Life is truly precious
Today I welcome Carolyn and Adrian Aarnoutse here on Wanted Chosen Planned. As Carolyn shares her story of meeting and losing her son, Willem, I felt like I was with her, remembering my own loss and reliving those emotions. I honor the bravery of Carolyn and Adrian in opening up their heartache to us, and also I join with them in celebrating their precious baby Willem and his important life. Here is Willem’s story: I wake up every morning with the feeling that a part of me is missing; my heart is heavy and feels broken. We felt so blessed and proud to have five healthy and perfect children. Our sweet Willem came into this world with one fast push; a healthy 6lbs 5oz boy. His three sisters and one brother loved him dearly. Often, I would see them carrying...
Read MoreI Miss Her So Much
I welcome Fawn Briggs and her brave guest post below on Wanted Chosen Planned. Fawn’s story of losing Phoenix is heart wrenching and her loss was only four months ago. This post is dedicated in memory of Phoenix. I was 39 weeks 3 days with my rainbow baby following a loss at 10 weeks June 1st, 2016. It was August 17th, 2017 and I was scheduled to be induced on the 20th. I had been up late unable to sleep and my sweet baby girl Phoenix Quinn had been so active. I was having contractions so when my husband got up for work I asked him to stay home with me because I thought we would be meeting our baby early. After our 4 year old woke up I was feeling exhausted so I decided to take a nap so I would be rested if my contractions got close enough to head to the...
Read MoreA Video Game to Cope with Grief
I listened to one of the most touching Ted Talks just a few days ago. It was about a family that designed a video game to cope with the grief of losing their son. It was so touching that I wanted to share it here. THE DRAGON, CANCER A little background: When Amy Green’s young son was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, she made up a bedtime story for his siblings to teach them about cancer. What resulted was a video game, “That Dragon, Cancer,” which takes players on a journey they can’t win. In this beautiful talk about coping with loss, Green brings joy and play to tragedy. “We made a game that’s hard to play,” she says, “because the hardest moments of our lives change us more than any goal we could ever...
Read MoreLast Two Days to Remember your Baby in Expecting Sunshine Documentary
Expecting Sunshine documentary needs your help to finish the film. If you have been affected by and feel strongly for the topic of pregnancy and infant loss, grief and healing – please join us on the journey of making a cultural difference. SPECIAL FINAL OFFERING Thursday, July 13 & Friday, July 14 ONLY Donate to the Expecting Sunshine Documentary crowdfunding campaign and have the baby you lost, your rainbow baby, supporter name or business name listed in the credit roll of the film. We need your help. Please contribute and be a part of this meaningful project! THANK YOU!! ABOUT EXPECTING SUNSHINE FILM: The film documents an actual pregnancy of Alexis Marie Chute as she grapples with the unique challenges of the loss of a baby and the “new...
Read MoreCelebrating Sweeties Update
What I love about Celebrating Sweeties is that it is a safe place to publicly remember children that have died. It is an unfortunate reality that our culture doesn’t know what to say to bereaved parents. What is typically said when an older person dies – “At least (s)he lived a long, full life” – does not apply. I am hoping that this will change. That we can develop a supportive and compassionate vocabulary to talk miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, and all other kids of pregnancy loss and early infant loss – not to mention the death of an older or adult child as well. That is the goal of “The Healthy Grief Movement.” New Sweeties to Celebrate It is always bittersweet for me to add a new baby or older child to the...
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