Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day
I'm so thankful to have an amazing, supportive, loving husband who is my forever Valentine.
Oh and Parker too...so we can shower him with love and dress him up to look quite adorable : ) He's our little Cupid and always makes us feel better.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A heartfelt e-mail from a relative of my Husband
I'm glad there are people with kind hearts that choose to share touching things like this that help us...
Hi Kris and Kellie,
The memorial you have created for your son is just beautiful. I have had a
really good look at all the pictures - My God he was beautiful!
I kept thinking how much different it is these days to when some of our
ancestors lost their children and were told to forget about it because that
would be easier. It wasn't.
My Grandma - your great-great-aunty Elsie lost her first son too. His name
was Benjamin Arthur Florance, and he was still born, so she never got to
feel his heart beat, and that was on 3rd November 1922. She was in labor
for 48 hours in an old house in South Greenbushes, and had her Mum and an
elderly midwife with her, and she nearly died. He weighed 13lb 8oz, and she
was only 5'2". There was no reason given for his death, and she never saw
him or held him.
When I had Chris, I had gestational diabetes, and was told it was
hereditory. Mum didn't have it with me, but Grandma described the symptoms
of when her Ben was born and my doctor did a kind of "delayed" diagnosis and
confirmed that is what she had too.
The day I told her? 3rd November 1992.
Her response?
"My little boy. He would have been 70 today. I finally know I did nothing
wrong. His name was Ben, and he was beautiful." Then she cried and told me
how much she missed him.
He never left her, she had 2 more children, 3 grand daughters, and I was
pregnant with her 3rd great-grandchild when she died, but she never ever
forgot Ben.
Why?
Because she was a good parent.
Just like you two.
Hi Kris and Kellie,
The memorial you have created for your son is just beautiful. I have had a
really good look at all the pictures - My God he was beautiful!
I kept thinking how much different it is these days to when some of our
ancestors lost their children and were told to forget about it because that
would be easier. It wasn't.
My Grandma - your great-great-aunty Elsie lost her first son too. His name
was Benjamin Arthur Florance, and he was still born, so she never got to
feel his heart beat, and that was on 3rd November 1922. She was in labor
for 48 hours in an old house in South Greenbushes, and had her Mum and an
elderly midwife with her, and she nearly died. He weighed 13lb 8oz, and she
was only 5'2". There was no reason given for his death, and she never saw
him or held him.
When I had Chris, I had gestational diabetes, and was told it was
hereditory. Mum didn't have it with me, but Grandma described the symptoms
of when her Ben was born and my doctor did a kind of "delayed" diagnosis and
confirmed that is what she had too.
The day I told her? 3rd November 1992.
Her response?
"My little boy. He would have been 70 today. I finally know I did nothing
wrong. His name was Ben, and he was beautiful." Then she cried and told me
how much she missed him.
He never left her, she had 2 more children, 3 grand daughters, and I was
pregnant with her 3rd great-grandchild when she died, but she never ever
forgot Ben.
Why?
Because she was a good parent.
Just like you two.
Friday, February 5, 2010
written by my dear friend Annje ~ the capital letters make Remington's name.
your heart will Remember me
for Ever more it beats on, pulsing with My blood
Intense love, pain, and sadness are your constant companions
as None can comprehend
remember that after darkness, there is always liGht
Together we will always be
One heart, two souls
Never will we part
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Do's and Don'ts of grief support ~ I was told this is a help for friends & family
Do's
Do ask, "How are you REALLY doing?"
Do remember that you can't take away their pain, but you can share it and help them feel less alone.
Do let your genuine concern and care show.
Do call the child by name.
Do treat the couple equally. Fathers need as much support as mothers.
Do be available...to listen, to run errands, to drive, help with the other children, or whatever else seems needed at the time.
Do say you are sorry about what happened to their child and about their pain.
Do accept their moods whatever they may be, you are not there to judge. Be sensitive to shifting moods.
Do allow them to talk about the child that has died as much and as often as they want.
Do talk about the special, endearing qualities of the child.
Do give special attention to the child's brother and sister--at the funeral and in the months to come (they too are hurt and confused and in need of attention which their parents may not be able to give).
Do reassure the parents that they did everything they could, that the care the child received was the best possible.
Do put on your calendar the birth and death date of the child and remember the family the following year(s). That you remember the child is very supportive.
Do extend invitations to them. But understand if they decline or change their minds at the last minute. Above all continue to call and visit.
Do send a personal note or letter or make a contribution to a charity that is meaningful to the family.
Do get literature about the grief process to help you understand.
Don'ts
Don't be afraid to ask about the deceased child and to share memories.
Don't think that the age of the child determines its value and impact.
Don't be afraid to touch, it can often be more comforting than words.
Don't avoid them because you feel helpless or uncomfortable, or don't know what to say.
Don't change the subject when they mention their child.
Don't push the parents through the grieving process, it takes a long time to heal and they never forget.
Don't ask them how they feel if you aren't willing to listen.
Don't say you know how they feel.
Don't tell them what they should feel or do.
Don't try to find something positive in the child's death.
Don't point out that at least they have their other children.
Don't say that they can always have another child.
Don't suggest that they should be grateful fo their other children.
Don't think that death puts a ban on laughter. There is much enjoyment in the memory of the time they had together.
Avoid the following cliches:
"Be brave,don't cry."
"It was God's will" or "it was a blessing."
"Get on with your life. This isn't the end of the world."
"God needed another flower in his garden."
"At least it wasn't older."
"You must be strong for the other children."
"You're doing so well."
"You're young, you'll get over it."
"Time will heal."
Do ask, "How are you REALLY doing?"
Do remember that you can't take away their pain, but you can share it and help them feel less alone.
Do let your genuine concern and care show.
Do call the child by name.
Do treat the couple equally. Fathers need as much support as mothers.
Do be available...to listen, to run errands, to drive, help with the other children, or whatever else seems needed at the time.
Do say you are sorry about what happened to their child and about their pain.
Do accept their moods whatever they may be, you are not there to judge. Be sensitive to shifting moods.
Do allow them to talk about the child that has died as much and as often as they want.
Do talk about the special, endearing qualities of the child.
Do give special attention to the child's brother and sister--at the funeral and in the months to come (they too are hurt and confused and in need of attention which their parents may not be able to give).
Do reassure the parents that they did everything they could, that the care the child received was the best possible.
Do put on your calendar the birth and death date of the child and remember the family the following year(s). That you remember the child is very supportive.
Do extend invitations to them. But understand if they decline or change their minds at the last minute. Above all continue to call and visit.
Do send a personal note or letter or make a contribution to a charity that is meaningful to the family.
Do get literature about the grief process to help you understand.
Don'ts
Don't be afraid to ask about the deceased child and to share memories.
Don't think that the age of the child determines its value and impact.
Don't be afraid to touch, it can often be more comforting than words.
Don't avoid them because you feel helpless or uncomfortable, or don't know what to say.
Don't change the subject when they mention their child.
Don't push the parents through the grieving process, it takes a long time to heal and they never forget.
Don't ask them how they feel if you aren't willing to listen.
Don't say you know how they feel.
Don't tell them what they should feel or do.
Don't try to find something positive in the child's death.
Don't point out that at least they have their other children.
Don't say that they can always have another child.
Don't suggest that they should be grateful fo their other children.
Don't think that death puts a ban on laughter. There is much enjoyment in the memory of the time they had together.
Avoid the following cliches:
"Be brave,don't cry."
"It was God's will" or "it was a blessing."
"Get on with your life. This isn't the end of the world."
"God needed another flower in his garden."
"At least it wasn't older."
"You must be strong for the other children."
"You're doing so well."
"You're young, you'll get over it."
"Time will heal."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
