Addie’s Sunflowers Play it Forward

06/12/2026

🌻💛 Yesterday was one of those days that was both beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time. 💛🌻

Yesterday, Addie should have been promoting to 6th grade alongside her classmates and friends. She should have been laughing with them, celebrating, taking pictures, and getting excited about starting middle school.

Instead, I spent the day missing her a little extra.

Today, something incredibly special happened.

One of Addie’s best friends, Shelby, along with her sister and their mom, Mandy, brought me the most beautiful gift I could have ever received. Wrapped inside were five burlap banners containing 75 hand-painted sunflowers—one from each of the 5th graders Addie would have moved on to middle school with.

These banners had been displayed during their promotion ceremony in memory of Addie. Afterward, they carefully wrapped them up and brought them to me so they could hang in the shop and continue honoring her memory.

As if that wasn’t enough, they also included Addie in the class time capsule.

I don’t think words can fully express what that means to a grieving mother.

In a world that keeps moving forward, one of the biggest fears after losing a child is that people will stop saying their name, stop remembering them, and stop including them. But these amazing kids and their families reminded me today that Addie is still loved. She is still remembered. She is still a part of her class.

This gift will forever be treasured alongside the sunflower notes these same children made for me 18 months ago. During some of the darkest and most unbearable days of my life, I would sit and read those notes over and over. Those sweet words from little hearts helped carry me through moments when I didn’t think I could take another step.

To every single 5th grader who painted a sunflower, wrote a note, remembered Addie, and carried her with them into this milestone… thank you.

To all of the parents who helped make this happen… thank you.

Thank you for remembering my girl.
Thank you for saying her name.
Thank you for making sure she was still included.
Thank you for reminding a grieving mama that love doesn’t end, even when a life is cut far too short.

Addie may not have walked across that stage with her classmates, but because of all of you, she was there. 🌻💛

And that is a gift I will cherish for the rest of my life.

🌻💛

04/21/2026

I sit here thinking about you which I do constantly!!! As things come together and I’m making things happen that were what you wanted it breaks my heart a little more with each victory.. not because I’m not happy or grateful but because I wish more now than ever that you could be here sharing these victories with me!!! Everything I do babygirl I do it for you, in memory of you… I just wish life and things could be different because I know if you were still here we’d have the best time making all these things happen together.. I wish more now than ever that I could turn back the hands of time… Change things that day… It’s so cruel and a lifetime of punishment to not have you here with me.. I hope your smiling as you loook down knowing all these victories that seem like nothing to some mean everything to me because they’re what you wanted, your plans and you’re wishes… I LOVE YOU SO SO VERY MUCH AND I MISS YOU SO SO VERY MUCH MORE… FLY HIGH MY PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWER ANGEL UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN 😭😭👼🏻👼🏻🌻🌻

03/30/2026

🌻 A Little Update From Us 🌻

We’ve been a little quiet on here lately… and we wanted to say we’re sorry for that.

Truth is — we’ve just been busy, busy behind the scenes.

Long days.
Late nights.
Meetings.
Organizing.
Building programs.
Getting everything in place the right way.

And we have some BIG news…

We officially received our nonprofit status from the State of California. 🌻

This is a huge step forward for Addie’s Sunflowers – Play It Forward and everything we’re building.

We’re still here.
We’re still working.
And we’re still pouring everything we have into this mission.

Thank you for sticking with us, supporting us, and believing in what we’re building.

More updates coming soon. 🌻

03/14/2026

03/04/2026

Starting something meaningful doesn’t come without noise.

There will always be people cheering you on.
There will always be people questioning it.

But at the end of the day, the only thing that truly matters is this:

What Addie would have wanted.

She was the kind of kid who gave away her hoodies, shared what she had, and helped others without even thinking twice.

So that’s what we’re going to keep doing.

Choosing kindness.
Choosing generosity.
Choosing to play it forward.

Because that’s exactly what she would have done. 🌻

03/04/2026

Behind the scenes we are preparing for our pre-board meeting.

This is where we begin confirming who is stepping forward to help guide Addie’s Sunflowers – Play It Forward and what roles they will hold moving forward.

Building something like this takes more than heart.

It takes structure.
Leadership.
Accountability.
And people who truly believe in the mission.

We’re excited to continue putting the right pieces into place.

One step at a time. 🌻

03/04/2026

The support coming in for the Fresh Start Program has been incredible. 🌻

More donations are arriving and we are so grateful.

Items like:

• Teen hygiene products
• Baby bottles & sippy cups
• Pacifiers
• Baby care items
• Comfort stuffies
• Soft blankets to wrap children in

Every item donated helps us build kits that will go to children entering foster care.

These things may seem small, but in moments of transition, comfort and dignity matter more than most people realize.

Thank you to everyone helping us build something meaningful.

03/02/2026

Imagine leaving everything behind with no warning.

Fresh Start is designed to meet children in that moment.

A soft blanket to be wrapped in.
A stuffed animal to hold.
Clean hygiene items.
Age-appropriate essentials.

Dignity. Comfort. Stability.

We are so grateful for the donations coming in — and we are still collecting to complete full kits for multiple age groups.

If you’d like to contribute, message us.

Every ounce of love matters. 🌻

03/02/2026

The Fresh Start Program is growing. 🌻

We’ve received some incredible donations this week:

✔ Teen hygiene products
✔ Baby bottles & sippy cups
✔ Pacifiers
✔ Baby hygiene care items
✔ Soft comfort blankets
✔ Sweet little comfort stuffies

These may seem small.

But when a child enters foster care, small comforts become everything.

Thank you to those who have already stepped up.

Let’s keep building these Fresh Start kits. 💛

03/01/2026

🌻 8 DAYS 🌻

March 9th isn’t random.

It’s Addie’s birthday.

And this year, we’re choosing to honor that day by opening something new. Something strong. Something built with intention.

You’re going to see:

✔ New inventory
✔ New sections
✔ A completely refreshed layout
✔ A few surprises we’re not announcing yet

We’ve worked hard for thi

This isn’t just a store launch.

It’s growth.

Eight days. 🌻🔥