Spreading Awareness

Thanks for all your kind words. I'm sorry I can't visit your blogs right now to respond. My internet here at the hotel isn't the best. But I appreciate your sympathetic words. We are doing well. Tired of living out of a suitcase here, but glad we are all together and healthy.

It is nearly October, which is designated as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. It is often overshadowed because it is also breast cancer awareness month, a worthy cause in itself.

Do you have any ways that you plan to spread awareness? I feel really unprepared. All my items are lost in my boxes that went away when they packed us up after the flood. I should have them back in about a month, I think.

This year I'd really like to send a press release to my local paper. Does anyone have one written they'd like to share with us?

I'd love to hear your ideas. Thanks for sharing them with me.
peace-
emily

And the rain came down

Ok, it wasn't rain. It was a burst pipe in my upstairs shower. And although we were only out of the house for about 3 hours we came home to find our living room ceiling had fallen to the floor with a little waterfall and soggy soaked carpet on all 3 floors. After spending about 3 hours with a wetvac we decided to call insurance. So glad we did.

The water restoration guys have spent the last week ripping up carpet and opening up drywall to dry the house out. The thermostat currently shows at 98 degrees.

We came to the hotel expecting 5 days. Now it is looking more like 6 weeks. All our stuff is packed up and headed to a storage unit.

It definitely could have been worse. Our family is safe. Our computer, laptop, wii, all safe. But new paint and carpet all around, ba-bee!

So I will try to check back in and post in the next few days. But don't expect to see me at the Lancaster walk- all my awareness items I was going to sell are boxed up somewhere in my basement.

The one thing that I did forget and I feel terrible- I forgot to grab Gabriel's box from my living room bookcase. They packed him. I am so sad about that. I meant to take him when we left that first night but I was distracted and forgot. When I went back he had been packed. I am going over this morning to see if there is any chance to find out which box and liberate him.

Hope you all have safe and healthy weekends. I'll keep you updated.

peace-
emily

Memory Walks

Every year there are quite a few memory walks held throughout the months of September and October. We try to go to the closest SHARE walk, which is 2 hours away in Lancaster, PA. I don't get there every year because it is always held the last weekend in September, which is my husband's birthday. He doesn't always love to go to memory walks on his birthday.

However, this year we will be there. If you are close, I hope you'll stop by. I'd love to meet you.

I'm always so touched by the candle lighting as our baby's names are read. And by the fact of how NORMAL we all look. You could see the group of us all anywhere- an amusement park, a farmers market, a movie theater. You'd never know we are any different than any other families. But we have all been struck by the lightning of losing a child.

You can find info on the Lancaster, PA walk here
or check the SHARE site for other walks in your area here

Ideas to remember your baby at the holidays

Tamara emailed me, asking: "This is out first year without Luci and the 1 year anniversary of her death and I wanted to do things differently to find a way to inlcude her and her sister that died in '96. I was wondering what you did different at the holidays if anything after your baby died. Would you be willing to share your ideas with me? Thanks!"

I have heard several wonderful ideas of how to remember our babies at holiday time. And let me say, for me that starts at Thanksgiving. I haven't done all of these. Heck, that first year I was lucky to be out of my pjs and participating at all.

I love the idea to have a toast at dinner to remember all the family members not at the table. How wonderful! It can mean different things to different people.

Some people participate in an angel tree project or toys for tots. Some people make a donation to a charity of their choice.

Some people hang up a stocking with their child's name on it and ask family members to a service or write a note to put in the stocking. These can be read together as a family.

Some people include their baby in their holiday card by using a sticker or stamp that has special significance like a star, an angel or a butterfly.

I'd love to hear your ideas. What will you do?

peace-
emily