Keepsakes of our Loss
Before Zachary died, Aaron and I went to the funeral home that would be performing Zach’s cremation. We walked through a large room filled with wooden caskets. The sight made me nauseous; literally sick to my stomach. I kept my eyes on the floor, Aaron guiding me. We passed through that room into a tiny, closet-like space. There, on a low shelf, was a tiny collection of urns – for children. Regular urns, for adults, are similar to the average flower vase in size, whereas for children, their bones being much smaller, the urns are petite. I remember weeping, furious I would have to make such a decision as the container for my child. There were urns that looked like miniature versions of the adult containers but these felt so cold and impersonal. Aaron and I chose a...
Read MorePortraits of Healing in The Quiet Rebuild
Art can heal. It may sound corny but it’s true. The language of art is not like a spoken dialect; art touches the human heart through contrast, color, symbolism, metaphor and personal and creative expression. You don’t have to be an artist or even have a clue what I’m talking about for art to make a difference for you. I can help! If any of this resonates with you (or even sparks your curiosity), I am still looking for volunteers to participate in fine art portraits for my work, The Quiet Rebuild. This is an opportunity to share your story of love and loss and survival. Please get in touch if you are interested: info@alexismariechute.com You can read more about the project here on Wanted, Chosen, Planned – Portraits of Healing and you can...
Read MoreThree Minus One Anthology
The Three Minus One book will be released on April 19, 2014 by SheWrites Press. I am so thankful that one of my essays is included within this hugely meaningful anthology. My essay is called, “The Tiny Voice that Saved Me,” and is about the days following my son’s death. Description of Three Minus One: Three Minus One: Parents’ Stories of Love and Loss is a collection of intimate, soul-baring stories and artwork by parents who have lost a child to stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal death, inspired by the film Return to Zero. The loss of a child is unlike any other, and the impact that it has on the mother, the father, their family, and their friends is devastating—a shockwave of pain and guilt that spreads through their entire community. But the majority of...
Read MoreWanted Chosen Planned nominated for a Yeggie
Why do I write this blog? There are a lot of reasons: My son Zachary gave me the greatest gift of LOVE and compassion which I hope to share with others. Wanted, Chosen, Planned is my labor of LOVE to make a difference in the world. I LOVE writing and am glad that my gifts can be used in a meaningful way. I guess it all comes down to LOVE… These reasons are worth it in themselves but make it all the more special when I learn that my blog is nominated for a Yeggie – and has been shortlisted! A Yeggie is a new media award in Edmonton for bloggers, social network addicts and twitter personalities that are doing good things with their screen time. Wanted, Chosen, Planned has been shortlisted in the “Family and Parenting” category. I find this a huge honor...
Read MoreBaby Loss Quotes
Sometimes along the journey of loss we need a little help. Okay, that’s not totally true. Yes, help sometimes but also often, daily, minute by minute support… When no one is there to encourage you directly, here are some quotes that may help. “Out of these ashes, beauty will rise.” – Steven Curtis Chapman “It’s a happy life, but someone is missing. It’s a happy life, and someone is missing.” – Elizabeth McCracken, An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination “If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was ‘over’ it. They would ask me how I was doing learning to walk without my leg. I was learning to walk and to breath and to live without Wade. And what I was learning is that it was never going...
Read More“The New Normal: A Mother’s Story about Love and Loss” – Flurt Magazine
I write a monthly column for Flurt Magazine and in the spring 2014 issue I published an article called, “THE NEW NORMAL: A Mother’s Story about Love and Loss.” This is my story about losing Zachary and how his life transformed every part of my ‘normal’ existence into something altogether different. I also talk about coming to terms with the title ‘new normal’ and how Zachary gave me the greatest gift: a passion to care for and encourage others who have also experienced loss. I truly believe this journey we are all on can seem unbearable at times but in the end we are stronger together. If you would like to read my full article, you can purchase your copy on Flurt...
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