Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Hope

 

Every month on the 19th {I'm late, as usual!}, Francesca from Small Bird Studios hosts the Small Miracles Blog Hop. Click the image above to hop on over to Francesca's blog and read her post. The entries from other ladies are listed below my post here, and also on Francesca's blog. You can submit your story either here or there.

"Francesca asks, what big or small miracles have brought you hope lately?"

There have been so many things that have brought me hope throughout this journey. I sat here for a few minutes trying to figure out which one has brought me the most hope. I can't do that. What I want to do, is take this opportunity to thank all of the ladies that I've "met" over the past 15 months. The women I have come into contact with since we lost Olivia have transformed me into a new person. The online baby loss community is so fantastic, and I don't know where I'd be if I'd never stumbled across it. This always makes me think about my mom, who lost my older sister almost 25 years ago. In 1986, there was no internet, and no real support for this kind of thing. She had a few books, but that's about it. Even her co-workers were fairly unsupportive. People didn't talk about this kind of thing, even though I'm sure it was just as common then as it in now. There was such a lack of understanding for what she was going through, and my heart hurts for her when I think about it. I know that I am extremely fortunate.

I have been inspired to have more compassion for people.

to be grateful for the life that I've been given.

I have developed a more passionate love for the Lord,

and how to use the love that I receive from Him to affect the lives of others.

I have been inspired to learn photography,

to eat well, to exercise,

and to laugh through the grief.

I have learned how to live with joy again. Something that 15 months ago, I didn't know was possible.

Maybe I would have done some of these things on my own. But the encouragement and inspiration that I have received from the blog community has been so amazing. Even overwhelming at times. It is so wonderful to log into blogger and read posts from women who lost their babies too and are struggling with similar feelings. It is empowering to watch everyone progress through the stages of grief and slowly become an even BETTER version of their former selves.

If you follow my blog and are a baby loss mama, then I follow yours too, and its you that I am talking about.

Thank you for all of the hope you've provided me with over the past 15 months. It means more to me than I can put into words.

And as for miracles... Two of my best blog friends gave birth to their Rainbow Babies within the last couple of months. Meredith had Lauren in December, and Maggie had Lucas yesterday. If those aren't reasons for hope, then I don't know what is :).

7 comments:

m&msmommy said...

Beautiful post! I'm not a baby loss mama (I'm a multiples loss aunt which I know doesn't even hale in comparison to your pain), but I'm SO thankful that you have a community of support. That is something that definitely helped my sister after she lost her sons. I'm also glad to see you have the connection to those that have had rainbows babies to give you even more hope and encouragement! :) What miracles! :)

Franchesca said...

Hi Betsy, I am so glad to have found your blog. Can I just first say that Olivia is just beautiful!? I love all your reasons for hope. I especially love that you mentioned laughter in grief. It seems that after losing Jenna I could laugh harder. It was different, and a much deeper way of enjoying life. So glad to hear about your two friends and their rainbows. Beautiful hope. Thank you for sharing. Hope you'll come back next month :)

XO

Kristin said...

Hi Betsy I found your blog threw another blog and I was catching up with your story and your sweet baby girl Olivia. I just started to cry let me just tell you that your outlook on your whole experance is just amazing. Im also a Baby loss mama it will be a year on March 2 that I gave birth to my Twin girls at 20 weeks and they were with us for about 45 min. I was so honored to have shared such special time with my baby girls but it was rough and is still hard. But I have hope and faith that gets me threw every day. Thanks for sharing your story. Fill free to drop by anytime.

http://familyofthreejustexpanded.blogspot.com/

Holly said...

I am so thankful for those moms and dear friends I have met on this journey. I wish that we didn't have to meet in this manner but am glad we could walk such a difficult road together-to give love and comfort and support.

Mary said...

I know what you mean about the Babyloss Community. Everyone has been so comforting, encouraging and compassionate towards one another. It brings tears to my eyes that there are so many of us out there. Everyday many more mommies join this community :( I'm so sorry your mom wasn't able to have the resources we have today. My grandmother lost 3 babies and it was never talked about in my family until recently.

Betsy your story has been so inspiring. I know that both your Livie and mine are looking down on us from Heaven :)

My New Normal said...

I found you through the blog hop and am your newest follower.

I lost my baby boy back in August at 36 weeks. I too have been amazed by the support in the BLM community. I never even considered blogging until he died. Now I don't know how I would have survived without it.

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

This is the first time I've found support in over seven years. It's such a wonderful thing ;)

I loved reading your post.

I'm here from the hop.

ecwrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-son-is-in-heaven.html

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