Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Aimee Copeland Smiling/Sunflower Festival

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/26/family-releases-photo-of-a-recovering-aimee-copeland/?hpt=us_t2

Aimee Copeland, from Snellville, Georgia, has been in the news for the past two months.  It is wonderful to know how many people must be praying for her all over the world. There is something in this story that should take us all aback and make us humble in the face of it.

If you click on the link above for CNN, you will see a photo of Aimee Copeland being outside of her hospital room for the first time in 49 days!  Nature therapy is what she was working on for her Master's Degree and she still plans on pursuing this.   Her condition has now been upgraded from "serious" to "good" and it is possible that she might be released from the hospital by next week. 

In order to survive the flesh-eating bacteria which invaded her body through a wound from a ziplining accident, the doctors had to amputate her leg, then her foot, and then, both hands.  It was truly touch and go whether or not she would even live.  To see her outside and with such a big smile on her face it something that I just find astounding.  Her father, Andy Copeland, writes in a very honest and moving manner of what Aimee and the family have experienced.   This is not just a story of a tragic accident and the aftermath, this is a story of a family with a great and powerful faith in God.  If you click on the following link this should take you directly to Andy's blog.
  http://aimeecopeland.com/category/andy-blog/

There was a fund-raising concert in Snellville, Georgia for Aimee a few weeks ago.  In Rutledge, Georgia this weekend there will be a Sunflower Festival which will sell sunflowers for $1.00.  They will make a chain from these sunflowers and the proceeds from the sunflower-chain will go to Aimie.   Since they expect thousands there, it is hopeful that this will raise a good amount of money to go towards some of her medical bills.  As this Sunflower Festival is very close to my Daddy's house, I plan to attend and I will try to take some photos of it and let you know how the sunflower-chain turns out! 
www.sunflowerfarmfestival.com
And there is the link for the Sunflower Festival if you would like to read about it! (And this is a black eyed susan from my garden, this is the closest I have to a sunflower!)    I hope you have time to read about Aimee and be amazed and inspired and even humbled.

22 comments:

  1. Aimee is amazing! If she can face life with a smile, then none of us should dare bitch about anything.

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    1. Dear Debra,
      Exactly! At first, I was hesitant about going to the Sunflower Festival in 100 degree heat and then I thought of Aimee...I WILL be there!

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  2. "Aimee has a beauty in this photograph that I think goes beyond words," Andy Copeland, her father, told ABC's "Good Morning America." "It's a beauty of survival, of resilience."

    That is so true.

    And doesn't it put all our small problems in perspective?

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    1. Dear Scriptor (John),
      So happy to see your comment! Isn't this an amazing story? I'm glad that I was able to correctly have the link for Andy's blog so that you may read it.
      It most certainly does put our small problems in perspective!

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  3. Looking forward to seeing your pictures of the sunflower festival - what a great idea, and for such a good reason!

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    1. Dear Librarian,
      Yes, and this is the first time that the Festival has ever done anything like this, to my knowledge! Talked to my Dad last night and he will be at the Sunflower Festival with me!

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  4. I think Aimee's attitude is incredible. To be able to think of herself as 'blessed to be different' is quite something.

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    1. Dear Tracey,
      She is really, really one incredible young woman. Honestly, I am amazed the more that I read about her. I hope to see a lot of sunflowers on that chain!

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  5. So amazing and such an answer to prayer.

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    1. Dear Chris,
      Isn't it an amazing story?
      And just think of all the prayers for this young woman from all around the world!

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  6. What an amazing girl, to have come through so much and still remain positive. I hope she continues to make progress and thrive.

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    1. It's wonderful to read Andy's blog since he states that there may be times where she may display her "frailty" as he put it, but that does not take away her strong and positive outlook on life.
      I too hope that she thrives!

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  7. While i've been following her story, i hadn't seen that picture. Thanks for pointing it out. Daily i pray she will have strength for the journey of recovery ahead of her.

    Enjoy the sunflowers!

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    1. I hope you love her smiling as much as I do!

      And you know I will love the sunflowers! :-)

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  8. This story has really touched me, Kay. What a remarkable young woman this is. Her positive outlook is inspiring. We should hang our heads in shame for complaining about minor nonsense. I look forward to seeing photos of the Sunflower Festival.

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    1. Dear Martha,
      I so agree.
      And if only Richard could go with me, you will have to put up with the photos that I take! :-)

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  9. We'll never (hopefully) know what this girl has been through - and yet she is smiling in her pic! I pray she continues to steadily improve and goes on to live the life she dreams of.

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    1. That smile! Like her Dad says, that smile says it all.
      Thank you for much for your prayers and positive energy!

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  10. This is so tragic and yet her fortitude is such a gift. Also, I love sunflowers! They were the flowers on my wedding tables. You just can't not look at one and feel sad. Can't wait to see the glorious pics!

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    1. Dear Sonia,
      Pretty amazing how this story has developed into such an inspiring one.
      Sunflowers are native to the Americas, did you know?
      And yes, they make you feel happy just to look at them.
      I hope I CAN get some good pics, my husband is the better photographer!

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  11. What an amazing and inspiring young woman. Thanks Kay for keeping us posted on her remarkable progress. Her resilience and strength is a shining example for all of us.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment, Mairead.
      A shining example, exactly so.

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