Expecting Sunshine 2nd Edition + Fun Giveaway!
My memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing, and Pregnancy After Loss, will be released in its Second Edition on May 21. This book has made a wonderful difference in the lives of many families and their communities. Here is a letter from one reader: I just finished your beautiful book “Expecting Sunshine” and felt compelled to reach out and say thank you. A few days after I found out I miscarried, a few days before my D&C, I went to Barnes & Noble in hopes of finding a guidebook or self-help book of how to heal and cope with miscarriage or loss of a child. I searched every feasible location: self-help, psychology, family planning, childcare. With tears in my eyes I was too embarrassed to ask anyone at the counter for help. There I was...
Read MoreResource Round-Up 3: Loved Baby Book
There are so many amazing and compassionate resources out there for bereaved families after their losses and as they become pregnant again. In this resource round-up, I will share some of the books, retreats, organizations and other supports that I feel are doing amazing work. Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss is the bestselling, award-winning devotional full of compassion and help for hurting souls. Real talk about ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and stillbirth Christ-filled comfort Tips to reconnect with yourself and your partner Knowledge that your child is in heaven Strategies to walk through grief Ways to memorialize your loss Whether your loss is recent or not, Loved Baby can be your companion as you...
Read MoreMarch: Pregnancy After Loss Awareness Month
Truly, we don’t need another awareness month. For anyone pregnant again after loss, it is a daily journey – and one that lasts for nine long months. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the heightened recognition for the joys and fears of loss moms and dads who continue to grow their family. I have been there. It is not easy. For me, those pregnancies were some of the most challenging times of my life. March Pregnancy After Loss Awareness Month I am grateful to have been interviewed for the Monica & Andy blog. Here is the article by Kristen Dold: Grieving One Child While Expecting Another: A Rainbow Baby Story After losing her newborn son Zachary in the hospital, Alexis Marie Chute entered what she calls her ‘year of distraction’—an attempt...
Read MoreInternational Bereaved Mother’s Day: Honoring our Birth Stories
Today we celebrate International Bereaved Mother’s Day. We honor precious children that have died and their Mothers whose love and bravery are to be respected and commended. The loss of a child is one of the most painful experiences a person can endure. At the same time, speaking for myself, I would never erase my pain. It is evidence of love. It speaks to the short but meaningful life of my first son, Zachary. Yes, my memories are tinged with sadness, but more so they are shrouded with love. Do you notice my theme here? LOVE Love is what binds us. Love sustains us. Love is the answer to the heart’s longings. Love is what keeps our loved ones alive. My Mom is a wise lady. I respect and admire her, as much as we butt heads many days. Mom always tells...
Read MoreFive Lessons: Expecting Sunshine 1st Birthday
One thing I have noticed since losing my son, Zachary, is how I appreciate milestones more deeply. I love celebrating the birthdays, and other special days, of my two rainbow babies and my daughter, who was one-year-old when Zach passed away. So too am I grateful to wish my “book baby” a very happy birthday. One year ago today, I published my memoir, called Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss (She Writes Press, April 18, 2017). When I look back on this past year, I realize there are many important lessons that I have learned. These revelations grew out of my challenging season of grief, the newness of slow-earned healing, and the process of writing, editing, and publishing my story. Five Lessons on the Birthday of...
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