Faces of Loss

 A fellow babyloss mamma (BLM), Kristin (Stevie Joy's mom) has started an incredible project called "Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope: Putting a Face on Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Loss."  It is an incredible idea... every face, every woman, every story represents a precious child who is missing from our lives.  Our stories represent so many things.... pain, loss, sorrow, grief, dreams unrealized, interrupted parenthood, incomplete families, longings for heaven, hope, strength, courage, faith and healing.  HERE is OUR STORY

Talking about grief-- and especially grief as it relates to pregnancy and infant loss is so taboo.  But as the quote on this website says, "Whenever a taboo is broken, something good happens..."  I have yet to meet a fellow BLM who has not been hurt by people in the midst of their grief.  Grieving people hurt, our grief changes us.  Its not always a bad thing in the end, but we are forever different.  And its a process... we probably don't act how you might think we "should."  Grief has a way of leveling the playing field for everyone... it doesn't matter if you're a high-level businesswoman, a kindergarten teacher, a top-selling real estate agent, a pastor's wife or a nurse.  When your child dies, the rules and politics go out the window.  It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, because your baby is no longer here.  And in the end, you're the only one who will really, truly live that reality. And really, when a baby dies along with all your hopes and dreams for her, is there really a guidebook for how we should act??  I don't think so.  

And that's what is so beautiful about Kristin's new project... I am so glad we could be a part of it and share Whitney's story.  It is a beautiful, freeing and healing thing to know that we are not alone.  Though it often feels like it, especially when our daily surroundings are full of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" in our grief...it doesn't matter.  We're not alone.  And these are the faces of hope that help remind me of that...

FACES OF LOSS, FACES OF HOPE.