Lucy's Blessingway

A blessingway is a beautiful way to celebrate mothers and their babies. To me having this blessingway was so full of memories that I love and I cherish dearly. To me this day was so beautiful, so full of emotion. I fully believe that women coming together to support one another is important and is sometimes forgotten in this day and age. So here I am sharing with you a day full of love.

My sister helped me figure out all the details and we sent out an email invite to all my close close friends and family. I decided that after learning Lucy's diagnosis that I only could handle a small amount of women.

I asked the women who could not attend to send me a meaningful bead for a necklace and for those who could attend to bring one with them. I also asked the ladies to think of a poem or something meaningful to write down and share to help me through labor and birth. We combined all these words to go around a beautiful sunflower photo and I treasure it fully.

Table full of beeswax candles and a circle of flowers to represent Lucy's sweet little life that shines within me. I had enough candles to give to each woman so they could light them as I labored. 

 My beautiful friend Gabby who shared pregnancies with me joined us in celebration of both of our dear children. Flower crowns were made for both pregnant goddesses. 

Putting some of the most thoughtful beautiful beads onto my hemp sting necklace that I wore as I birthed my precious wonder. After each bead was put on, every woman shared something powerful and beautiful with me. These moments of time I hold so dear, it brought about so much love, tears and laughter as we loved on my precious Lucy. 

Me all fancy with my flower crown and birthing necklace.

Feeling sweet Lucy kick and jump for joy, she was so active. 

My momma painting my belly.

 All the beautiful women at Lucy's Blessingway took turns painting meaningful images on my belly. 

 After the women gathered, my son, husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law joined us later for dinner and a few pictures.

My sweet little boy loving on his little sister. 

A close up picture of my flower crown made with love by my dear sister. 

This evening that I shared with some of our close friends and family was amazing and is so treasured. I wanted to share our beautiful day with you all to inspire you to continue to hold one another and lift each other up even when it seems impossible. It has made a huge difference for me and my family. I treasure all of you for making the trip to our home and loving on us and on our dear baby Lucy. 

Photo today, full of love within me

I found this photo today. Of me, my sweet boy, my darling Lucy. I can see my face and my feelings, I am feeling my children deep within my heart. They are both with me always, I'm so thoroughly blessed to have them in my life. They make my life worth everything, they are love, complete love. 

As I sit here, I cry, I cry with the joy of knowing these amazing souls. Of feeling them so deeply within me. With them next to me during my days, helping to lift me when I fall. Showing me the truths of life, showing me the importance of every second. They've shown me the importance of slowing down, what was I doing, racing towards the end of my life? No, that's now what I want. They've shown me to want to cherish the seconds, grabbing the moments of life as they come. Being present with them, with myself, with life.  

As I look at my son, he is a master, a builder, a creator, a healer, an artist and a lover. He is so passionate about life, about learning and creating. He completely inspires me, empowers me. He is a rare soul. Every time I sit and just observe him at his work, his play he draws me in and I'm so blown away by his creations, his love filled presence, powerful spirit.

As I feel my daughter and look through what she has given me, I get shivers. Everything about her is perfect. Everything I do with her, feels perfect. Every time I feel her, she is perfect, complete. She overwhelms me with her sweet, precious peaceful spirit. 

How did get so lucky? To help create two amazingly beautiful beings, just absolutely radiant both inside and out. 

Pure Love

My two precious children. The ones that I live for. The ones that keep my life full of love. I'm so grateful and honored to be your mother.

This handsome caring boy of mine, look at the love in his big eyes. I've never seen a boy love his sister so... He is so full of passion and is just completely darling.
Look at those lips of hers, so tender and sweet. Her chunky cheeks of perfection. I miss them. I long for her touch, her smell, her everything.
I cherish these precious children of mine. I love their perfect love for each other. 

Today, right now

Right now I am here. I am breathing. This is me with my son today by our home. I am living a life with so many beautiful people who inspire me every day. Lucy would have turned 18 months on the 2nd. Her life and death has turned my world around. I feel I'm a completely different me. I've learned to stay away from those who bring me pain and say "no" more when my gut tells me too. I've learned that in this life I need to smile and be present more for my children and for myself. Today I've been down. I'm just so sad when we do things together as a family and she isn't there smiling with us or running or playing along side us. Life without her physically is so hard. I want to be able to squeeze her, kiss her and nurse her in bed. I want to buy her cute tights for this beautiful fall weather and take her to the pumpkin field. I wish her sweet brother was able to hold her hand while crossing the street and read her night time stories.. I know that none of this is reality now, I am learning to be gentle with myself and our journey of life and grief. Living and being joyful alongside pain and grief can be so strange and hard. There are things that bring me comfort and make me feel her light.When I see the sun shinning through the trees I think of her warmth beside me. When her song comes on the radio at any time, I smile and cry as I remember her. When I draw or write I always am thinking of her. Whenever I feel like it, I sing her name and dream and talk of her. Sweet brother has also come to me with stories that are helping him with his grief, one that he told me today was that he and Lucy were together on a different planet, called "the planet of light" that he and Lucy are the King and Queen over it. Just living within the glow of both my sweet children has me smiling. I love my precious ones.

My third post for Carlymarie's 'Capture your grief project' http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/2014/09/capture-your-grief-2014.html

My Heart

There is a sweet little girl named Lucy who resides in my heart. She is in me, with me and part of me. Her life, her touch has opened my heart to a world of whispers. A world of life inside dreams and galaxies. She blessed our family with her presence, her glow. She touched our hearts with her soul. Her name is Lucy, our beautiful light. She lives in my heart and in our daily life. She is in the breeze, she is in the gallant sunflowers. She's in the majestic sunsets, the light through the trees. She's the drive inside my soul, the passion in my being. Her radiant heart is the moon, her eyes are the sun. This quiet little soul of hers flew into our lives and resides in our hearts forever. How can we not treasure a heart that is so pure and powerful. So knowing and wise. There is so much to learn from our sweet child who is so full of light.

 How many hearts can you find? (Lucy's big brother's heart drawing) 

My second post for Carlymarie's 'Capture your grief project' http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/2014/09/capture-your-grief-2014.html

Sunrise

My son and I left the house a bit early this morning so we could watch the sun rise in a special place. As we step from our car the weather was beautiful, light crisp air that was a bit chilly. We walked down to the waters edge, the sun was just rising and the water was extremely still, calm and clear. The majestic beauty was insurmountable. I took photos and reality hit me. The way the sun and the clouds formed made me feel as if my sweet little Lucy was pointing me in the direction that I need to go. Following her light will take me where I need to be. She is my sun and every time I follow her glow, I feel. I feel her strength, her love and her light. As we were leaving the water, and had walked up to the parking lot, I heard splashing. I turned around and the water had turned from this crystal lake into wild waves. I ran back and watched as the waves take me in and out and the feeling I felt made me just think of her and feel her near. On the way to drop my son off at school I asked him how he felt while we were watching the sunset and he said "Me and Lucy were together, that's how I felt." and he drew a sweet photo of them playing underneath a heart shaped sunflower.

My first post for Carlymarie's 'Capture your grief project' http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/2014/09/capture-your-grief-2014.html

Lucy

On a hot August morning as our family was traveling around the US we discovered the most amazing news. We were pregnant again. How excited we were, we dreamed throughout that trip. Our 4 year old son was longing for a sibling for a while now and we were so happy to carrying his brother or sister. We talked of names, of birth, of life with this new little being. So entirely thrilled. Our pregnancy was no walk in the park. Full of extreme morning sickness and blood pressure problems. The thing that got me through these times was knowing that I was growing a little sweet being inside of me. As the days past by I started feeling better and was able to enjoy the sweet movements and precious kicks inside of me. We did fun things, apple picking and belly rubbing. Life was going well. Excited about meeting our dear one. 

On a early February morning, my husband and I went in for an ultrasound that has changed our lives forever. We walked out in a fog that still looms over us today. Our child was growing inside me for 36 weeks, we were on top of the world and hearing the word "anenchephaly" brought our happiness crashing down. A diagnosis that would forever haunt us. Our child was going to die. The tears swelled so strongly, so powerfully, I could not contain them. I cried in front of everyone at that office and everyone just stared at me. Why was that lady crying?. A bunch of eyes staring at me, and my eyes were puffy and swollen and sobbing. My husband rubbing my back, Everything a haze after I heard the words: "You're child will die." How can you tell a young healthy pregnant mama that she is going to lose the love of her life? How did I not explode that day? My body felt like it was exploding. My head did not comprehend what I as hearing. How did I go on living? How am I living now? 

In April my beautiful child was born into my arms. I caught my little love, her bottom slipped slowly out into my hands and then her body. I held her and stared at her. Her beauty was unbelievable. I'm still in awe of this moment. She was born alive and I wanted to believe she would stay forever. Her breath was beautiful and her warm body lay against mine. She smelled of sweetness and her skin was velvety soft. I can still feel her little head hair against my lips. I can feel her finger wrapped around mine. Her eyes never opened but her face said it all. Her mouth would smile when I was near her face, when I stroked her cheek and when I whispered sweet things. The glow she left in me is forever ignited. On the days I wish I was dead, in the moments my body is longing for hers, I hold on to her light. I hold on to her glow. When she slowly died in my arms, I carried her, I held her, I bathed her, I kissed her so many times. She is my first daughter, my precious child. I love my baby always.