Capture Your Grief. Days 21-26

Capture Your Grief.  Day 21.  Relationship.

 

Sister friends!! Love these ladies so very much. 

Many hours of laughter, dance parties & various shenanigans... Much healing!!

Capture Your Grief. Day 22.  Self-Care.

 

Self-care is extremely important when it comes to healing. So slow down and be gentle with yourself today. Do something that brings you joy, something that feeds your soul and allows you to re-charge. See where your thoughts take you.
 

Capture Your Grief. Day 23.  Inspiration.

 

Noah came to us after the two most terrible losses that people can imagine. Two babies gone on to Heaven within a year. And then, miracle of miracles... Noah was gifted to us by The Lord. His life inspires me to live mine to the fullest. To never be small. To always embrace & love everything about living. To honor Rowan & Levi by living well.

Capture Your Grief.  Day 24.  Forgiveness.

 

Forgiving myself after each baby died was a struggle. It was hard to breathe, let alone reason with myself... Coming to grips with the fact that I couldn't have saved them...although slightly defeating, was a relief. Self-forgiveness. Hard. Necessary. Life-giving. 

Capture Your Grief.  Day 25.  Mother Earth.

 

"then man's dust will go back to the earth, returning to what it was, 

and the spirit will return to the God who gave it."   Ecclesiastes 12:7

Rowan & Levi - ours but for a moment...HIS for eternity.  Were they not ours only to hand over to Him either in life OR death?  Learning to live with believing He knows best...trusting Him with ALL circumstances.  This is the true test of our faith.  If we believe in Him for our eternal salvation, how can we hold back & say, no - but I cannot trust you in this?! We WILL see these children in Glory.  Some days it is that single thought that carries me through from breath to breath.   

God is ALWAYS good...and I am always loved.

Capture Your Grief.  Day 26.  Healing Ritual.

 

My latest adventure, Trim Healthy Mama.   

On the path to physical & emotional healing.  My body has been ravaged by pregnancy, pregnancy loss, hormone treatments, fertility drugs, child birth, etc...  

On August 25th I took the plunge into a new life style & it's been one amazing day after another.

True healing begins at our core!  I feel like the best way to honor my sons is to live this life well. 

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What is "Capture Your Grief"?  Read about it here.

Or, just join in the photo project by following these prompts:

30-day blog journal - Day 22

Day 22 - a website

I know this may seem like a shameless plug, but I'd like you all to visit my website 'Rowan's Hope.'  We are really hoping to get this thing off the ground now that I am out of work.  I will be putting more time and energy into the site, and the movement.  

I don't know if we'll be able to organize a big 'Walk to Remember' this year for October 15th, but I fully plan and have goals set to get it done next October.  This year will most likely be really small.

Well, what is Rowan's Hope?

   Rowan's Hope was started to honor the short life of baby Rowan McCleskey.  Our lives have been changed in unimaginable ways since his death, and we are so blessed to have been his momma and daddy.  The short time that we got to have Rowan as our own is worth more than words, and so it is because of what we are learning to live through that we give you Rowan's Hope.  After the death of our second son, Levi, we decided to keep our original name, but there is a tribute to Levi include in our new 'badge' and on the site.  (we love these boys too too much!!)  

    Our dream for Rowan's Hope is to provide a place for women and families to remember their babies who have been lost to miscarriage.  This is a place where you can share your heart without the worry of being judged or rushed to "just get over it."  The death of a child is a heartbreaking event to go through, and we want you to know that you are not alone.  You are never alone on this journey...

     We also want to educate women and families, as well as our entire community, about the very real causes of miscarriage and ways to prevent the loss of a child.  Miscarriage is incredibly common, and yet no one really ever talks about it.  We hope to bring more awareness to something that has been happening for decades, and to let people know they don't have to keep quiet about their breaking hearts or their healing.  We also strive to let women and families know they are not helpless, and there is hope.

     Lastly, it is our dream that Rowan's Hope will be a source of empowerment for women and families, through pouring out our hearts, learning together and encouraging one another.   We are not powerless in the face of difficulty.  There are tests that can be performed, doctors that can be seen, and hope that can be shared  You are never alone on this journey...

2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen in eternal."

So, check us out and spread the love.

<a href="http://www.rowanshope.com"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4945410586_f961b4a1cd.jpg" alt="rowanshope" width="125" height="125" /></a>