Capture Your Grief Days 14-20

Capture Your Grief.  Day 14. Dark/Light

Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. -MLK

Capture Your Grief. Day 15. Community.

 The community of bereaved parents is not a place I ever imagined I would land. No one thinks that it will be them. No one expects a loss. Let alone two, back to back. We have lived through hell and come out gasping for breath. The community of, & support from, others who have walked these roads has been so inspirational. Not one of us is ever alone & there is comfort in knowing that...

Capture Your Grief. Day 16. Retreat.

"(being) an active member in our community (babyloss moms) and belong(ing) to one or more support groups, caring for others as well as yourself can be very emotionally draining. We find ourselves helping to carry others grief too. Take today to be kind and gentle with your own heart. Do what makes you feel good...By looking after yourself first you become a more mentally strong person and therefore you are much better help to others."

Capture Your Grief.  Day 17.  Explore.

 Through reading I have been able to explore the depths of my grief. I have found more hope, some sorrow and a deeper understanding of my heart's ache!! Exploring your grief helps in finding your way further down the path of healing.

Capture Your Grief. Day 18.  Gratitude.

 #eucharisteo  choosing thankfulness.

"How do I give up resentment for gratitude, gnawing anger for spilling joy? Self-focus for God-communion.  To fully live—to live full of grace and joy and all that is beauty eternal. It is possible, wildly.  I now see and testify.  So this story— my story .  A dare to an emptier, fuller life.” 

~ A.V.

Capture Your Grief. Day 19. Give.

This blog started as my healing journal. 

My hoping journal.  And, has transformed into my giving journal.

Capture Your Grief. Day 20. Breathe.

"So often we as bereaved parents find ourselves feeling overwhelmed by our grief and we don’t notice it, but we are holding our breath. When you start adding things like anxiety, anger and frustration to your grief you can end up feeling crippled by your emotions. This affects so many areas and relationships in your life. One way to help alleviate this overwhelming surge of emotions is to turn your attention to your breath. 

Simply step outside into some fresh air and focus on breathing in and out."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 18

Day 18 - my wedding

My wedding was spectacular, spectacular.  
Matt and I met on eHarmony in December of 2006.  By the end of the week we had our first date, and then our second, and 5 days later he said he loved me.  Then about 6 weeks later he asked me to be his bride.  He proposed at Lamberts, a restaurant known for their delicious rolls.  He had them bake my engagement ring into a roll.  It was so sweet.   We were married on May 26, 2007.  It was a dream.

He wrote a song for me and sang it that day, it was too much.

My vows to Matt:

Matt, I love you and I am honored today to become your wife.  I'm proud of the man you are; your character, integrity and commitment to form a solid foundation for our relationship.  Each day I further learn to trust your judgment in leading me and someday our family, as God leads us.

I promise to remain faithful to God, seeking His will and guidance in my relationship with Him and for our marriage.  I promise to be faithful to you and above all things to honor you as my husband.  I promise to submit to your leadership, and look forward to making our home a place of refuge for you - a home full of love, acceptance and joy.

I promise to make our relationship a priority.  I will not run from you emotionally, knowing that you love and that we both desire to grow through our conflicts.  Knowing that marriage is a life-long 'work in progress.'  I vow to stand with you and face each challenge as your partner.  And, no matter the challenge, I will not divorce you.

I am proud to become your wife today.  I willingly commit myself to be your best friend, greatest fan and exclusive lover, until the day that one of us lays the other in the arms of Jesus.

I love you.

Matt's Vows to me:

Amanda, you’re my light and my love. You’re my level head and my voice of reason. You’re my biggest fan and the one who is always there to lift me up when I’m down.  You’re my best friend as well as the only one I want to spend my life with in this marriage relationship. 

I will have my moments, just as you will have yours.  I ask you in front of everyone here that you will try and have grace towards me in my moments as I’ll do the same for you.  

Sometimes I’ll be right…in my mind…while in actuality I’m dead wrong and you know it. I ask that you lovingly show me my error, if you deem it even necessary to point out.  I ask you also to not overlook my faults, failures, and idiosyncrasies, but help me to work through them.

Above all, I want you to know that I love you and will always love you.  Even though we’ll have our verbal bouts and valleys along the way, I promise never to leave you…and if you leave me, I’m coming with you.  

Though our disagreements might seem paramount at the time, in the grand scheme of things, I know that they’re just inconsequential, and I promise that in the midst of those disagreements or valleys or even in the mundane-ness of life, I will never consider divorce as a solution, or even an option.  

I want to work through our low, hard times because I know the end result will be a much deeper, loving relationship with you, which is what I desire.  I want to love you more 50 years from now than I do at this moment; I need your help to do that.  Help me to love you in the way you want to be loved, which is the way that I desire to love you, and we’ll be better for it 50 years from now.