There was a popular phrase I heard as a child that went like this: “Same song, second verse, could get better, but it’s gonna get worse.” This little diddy has been running through my head a lot lately – but it seems more accurate to say, “Same song, second verse, could get better and guess what, it did.” And yeah, I realize it doesn’t rhyme.
I feel like I’ve had Christmas early this year because every time I turn around, I receive a surprising gift that took almost twenty years to make.
For instance, one day I received a volunteer application in my email. It came with an unexpected note. “Many, many years ago, I was one of the young children that lived in the Blue Monarch home with my mother and two siblings. I have memories of the fun things we got the chance to experience while being there.” She went on to describe how she is a mother, herself, now and wanted to participate in our pen pal program so she and her son could write letters together.
When I saw the name, I immediately remembered her as a young girl and began digging in an old box to find a note she wrote to me in 2006 when she lived at Blue Monarch. I had saved it all these years because it was so special to me. "My mom is learning to be a good mom."
Not long after this day, I got a call from Aly, who lived here as a four-year-old. I remember a day when Aly was with me at the café I still owned at the time. There was a painter working on a new addition and his pants were revealing a little too much when he bent over. Even as a four-year-old Aly was eager to set him straight. “Hey Mister, your pants are falling down!” She yelled this across the room, and he ignored her, but she didn’t give up. “Hey Mister, do you KNOW your pants are falling down?” (The question we all want to ask but never do.)
Aly is now a college student at Berea College in Kentucky, and she was interested in doing an internship at Blue Monarch this summer. Are you kidding me? Of course! She is majoring in Family and Children Services and Psychology – and what better place to study all of that. I couldn’t wait until her first day and naturally, the first item on our list was to go through old pictures of the days she lived here with her mother, also in 2006.
Then a couple of weeks later I got a high school graduation invitation from a beautiful young lady with long blond hair. My word, could it be? Yes, she was this precious baby all grown up. Memories of her in a highchair at the kitchen table immediately came to mind. I thought back on her time at Blue Monarch in
2004 and vividly remembered the day her big brother was reunited with their mother after a painfully long separation. The mom was so worried her son would not remember her, but he jumped into her arms as if they were simply picking up where they left off. That was my first experience to witness the powerful bond between mother and child that even years apart could not erase. I have seen this happen hundreds of times since then.
And many of our supporters are familiar with Trenton. He is often referred to as the “Christmas Miracle Baby” and was the very first Blue Monarch baby. He nearly died at birth and was just inches away from death. But prayer dramatically saved him, and it has been a pleasure watching him grow up. He is a constant reminder of the power of prayer. Unfortunately, he missed rehearsal for graduation and was not allowed to participate in the ceremony, so on very short notice, we threw him a surprise graduation party at Blue Monarch, which may have been more fun in the long run. After all, he was the single most important person at our event and around here he is a celebrity. It was fun seeing his sisters, Whitney and Brittany, who also lived here with their mother as children in 2003. Brittany even brought a toddler of her own to our party who looked just like her when she lived here.
So, when I think of these amazing young adults whose mothers were so courageous to bring them to Blue Monarch as babies and toddlers, there is something significant they appear to have in common. They have exciting futures ahead of them and do not seem to be struggling with the same challenges their mothers faced at their ages. Perhaps they learned from watching their mothers’ journeys and didn’t want to make the same mistakes. Maybe their mothers became healthier parents, encouraging their kids to make better choices.
But I like to think there was also something special about their time at Blue Monarch as young children that made a tremendous difference. Regardless, they seem to be drawn back to us, so there is apparently something comforting about returning home, which is what we wanted all along.
“Same song, second verse, could get better and guess what, it did.” As I look at this photo of our babies with the very first Blue Monarch baby, especially Arionna who is gazing at Trenton as if she understands the significance of the moment, I have a feeling the third verse is being written even as we speak. I don't know about you, but I cannot wait to hear it.
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he had done. Psalm 78:4
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