As we are approaching Gracie’s due date, April 24th, certain things are just at the forefront of my mind. We miss her so very, very much and we are just at a loss sometimes of what to do or where to go, or how to find our way there. We are just in constant prayer for peace and understanding and for joy. Things have been better, but moving towards this date, this day that was supposed to be so happy, but now isn’t, is very hard.
There are a few things though that I just wanted to share with everyone. God is, was, and always will be with us. I know this, and even when I couldn’t find Him, He was there. There are a couple of organizations that I would like to share with everyone that God used to help us.
When we were at Baptist Hospital delivering Gracie, they had a cart that had been paid for and donated by another family who had experienced the loss of a child. This cart was full of information on memorializing your child, dealing with grief, etc. It also had stuff to make mementos of your child. Let me just tell you that having ANYTHING, no matter how small, to remember your child by is HUGE, …no… it is everything. The wonderful Labor and Delivery nurses that we had took such good care of us and they also were so helpful in making these wonderful things for us. The very best thing was a plaster molding of Gracie’s foot. It is the most perfect thing you have ever seen and such a tangible reminder of her for always. You can see each tiny toe and definition of her foot. 
The other thing we were given in the hospital was a full layette by the Holy Sews group. This group of ladies makes clothing and blankets for extremely premature babies who do not survive. Let me just tell you that it was so wonderful and just so needed. She was so very tiny, and all the clothes that I had bought ahead of time were never going to work. But what they had made was perfect. They had made a beautiful little dress with matching hat and a matching blanket. They also had given her a teddy bear. This is what we buried her in. I don’t know what we would have done without this gift. It was just perfect, she was perfect. We are so blessed to have been given these gifts for our child and for our hearts. The Holy Sews group has a facebook page under the Causes tab and I have recently been in touch with two of the ladies. They seem like such wonderful people who have unfortunately been brought together by this tragedy in their lives. They are already a blessing to me and I am hoping to get to know them better. They provide layettes to hospitals across the state of Arkansas, and get together once a month for a work day. I’m hoping one day I will feel like joining them and helping others as they have helped me.
These are two wonderful and worthwhile organizations that have done so very much for my family. I wanted to share our story and theirs as well with you. If anyone would like more information, I have included it below.
Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church
Holy Sews
1003 North Tyler
Little Rock, AR 72205
501-663-8632 http://holysews.org/ http://www.causes.com/causes/363931
Baptist Health Foundation
Share Program for Perinatal Loss
c/o Colleen Woodruss - Director of Women & Children's Dept.
9601 Kanis Dr.
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 202-1717 http://www.baptist-health.com/womens_center/bhmc-lr/grief_support/default.asp
Thank you for remembering our little girl, and for praying with us and for us. We love you all. -Jennifer, Mark, and Jonathan
No comments:
Post a Comment