Climbing Clouds

Remember a few months ago when I posted about supporting the talented Jetty Rae in the making of her EP/music videos?

Well, I'm super excited that the single from her new album, "Climbing Clouds," was released today - along with a music video!

It is about the loss of her baby daughter. I can completely relate to her words and the feelings conveyed in the video... how blue skies turn to grey when a little one slips away. What it's like to prepare for a precious babe, only to have them leave before they arrive.

I really like Jetty Rae's unique sound (especially because this song is about something I connect with) and am looking forward to receiving my signed CD from her soon!

"You are like a raindrop that fell from a cloud.
When you hit the pavement it was so loud.
Even if I'm the only one who heard the sound."

Follow Jetty Rae on Facebook and Twitter! If you like the song, you can purchase it on iTunes! :) Pass it on to those who you think might also like it.

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

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Lily's Memorial Portraits

I received one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given in the mail today... all the way from New Zealand! I now have two beautiful memorial portraits of my darling Lily Katherine. I've been waiting and wondering when they would arrive and now here they are. :)

Back in February, I came across Eternal Hope Memorial Portraits on one of my favorite blogs, Baby Rachel's Legacy. For quite a while, I have longed for a beautiful portrait of my girl. I had looked online at several places, even some that specialize in memorial portraits... however, I hadn't found any place that seemed to fit what I was looking for... and every place was out of the price range I was willing and able to pay at the time. I also wanted to work with someone who I trusted with Lily's photos and someone who I knew would honor her memory. That's when I stumbled upon Eternal Hope. I saw the beautiful portraits that had been drawn of Baby Rachel for my dear friend Stacy and knew I would love to have one as well!

When I looked on Eternal Hope's Facebook page, I saw that the artist, Chloé, draws these unique pencil drawings as memorial gifts to parents who have lost a baby. As in, she uses her incredible talent for FREE! This woman is seriously amazing.

This is what Chloé says on her Facebook page:

My name is Chloé and I am an artist located in Christchurch, New Zealand. After the loss of my beautiful daughter, Hope, in 2011, I wanted to do something in her memory to help bereaved Mums and Dads honor their precious angels.
At such a difficult time, I realise another expense may seem like too much. This is why my drawings are gifts, and so I do not charge for them. (However, if you live far away I may need some help with postage!)
If you would like a drawing, or simply like to know more, please send me a message. I would love to hear from you and be a part of your healing journey.

I was absolutely thrilled to discover this beautiful lady and her ministry in honor of her daughter... especially after having wanted a memorial portrait for so long. (How awesome is the name of this ministry, that includes her sweet girl's name, but also points to Christ and our Eternal HOPE in Him... we will see our babies again!)

Immediately, I contacted Chloé and she quickly responded. For several months, we emailed back and forth... I shared the vision I had for Lily's portrait and she would send me updated pictures to see what I wanted tweaked. Chloé truly wanted my vision to come alive and for me to be happy with my portrait. She wanted it as close to how I imagined it as possible. I am amazed at all the hard work and time she spent on my girl's portrait. I had a vision for how I wanted it to look in the end, but I can say that it has far surpassed how it looked in my imaginings.

Here is Lily's gorgeous pencil portrait! She looks so cozy and peaceful in her blanket... my beautiful sleeping angel.

What I initially did was send Chloé the photo of Lily that I wanted her to use for the drawing. I chose my absolute favorite picture of her because she looks so feminine and pretty and the way she looks in this photo is how I remember her. I am amazed at how similar her portrait looks to her actual photo!

Chloé really helped me develop the vision... I told her what I wanted and she came up with the gorgeous layout. One of the main things I knew right away that I wanted to be incorporated into the drawing was lilies and roses, the two flowers that are very special and symbolic to me. I didn't quite know how that would work, but Chloé came up with the idea to have them look like they are coming from the background, wrapping around into the front, almost as if they are placed with Lily on her blanket. I sent photos of the specific rose and lily that I would like and it is more beautiful than I could have dreamed.

Speaking of the roses and lilies... around Lily's birthday, Chloé sent me the sweetest message with some photos. She said this:

I thought I'd just send you a quick message with something that happened the other day. I'd spent most of Saturday working on Lily's drawing, really focussing on the flowers in the background, and then the next day there were flower arrangements at church - we don't usually have flowers, they were left over from a function - and they were pink roses and lilies, just like the ones that I had been drawing with Lily! I love it when God sends us little signs like that, it made me think of you and Lily and was such a lovely surprise. I'll attach a photo of the flowers. We were allowed to take some when we left, so I had to bring home a rose and a lily.

God sends such precious reminders (even from across the world!) that He loves me and Lily and never forgets her.

Chloé wrote Lily's name in the sand in New Zealand on her 3rd Birthday in Heaven and sent me the photo. :)

I asked for this blanket of Lily's to be incorporated into the drawing somehow. This is the matching blanket that goes with the outfit she wore at the hospital... the only outfit she ever wore besides the dress she was buried in. I love that pretty pink and brown outfit (those were her two main colors). It is just so sweet with the baby birds, baby ducks, baby bunnies, and baby chicks on it. Chloé drew the blanket, stitching and all, so perfectly.

I also asked for Lily's matching hat that goes with the blanket and outfit to be incorporated into the photo, rather than the hat that was given at the hospital, which is shown in the actual photo. I love her special hat more (I keep all these things in Lily's memorial chest). The hat looks amazing in the portrait as well!

Once Chloé was almost finished with Lily's portrait, I was thinking about how much I'd love to have a drawing of her hands as well... so I ran it by Chloé to see if she'd mind drawing up a quick sketch of her hands and she was so sweet to agree to it. She drew yet another amazing portrait for me that looks just like the actual photo! In this portrait, Lily is wearing the outfit that matches the blanket and hat from the other portrait.

I love those sweet little hands. :)

I am planning on framing the portrait of Lily's face (and perhaps the other one) to hang on my wall. I will be getting a UV protected frame, so that it doesn't fade in the sunlight (make sure you do this too with handprints/footprints, portraits, photos, etc!) Once it's up on the wall, I will post a photo! 

I didn't know how large the portraits are, but the one of Lily's face is quite large and the other one of her hands is medium-sized.

This experience of working with Chloé has been such a delight. From the first glimpse at Lily's portrait (which she called a "rough sketch," even though it looked exactly like Lily), it was so exciting to be surprised with updates on Chloé's progress. The portraits are even more beautiful in person than how they looked through email (and these photos certainly don't do them justice!)

For someone who has not lost a baby, it's hard to put to words how much this means. I barely have any photos of my daughter, when I wish I was filling multiple photo albums and scrapbooks of her budding life. So, the few photos I do have, I cherish above all other Earthly possessions. Having a portrait like this is a special way to honor, remember, and celebrate her precious LIFE.

Thank you SO much Chloé for this incredible gift that I will treasure forever. I don't even have words for how much I love the portraits and how thankful I am for your kindness and generosity. Everything looks so detailed... her face and hands, the roses and lilies, blanket, hat, animals, everything. You are an amazing artist and doing such a beautiful thing in your Hope's honor and memory. I'm sure our sweet girls are friends in Heaven. :)

If you are interested in Chloé drawing a memorial portrait in honor of your baby, you can contact her through her Facebook page. You can also see and admire more of her work on her page. :)

Some other Memorial Portrait options:

-Pencil Portraits by Dana

-Darla Dixon

-Artsy Erin

-LititiaMarie's Hand Drawn Memories

If you know of any place that specializes in memorial portraits for babyloss, please share with me!

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International Bereaved Mother's Day

Today is a special day to me. It is something that most people have never even heard of and have no need to hear of it. Today is International Bereaved Mother's Day, formerly International Babylost Mother's Day. It's a day set-apart to honor mothers who have lost children. This special day falls on the first Sunday of each May, the week before traditional Mother's Day. I have been recognizing it since it started in 2010, the year my daughter was born and died. I am thankful for this day since I have no children on earth to celebrate Mother's Day and it is a very difficult day for me. Bereaved Mother's Day is a day to be loved and supported by others who "get it."

Here is what Carly Marie (the creator of this special day) had to say about it:

"This day was created to get people to start talking about the real meaning of Mother’s Day. Do you know who started it? Anna Jarvis founded the traditional Mother’s Day to honour her mother who experienced the death of 7 of her children and somehow through the years it has turned into a commercialized mess that card companies make millions of dollars from, but the worst thing is that bereaved mothers are completely forgotten.

This special day was created in 2010 to honour and celebrate the mothers who carry some if not all of their children in their hearts rather than their arms. In our modern day society, mothers who are grieving the death of their babies and children are usually forgotten. The traditional Mother's Day has proven to be an emotionally difficult day for so many mothers around the world. Just because your baby died does not mean that you are not a mother anymore. You are your baby’s mother forever and people need to start recognizing this fact."

You can also read what Carly Marie wrote about this special day in a post on Still Standing Online Magazine. To help raise awareness for this beautiful day take some flowers from the flower gallery, found on the facebook page and Carly Marie's website. Post them as your profile image on your favorite social network. Post them on your friends walls on facebook and let them know they are beautiful mothers. Also, use the images on your blogs or websites.

We celebrate, remember, miss, and love our precious little ones lost through stillbirth, miscarriage, abortion, and any other type of baby or child loss. I am thinking of all you mamas out there with some, if not all, your children in your heart, rather than your arms. I pray you find peace in knowing that they are safe with Jesus.

This flower is for everyone who has lost a child, despite the circumstances. Thank you for being there for me on this journey of grief and healing. And thank you to those of you who remembered me today and honored my girl. I will share later what I did special for the day. 

♥ Lily Katherine and Luke Shiloh ♥

For those who are interested in participating, Still Standing Online Magazine is hosting a "Breaking the Silence" event today. Here is the information about it:

"On May 5th we invite you to break the silence on loss and show the world you are STILL STANDING after loss and infertility by sharing a picture (or two or three, or as many as you like!) on facebook, twitter, instagram and pinterest. Include the hashtag #iamstillstanding to connect with and find others participating."

I am still standing as a single babyloss mama, after losing my first two children - Luke Shiloh, who went to Heaven at 6 weeks gestation in February 2009 and Lily Katherine, who was stillborn at fullterm on March 16, 2010. I promise to always be their voice in this world, which is why I am still standing and still speaking! Two babies who never spoke a word or took a breath danced into my heart and life and have left me changed forever. Their lives and legacies will echo into Eternity. I'm so thankful God gave me the gift of being their mama and one day, I will be reunited with them again. What a glorious reunion it will be, the three of us together at last! One day, I hope to have more children to raise on earth, but for now I will love my two in Heaven with all that is within me. #iamstillstanding

For more information and to participate in this event and connect with others, as well as share your child, visit the facebook page.

Much love and hugs,

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Album from a Babyloss Mama

Jetty Rae is a gifted musician who desires to make art and beauty out of her pain - from the loss of her precious baby daughter. Obviously, this sort of thing is very near and dear to me, so please consider supporting her in the making of five music videos to accompany the songs on her new EP, "Climbing Clouds." She has some fun perks for your contribution. I am looking forward to hearing her love, joy, pain, and hope on her new EP, as well as seeing the music videos that are sure to be a big voice for pregnancy and infant loss. I know that much of my heart for my girl will be in her words to her girl. Tomorrow is the last day to contribute, so please help her reach her goal! To find out more about this amazing artist and worthwhile project, click here. To follow her on facebook, click here.

Here is Jetty Rae's Indiegogo Campaign Video...if this video is this beautiful, I can only imagine how beautiful the actual music videos will be! :-)

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

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Now I Sleep...

I want to share a beautiful album that has come to mean a lot to me over the past few months. It is called "Now I Sleep" and is composed, performed, and produced by a very talented musician named John Albert Thomas. It has beautiful solo piano music with songs written for those who mourn the loss of a baby. In 2009, John was inspired by the work of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, who I have talked about on my blog before and so wish I would have been offered this incredible service when I had Lily.

This is what John wrote on his website about the album:

In 2009, inspired by the compassionate work of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS), I set out to compose an album of original solo piano music for ten families who mourned the loss of a baby. I wanted to create a musical gift for remembrance and healing. 
After ten emotional interviews, several months at the piano, and a few days in the studio, I was pleased to finally announce the release of Now I Sleep – Solo Piano in April 2011. 
This album is about giving. Ten families gave me their tragic stories. God gave me the gift of music. Today I am passing this gift along to you. 
Please download this album, enjoy it, and use it freely in any of your non-profit media projects. You can pay what you want, or enter $0 for a free download! 
For the best sound quality and a much more meaningful experience, I highly recommend the Now I Sleep Deluxe CD, which includes two bonus tracks. It was designed with the grieving family in mind, but it will make a wonderful addition to any solo piano collection. 
If you would like to use this music in your commercial business, please purchase a royalty-free music license. I will send a complimentary copy of the Now I Sleep Deluxe CD as a thank you. 
Don’t forget to click the Share link to help spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, your newsletter, and more. You never know who might find comfort through this music! 
With much gratitude, 
John Albert Thomas

I found this album online and just knew that it was the one I wanted to include in the hospital comfort boxes I am putting together to donate to the hospital where Lily was born, to be given to those going through the loss of a baby, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal loss. I wrote John telling him what I was planning to do and he offered to give me the CD's at 50% off and said he'd ship them to me for free! Thank you again, John! That is so kind of you. It is my prayer that whoever receives this CD will be blessed by it like I have been. If you are interested in purchasing the CD for your own care packages, contact John and ask him about his bereavement rate.

I have enjoyed this music so much and will often listen to it on repeat. It is great music to blog/write/read/fall asleep to, as it is so very soothing. The song that gets me every time the most and seems to speak what I cannot put into words is "Smile Again." It is so very powerful and bittersweet. It pulls at the heart strings. All of these songs have brought me such comfort and healing. A thread of hope runs through each piece and points to the Lord, who is the Great Comforter and Peace-Giver.

Here is a video about the album and my favorite song on the album.

As John says, you can download the album for free, but I greatly encourage supporting this artist and purchasing one of the high-quality albums to add to your music library, especially those who have lost a baby.

I have embed the CD for you to take a listen and hear how beautiful the music is. If you are ever visiting on my blog and want to listen some more, I have added it on the left-hand sidebar. :)

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Updated Resource Page

Today I took some time to update my Babyloss Resource Page, after finding plenty of new resources in the last couple years and realizing that some of the old links no longer work. What I have included are: Songs of Hope and Healing, Books on Grief and Loss, Movies/Documentaries/Short Films, Places of Support, Memorials/Keepsakes, Special Dates to Remember, Things to Participate In, Artwork, Jewelry, Photo Retouching, Connect With Other Loss Parents through Blogging, Retreats, and When You Know Someone Who Loses a Baby, and Places That Help With Infant Funeral/Burial Costs and Headstones. Please feel free to use any of these resources on your own blog/website and pass it along to your friends and family. I will be updating this list on a regular basis. If you know of any resources that have blessed you that are not listed, please let me know. Thanks and God bless!

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STILL Project

"STILL is a documentary film committed to breaking the silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss. Woven together using first hand accounts of families who have lost a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS and other causes, STILL will take an inside look at the devastating isolation and the steadfast resilience that results when a baby dies."

Visit the STILL page on indiegogo to show your financial support for this film! Also, be sure to like the facebook page and pass this information along. Blessings!

Here is a little preview of what the film is about and who is behind it:

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Bereaved Mother's Day

Today is a special day to me. It is something that most people have never even heard of and have no need to hear of it. Today is International Bereaved Mother's Day, formerly International Babylost Mother's Day. It falls on the first Sunday in May each year. I have been recognizing it since it started in 2010, the year my daughter was born and died.

Here is what Carly Marie (the creator of this special day) had to say about it:


"This day was created to get people to start talking about the real meaning of Mother’s Day. Do you know who started it? Anna Jarvis founded the traditional Mother’s Day to honour her mother who experienced the death of 7 of her children and somehow through the years it has turned into a commercialized mess that card companies make millions of dollars from, but the worst thing is that bereaved mothers are completely forgotten.


This special day was created in 2010 to honour and celebrate the mothers who carry some if not all of their children in their hearts rather than their arms. In our modern day society, mothers who are grieving the death of their babies and children are usually forgotten. The traditional Mother's Day has proven to be an emotionally difficult day for so many mothers around the world. Just because your baby died does not mean that you are not a mother anymore. You are your baby’s mother forever and people need to start recognizing this fact."


You can also read what Carly Marie wrote about this special day in a post at the new Still Standing online magazine. Also, please become a fan on the facebook page. To help raise awareness for this beautiful day take some flowers from the flower gallery, found on the facebook page and Carly Marie's website. Post them as your profile image on your favorite social network. Post them on your friends walls on facebook and let them know they are beautiful mothers. Also, use the images on your blogs or websites.


So, my dear friends who carry a baby in their heart while they run the streets of gold...this flower is for you. Thank you for being there for me on this journey of grief and healing. And thank you to those of you who remembered me today and honored my girl. I will share later what I did special for the day. Much love.


Read my daughter, Lily's story, here.

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Still Standing

Today, May 5, marks the debut of the new online magazine, Still Standing! It deals with child loss and infertility. Some of my long-time blog friends are writing for it.  

{via}

Here is the mission statement from the website:

In the face of loss and infertility, our mission is to show the world that we are still standing. Holding fast to resilience and hope. Our mission is to help you embrace life for everything that it is after experiencing the loss of a child or infertility.

The focus of this magazine can be broken down into three parts:

• encouraging women, men and even children to embrace life
• connecting hearts around the world who have similar life experiences
• becoming a resource for friends, family and even medical professionals, to know how to support someone enduring child loss and/ or infertility

My blog friends and "real life" friends who have also lost babies have been so dear to me on my journey of grief and healing. I am so thankful for these people and resources such as this that remind me I'm not the only one whose ever felt this way. It is okay to grieve for and miss my daughter. There was even a yahoo article written about the magazine! So proud of you ladies!

Be sure to check out the magazine and show your support today and become a fan of the facebook page! Also, add one of the pictures below found on the facebook page to your profile, share on your blog, etc. There are several colors to choose from. :-)

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Resources

I have a heart for those affected by abortion, women in unplanned pregnancies, unborn babies, and the families that have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, and other infant loss. Below are the different links to resources I have found helpful. I hope you will be blessed by them as well.

• After Abortion Resources
• Pro-Life Resources
• Babyloss Resources
• How Family and Friends Can Help When a Baby Dies
• Ways to Honor and Remember

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Babyloss Resources

*revised on November 9, 2012*

Songs:

• I Will Carry You - Selah
• Olivianna - JJ Heller
• Glory Baby - Watermark
• Climbing Clouds - Jetty Rae
• Hello, Goodbye - Michael W. Smith
• Gone Too Soon - Daughtry
• Still - Gerrit Hofsink
• Precious Child - Karen Taylor-Good
• Smallest Wingless - Craig Cardiff
• Daughter of Heaven - Kate Rusby
• Now I Sleep Album - John Albert Thomas
• Who You'd Be Today - Kenny Chesney
• If I Die Young The Band Perry
• Jealous of the Angels - Jenn Bostic
• Your Hands - JJ Heller
• Child of My Heart
• Lullaby Album - Jewel
• One More Day - Rocket Club
• Baby Angel - Rebekah Mutchler
• Mother and Child Reunion - Paul Simon 
• Awake - Josh Groban
• Fly - Celine Dion
• Home - Nicol Sponberg
• Held - Natalie Grant
• Godspeed - the Dixie Chicks
• Too Good For This World - Kevin Burdick
• Capri - Colbie Caillat
• Hug Him Once for Me - Erica McClure
• In The Mourning Album - David Teems
• The Lord Is My Shepherd (23rd Psalm) - Keith Green
• Beauty Will Rise Album - Steven Curtis Chapman
• With Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman
• Need You Now - Plumb
• Praise You In This Storm - Casting Crowns
• A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
• Beauty From Pain - Superchick
• One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey
• Before the Morning - Josh Wilson
• Heaven Song - Phil Wickham
• Bring the Rain - MercyMe
• Tattoo - Jordin Sparks
• Broken Hallelujah - Mandisa
• A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
• Goodbye For Now - Kathy Troccoli
• Homesick - MercyMe
• How to Say Goodbye - Michael W. Smith
• Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan
• In the Arms of An Angel - Sarah McLachlan
• Missin' You - Chris Rice
• There Will Be a Day - Jeremy Camp
• Slipped Away - Avril Lavigne
• To Where You Are - Josh Groban
• Blessings - Laura Story
• I Give You to His Heart - Alison Krauss
• Beautiful Things - Gungor
• Bye Bye - Mariah Carey
• After the Storm - Mumford and Sons
• Make You Feel My Love - Adele
• I Grieve - Peter Gabriel
• The Island Soundtrack - My Name is Lincoln
• Shelter - Sandra McCracken 
• My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

Books:

• I Will Carry You - Angie Smith
• Choosing to SEE - Mary Beth Chapman
• Threads of Hope, Pieces of Joy - Teale Fackler and Gwen Kik
• Letters to Darcy - Tracy Ramos
• Still In My Arms - Amy E. von Oven
• Angels In My Heart - Kathleen Olowin
• Grieving the Child I Never Knew - Kathe Wunnenberg
• Empty Arms: Coping After Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death - Sherokee Ilse
• Remembering Your Child: Ideas for Babylost Parents - Free e-Book by Beth Morey
• Unexpected Goodbye: When Your Baby Dies - Angela Rodman
• When a Friend's Baby Dies - Free e-Book by Kristine Brite McCormick
• Heaven Is For Real - Todd Burpo
• Heaven - Randy Alcorn
• When Hello Means Goodbye - Paul Kirk
• Wonderfully Made: A journey of faith, blessings and love during pregnancy loss - Healing the pain after stillbirth - Jaclyn M. Olson
• Invisible Earthquake: A woman's journal through stillbirth - Malika Ndlovu
• They Were Still Born: Personal Stories About Stillbirth - Janel C. Atlas
• Still: A Collection Of Honest Artwork And Writings From The Heart Of A Grieving Mother - Stephanie Paige Cole
• Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby - Deborah L. Davis
• I'll Hold You In Heaven: Healing and Hope for the Parent Who Has Lost a Child through Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Abortion or Early Infant Death - Jack W. Hayford
• Baby Dust: A Novel - Deanna Roy
• Mourning Sickness: Stories and Poems about Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss - Missy Martin

Movies/Documentaries/Short Films:

• STILL Project
• Peekaboo
• Still Born, Still Loved
• Return to Zero
• Stillbirth and Surfing
• Little Star
• Still
• Rabbit Hole

Places of Support:

• Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope
• Still Standing Online Magazine
• Exhale Literary Magazine
• Carly Marie Project Heal
• Small Bird Studios
• Grieve Out Loud
• Sufficient Grace Ministries
• Glow In The Woods
• Share
• MISS Foundation
• The Compassionate Friends
• Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep
• Luminous Light
• Missing Grace
• Surviving River
• Grieving Parents
• Star Legacy Foundation 
• Carrying an Angel
• StillBirthday
• String of Pearls
• M.E.N.D. (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death)
• My Baby Angel
• Naomi's Circle
• Unspoken Grief
• Infants Remembered In Silence
• Angel Baby
• BabyLoss and Healing
• Pregnancy Loss
• Healing Baskets

Memorials/Keepsakes:
(A lot of these places offer beautiful keepsakes, free of charge. If you see a Donate button on their website, consider giving to them so they can continue serving the babyloss community in the amazing way that they do.)

• Names in the Sand
• Molly Bears 
• A Heart To Hold
• Angel Babies Names in the Sand
• Rows For Remembrance 
• Mommy's Love Goes With You - Precious Moments Figurine
• In Our Hearts Photo Pendants
• Lil Angels Hankies
• Jamie's Butterfly Kisses
• Eden's Wings
• Triplet Butterfly Wings
• Angel Wings Memorial Boutique
• Names Written in Rose Petals
• Butterfly Footprints
• Treasure Beans
• Ella's Parade of Butterflies
• Forever Remembered Photo Collages
• Abiding Hope Collages
• Written In The Stars
• Names On The Sidewalk
• For Your Tears
• Stitches of Love
• PinWheels from Heaven
• Light The Night With Love
• Miscarriage Blankets and More
• Lisa's Hawaiian Names
• Calvin's Cupcakes
• Evan's Lil Evergreen
• The Midnight Orange
• Custom Memorial Paper Silhouette Portrait Dedicated to Babyloss Damask
• Pregnancy Loss Items on Etsy
• Calvin's Hats
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow
• Heaven Born
• Just a Cloud Away
• The Comfort Company
• Mamie's Poppy Plates
• Everything Pretty
• Certificates of Life
• Healing Hearts
• Wrapped Up In Hope
• Tiny Dream Shop
• Writing On The Wall
• Butterfly Babies
• Project B.E.A.R.
• The Patchwork Bear
• Handmade Memory Bears
• National Memorial For The Unborn
• Gabriel's Garden
• Tossie's Tree and Painted Rocks
• Name In The Sand
• Heaven's Doves
• Angel Blanket Ministries
• Angels For Hope
• Gianna's Light
• Robby's Rabbits
• Certificate of Life
• Lost For Words (Cards, Calendars, and Certificates of Life)
• Remembering With Lovenotes
• I Am A Mother To An Angel
• Clay Names
• Micah's Gift
• Aiden's Blocks of Love
• Lainey's Loveys
• Angel Baby Memorials

Special Dates to Remember:

• October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
• Stillbirth Remembrance Day
• International Bereaved Mother's Day
• International Bereaved Father's Day
• August 19th - Day of Hope
• Compassionate Friends Worldwide Cande Lighting

Things to Participate In:

• Beryl Ayn Young's Illuminate Online Photography Class
• Anchored by Hope Online Bible Study
• Capture Your Grief Photography Project
• Remembering Together Christmas Ornament Swap
• Faces of Hope, Faces of Loss Holiday Gift Exchange
• October 15th Beach Prayer Flag Project
• Spoken Word Blog Round-Up
• Monthly Milestone Exchanges
• Still Life 365
• Walking With You
• Pen-Pal Program
• Project The First!
• Your Local Walk to Remember or Candelighting Service (Google these things)

Artwork:

• Eternal Hope Memorial Portraits
• Little Winged Ones
• Deanna&Charlotte's Art
• Beyond Words Designs
• Not Forgotten Angel Baby Drawings
• Seashore of Remembrance
• Portraits by Dana
• Epiphany Art
• Portrait Of An Angel
• LititiaMarie's Hand Drawn Memories

Jewelry:

• My Forever Child
• Held Your Whole Life
• Eden's Wings
• Sue-Ella Signature Designs
• Metal Stamped Memories
• Beyond Words Designs
• Angel Mommy Pendant
• La Belle Dame Jewelry
• Custom Personalized Nest Jewelry 
• Marked By Love Necklace
• Thumbies Print Jewelry 
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Bracelet
• The Vintage Pearl
• Still Loved Ring

Photo Retouching:

• Baby Angel Pics
• Heartprints Photo Retouching 
• Sweetest Keepsakes
• Contact someone from NILMDTS or Heartfelt and ask if they will work with you

Connect With Other Loss Parents through Blogging:

(if you would like to start a blog to work through your grief, Franchesca at Small Bird Studios designs blogs and extends a 20% discount to those blogging about the loss of a child, those facing infertility, and those adopting a child.)

• The Sisterhood of Loss and Support
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Blog Directory
• Blog Directory - Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Baby/Child Loss

Retreats:

• Haven of Hope
• Faith's Lodge
• The Compassionate Friends Retreat

When You Know Someone Who Loses a Baby:

• How Family and Friends Can Help When a Baby Dies
• When a Friend's Baby Dies
• What You Can Do to Help a Grieving Family

Places That Help With Infant Funeral/Burial Costs and Headstones:

• Baby Rachel's Legacy
• Dempsey Burdick Memorial Foundation
• The Tears Foundation

If you know of any other resources that could be added to this list, please leave a comment or email me at roseandherlily(at)gmail(dot)com.

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