnant with Conner. Cadence loves princesses, especially the Disney princesses. We let her invite two of her little friends over for some princess party fun. She LOVED it! It's refreshing to see a young child and how they have the ability to instantly be in another world. The older we get the more difficult it is to put aside the hustle of life, responsibilities and everything that comes with it.

APPOINTMENTS: Last week we scheduled an appointment at the Duke office for a consultation about getting pregnant again. This spring will mark one-year since our PPROM experience with Conner. This decision is completely different for every family who experienced what we did, but for us, we want to go ahead and be pro-active and get as much information as possible about expanding our family. They have described my PPROM with Conner as a "fluke". The good side is that the doctors see no problems but I guess the other side is that if you can't identify a problem, you can't really identify an answer. All in all, I have peace with the fact it as a fluke without further reason. The chances of me experiencing PPROM again are extremely low, however, still higher than for a person who has never experienced it. 

In the waiting room at Duke

When and if the Lord blesses us to be pregnant again, all of my care will be with Duke University Hospital. I will receive weekly Progesterone shots which will basically help my uterus and keep everything strong. I am not good at including all the medical terminology as I attempt to explain. In addition to the Progesterone shots I will have my cervix checked weekly to make sure there are no changes. I did not have any identified cervix problems with my PPROM with Conner, but it is something commonly connected so they will want to keep an eye on it. So, I guess we will see what the Lord has in plan there as I pray I will not live in fear if I get pregnant again.

PPROM MOMS: It's been almost year since I experienced PPROM with Conner (March 6, 2012). After our experience and the passing of Conner, I have done my best to try to encourage other PPROM moms. I've been called to encourage and help give hope to others who experienced what I did. I have been in prayer specifically this week with two moms I connected with in the past several days. One if from Illinois and experienced PPROM around 19-21 weeks. She is currently 22 weeks and in the hospital the remainder of the pregnancy. The second women is actually from NC as well. She experienced PPROM around 28 weeks and her baby boy was born at 29 weeks. He is doing well for which I think God for. Please help me pray for these families and precious babies!

Stephen's "Ignite" CD Party Flyer

PROMOTIONS: I feel there is so much going on that I am trying to promote. On Feb. 1st we opened ticket sales for the June 7th Meredith Andrews Fundraiser through our website, www.cwcpprom.org. However, the event more pressing for me right now is Stephen's "Ignite" CD release party on March 2nd. Stephen was clearly called to record this CD last fall and in our effort to be obedient to that, we had to fully fund the project ourselves. That was initially the fuel behind having the CD party, so that it could serve as a fundraiser to help cover some of those costs. I'm learning not to worry about the funds and that the Lord will provide. He has never failed us before! The summer after we purchased our home, a few years back, the church was having a difficult time and unable to pay Stephen his salary for those months. But we remained faithful to the Lord and church and while keeping all the same responsibilities he took on a lifeguard job. God kept us safe and I like to joke that he gave Stephen a great tan that summer too! That being said, I know as we continue to remain faithful, we will be just fine here too. The "Ignite" party is not just a fundraiser but a celebration! Stephen is excited to share words about each song and the inspirations. It will be an awesome event!

There are so many feelings I have with everything going on, and this blog only lists part of them. One, I do feel "on-fire" for the Lord. This morning I was wondering that if I weren't busy and if life was quiet, would I feel that same fire? I pray I would but I don't know. To me, it's easier to be on fire when God is clearing calling you to certain tasks. On the flip side, this means the devil is attacking more than ever. My friends know me as "chill, cool and collected" but I feel anxiety and attacks too! I think today has been especially testing. Maybe that why I chose to blog! As I conclude this blog, I already feel relief. Today's verse was cited in today's One-Year Bible reading. It's a great reminder that even during difficult or anxious days, joy will shine in on the darkness as we lean on the Lord. Just earlier today I felt I was sitting in the darkness but light is starting to shine in, thanks to God!

To God be the Glory,

 Caroline :) 

Striving to Live the Extraordinary Life

"The world and it's desires pass away but the man who does the will of God lives forever"
1 John 2:17

Our annual Christmas picture!

The Christmas season is when we usually reflect on the year and remember both good and difficult times.  It is also a time to remember loved ones who are no longer with us on this earth. For many, Christmas may be one of the few times each year where their families see and visit with one another. Even though we never celebrated Christmas with Conner on the outside, we did celebrate one very special Christmas with him! I found out I was pregnant with Conner on December 23, 2011. I took a test on a hunch, (not even a strong hunch) so I was quite surprised to see the positive result that morning! I had the perfect opportunity to do one of those "cutsie" pregnancy announcements to my husband. What did I do? Honestly, I don't remember what I did! I think I wrapped the test up like a present. I guess the news was way more memorable than the way I delivered it. Anyway, originally I was going to tell him on Christmas Day but after thinking about it more, I decided to share it on Christmas Eve instead.  That way it wouldn't distract so much from Christmas with Cadence. I told him Christmas Eve night as we were looking at our Christmas tree one more time before bed. It was fairly late because we had just celebrated Christmas with his side of the family at his parents' home. What a Christmas gift this wonderful news was! At that time it was a special and secret gift between us because we would not share it with the rest of our family until Cadence's birthday about three weeks later.

Stephen leading worship at Wilson Community Church

A few weeks ago I was reflecting on everything going on....from the CWC Foundation, to Stephen's upcoming album, to the Christmas season. I think I even said in my head, "What an extraordinary life!".  Believe it or not, even when national news popped up about the Powerball lottery, that came to mind again. What a life changing moment that would be to win the lottery! It's easy to let your mind go to all sorts of crazy places when you think about the lottery. Sure, I first thought of all the great things I'd do with millions of dollars, but then second I think about the cool things and trips I would want to buy. Once I came back to reality I realized that living an extraordinary life is not any of those things at all. In a world full of sin and selfishness, living an extraordinary life is simply living to be more like Jesus. Whether you've had a fairly smooth and quiet year, a year of pain and loss, or a year of celebration and victory, satan will attack. Satan attacks because he wants us to handle everything with sin. The answer to living an extraordinary life is simple, even if the path is not always easy. Live to be more like Christ. Worship the Lord, turn to Him in times of need, give and share with others, serve the Lord, use your gifts, love one another.

The ornament I made for our family for our friends

I decided a while back I wanted to make some sort of "Conner" ornament for our Christmas tree. I strive to be crafty and pin all sorts of fun ideas on Pinterest. However, I do not consider myself naturally crafty. The moment I decided to make an ornament for Conner, I knew I also wanted to make one for a friend who lost her newborn baby girl this fall. I couldn't decide what to do, but with it already being into December, I had to act fast if I was going to make this ornament! Ultimately, I purchased two red angels and planned to add their names and a little decoration. I didn't know the thought of my own hand-writing could cause so much stress! I wrote their names and added a little glitter to the edges only to be disappointed in my lack of craftiness.  I let it bother me a while that night when I realized that I had lost sight of what I was doing. I wasn't trying to create a flawless and magnificent ornament. I was trying to share the love of Christ and encourage a friend in a memorable way. The bigger picture is that we can't let our imperfections stop us from being more Christ-like. Waiting for someone else to act so we don't have to is not the answer. We will never have the perfect words to say, gift to give, or talent to share. We must not let our imperfections distract us from living a life that glorifies God and we must love on those around us however we can.

The year 2012 has been one of many huge moments, both difficult and miraculous. If it were up to me beforehand to map out exactly what this past year was going to look like, it pretty much would have looked the opposite. But I can honestly say that while it's not the year of events I would have chosen, I feel blessed that our family was granted with the gift of Conner and the even greater experience of the love of our Lord that we have shared with others. As we enter the new year, I hope we can all strive to live an extraordinary life that is more like Jesus. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. See you in 2013!

To God Be the Glory,

Caroline Combs :)

"Where Does Baby Conner Live Now?"

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

                                                                                            2 Timothy 1:7

Enjoying a beautiful day at the beach
September 2012

I don't think I am sharing anything new when I tell you kids grow up FAST! Just since this past spring Cadence has grown in so many ways. Last night was her first night sleeping in her "big girl" toddler bed and that went perfect. We are currently in potty-training mode. That is a little tougher because we are such an "on the go" family. I know diapers are expensive but at this stage they are just easier! But I know it's time to crack down on the potty-training so we are working on that each day, and some are better than others.

The picture I show Cadence every night before prayers

Probably the biggest change in Cadence is her ability to speak and communicate. This past spring she could say a few words; enough for us to figure her out. Now she is speaking in full sentences and asking questions. Sometimes it's a hoot because it is such a cute age for little kids. Every night at bed we read Bible stories from her little Bible and right before nighttime prayers we talk about the picture of Stephen and I kissing baby Conner. One of the struggles that I have seen other moms go through after losing a child is that it feels life around them has "forgotten" the baby. That is initially what prompted me to start talking about Conner each night with Cadence. Even though she only really knew of him in my belly, I want her to always remember her special little brother and know who he was. One night, Cadence spoke out a question she had never asked before, "Where does baby Conner live now?".  Each night I talked about Conner in heaven but now that Cadence can ask questions it causes me to really dig in deeper to explain. I talk about Jesus, which she knows from her Bible, and how baby Conner is with him in Heaven and they are really happy. I didn't quite realize how hard it can be to try to describe Heaven to a toddler and why she can't play with her baby brother now when she asks. It's a very bittersweet conversation. I think it's an amazing thing for us to talk about but of course I get a little sad when she acts sad that she can not see her baby brother now. It's especially sad because she has already shown us what an amazing big sister she will be one day as she interacts with her baby cousin, Addy.  There is definitely courage involved when speaking to little ones about a subject that can glorify God in amazing ways but can also bring pain.

Stephen in the recording studio

There have been several other updates since my last post.  Stephen began recording a five track album of songs he has written. While this is something he has wanted to do for a couple of years it was only after Conner passing that some doors opened, which confirmed that now was the time for him to do that. I have been in the studio a couple of times because I am documenting the project and while I know it's a ton of work, I enjoy watching and listening. He has such an amazing gift of writing and of music.  I have no doubt God is going to use this in big ways. The CD should be ready in early 2013 and we will be planning some cool things anticipating that. There is still more cool news we look forward to hopefully sharing soon!

The CWC Foundation is in the final stages of giving our very first $1,000 grant this fall. That is something we have all been super excited about. One of our goals is to encourage and bless other families who have experienced PPROM. We know this is one way we are able to do that since great financial burden usually comes with PPROM. Our prayer is that along with this grant we can help make a difference for the Kingdom. This is just one of the ways we want to share God's love with others. The difficult thing is not being able to help every family that we meet in that way. But we remember what Andy Stanley (of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia) said at a conference we attended last year, "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone."

The CWC board wearing the new t-shirts!

We were also very excited to open sales on our new CWC T-shirts! The shirts have the logo that Stephen created and are super soft and my favorite shade of blue. These shirts will help us spread awareness of the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM and also serve as a fundraiser as people purchase them. I really hope we get good support on the t-shirts. I love anything with pictures and also think it would be really cool for people to take pictures of themselves wearing the shirt so I could make a really cool picture collage. The shirts are $15 (plus shipping if not local) and can be ordered from our website: www.cwcpprom.org.

We long ago entered an extremely busy time in our lives. Yes, most of that is related to Conner, on top of our already busy lives. But we will continue to be obedient to our calling from our experience. The CWC Foundation will be doing a letter campaign in 2013 to share our story and offer ourselves in the community and beyond. Since 2013 is already filling up, I am not sure where that will all fit, but we know God has a plan and that it's a very special puzzles of pieces.

Enjoying a morning at the 'Mum Festival in New Bern, NC

In those rare moments that nothing is on the schedule, we spend time together as a family. We enjoyed an outing to a local pumpkin patch a couple of weeks ago with Cadence. We also squeezed in a fun morning at the Mum festival when we were in New Bern for a wedding. Tonight, Stephen and I are excited to head to Charlotte to attend an Elevation Church service. Stephen is especially excited to meet members of their band, Elevation Worship. Stephen actually selects many of their songs to use in worship at our church, Wilson Community Church. Cadence will not be with us this time, but I know it will be a great and encouraging night!

Thank you all for continuing to support and prayer for our family and ministry.

To God be the Glory,

Caroline :)

2013 Concert Fundraiser!

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful where ever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night. that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go."
                                                                                                    Joshua 1:7-9

Beach Vacation 2011

It's hard to believe that summer is already over! I guess the good thing for the Combs' is that we will take our beach week vacation the last week in September so the summer will extend just a little! The cool thing about a late vacation is that you can get your beach gear and swim wear on sale. Cadence is extremely excited but whenever we talk about it she thinks we are going that same day so I have to explain that it's still a little while from now.

The first week in August marked the week that Conner was originally due. I know it's common for women who have gone through what we have to really struggle with that day. The due date and birth date of the babies of families who have been through what we have seem to be times of fear. I think there is fear of hurt and pain. Fear of memories of death, many times the death of a new baby in the mother's arms. I praise God that for us, it was not a day of sadness at all! Rather, I was able to reflect on how blessed we have been and how the Lord has used us and Conner for His glory. There are moments when I wish we were all together, a family of four. But we accept this was God's plan for Conner and for our family. We will praise Him regardless!

Stephen leads worship at Youth Week 2012 in Wilson, NC

Just this past week I connected with a couple (though a mutual friend) who are experiencing a very difficult pregnancy. While they did not experience PPROM specifically, the baby's amiotic fluid is extremely low and there are additional challenges where they have also been told to terminate. That was never an option for them and while they are being given a very grim outlook, they will continue the pregnancy until her due date later this fall. Next week, they are driving into town so we can all have dinner. My prayer is that Stephen and I will be used as an encouragement for this couple. They do trust in the Lord but it is still a very difficult time. This is just the most recent example of an important connection that has been entrusted to us!

Our next Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM board meeting is coming up. We just released our grant application for a $1000 grant to be given both this fall and next spring. We have not yet received any applications but hopefully we will soon! The foundation has a P.O. Box that is checked a couple of times each week. The moment that first application comes in we will be praying over it!

Now for our big announcement! The CWC Foundation will host an annual fundraiser every spring and we are super excited for our first one! On May 31, 2013 we are hosting a concert event featuring two-time Dove award winning musician and worship leader, Meredith Andrews! We are SO blessed and grateful that Meredith will be in town and we can not wait for this huge event! Tickets will become available in 2013. An additional cool thing is that Stephen will actually be opening for Meredith! He is very excited to share his songs and words with the community. The Lord has been working on this opportunity since a couple of months ago and we are just so excited to see things come together! There are still some details being worked on. We look forward to sharing more along the way. Feel free to check out Meredith's website and her music HERE.

To God be the Glory,

Caroline :)

A New Chapter in the Journey

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder."
                   
                                                                                          James 2:19


Stephen, Cadence and I went to visit Conner's gravestone for the first time the other day. It is obviously not something one looks forward to doing and it is difficult to explain my feelings leading up to it. I guess I was unsure what my state would be being back there for the first time since his funeral in May. The Lord definitely gave me strength that afternoon. We went on a day when Wilson was having a heatwave. It was after 7:00 p.m. and still so hot and sunny that we all felt like we were stranded in the desert! Seeing his grave was a little emotional though. It was a physical reminder that he is not here with us and I couldn't help but picture his tiny little coffin the day of the funeral. We designed and picked out his gravestone only days after he passed away. The picture on the right is of Jesus with two children. The child on the left represents baby Conner. The child on the right is a little older and represents the child we lost to miscarriage over 4 years ago. It's pretty neat they are both together with Jesus now! Matthew 19:14 states "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.'" It's a beautiful reminder that we will only be separated for a while before we are all together again in Heaven. When Conner passed, many commented on the tragedy of his death. However, the real tragedy would be if we thought we'd never see him again.

A new chapter now begins with Conner and this journey. We have been working behind the scenes now for several weeks and this week we are officially announcing the Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM! I told everyone this news in a past blog but since then we have submitted what we needed to submit and taken the steps to become a non-profit organization. We had our first board meeting last night where we united on the vision of CWC. The foundation plans to give two grants each year to assist people who are in need that have had or are currently experiencing PPROM. We worked on the application and plan to have that available this summer. It's not nearly what we wish we could give but we pray that as time goes on the Lord will grow our foundation so that we can give more and help more families. We also plan to offer our encouragement to people and are brainstorming ways and avenues we can do that. Stephen designed the website and did a fantastic job! I hope you will check it out at http://www.cwcpprom.org/.

July 10, 2012 - Our first CWC board meeting!

God has lined up some very big things and I wish I could share it now! Unfortunately,  I can't officially announce them until the organizations involved announce them at the end of summer. Some items are listed on our calendar and the others will be listed as soon as we can! We just continue to thank God and remind ourselves that He is the one opening the doors so that we can continue to glorify Him.

God has totally blown us away in so many ways. Beginning this fall we have a schedule of speaking arrangements and events almost every month through next spring. We have no question that God will continue to use us to spread His message of hope using Conner's story. We also know that as a result the devil will be attacking. We know lives are going to change but with that will come many challenges in various forms and those challenges will only resolve if we continue to rely on God and give Him the credit. We are just vessels of God's work.

Please keep us in prayer as we continue to work and fine tune items related to the CWC Foundation. In addition to the events starting this fall we have more fundraisers scheduled for which we are so grateful.  Thank you all and we look forward to sharing more as we reach those going through PPROM.

The Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM Website

The Conner Wayne Combs Foundation for PPROM Facebook Page

To God Be The Glory,

Caroline :)