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When I was pregnant with Ellie, my middle girlie, I met a gal who had two boys. She had actually had three boys but one little guy did not make it. I can’t remember why he passed away but she had a few momentos from the hospital and that was it. I could tell how precious those little reminders were to her because she had them displayed in a quiet corner of her house.
The following year I learned that a mom from my Mommies Group had also lost a baby. She knew her baby wasn’t going to live after it was born but she and her husband felt it was their calling to carry this baby to term. She also had just a few snapshots from the hospital and a little hat.
The stories those women told me have always touched with me. They made me feel so blessed that I had three beautiful, healthy babies who are growing into lovely, thriving girls. It also struck me as sad that they had so little to home from the hospital with. I remember being overwhelmed with flowers and diapers and car seats and blankets and doodads and that was just leaving the hospital. These women went home with a knit hat, a couple of snapshots and empty arms.
Last December Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep called me to see if I would volunteer. This organization offers free portrait sessions from professional photographers to parents who are suffering the loss of a baby. I immediately thought of those two ladies and agreed on the spot. I feel so blessed that I can give these parents, who have lost so much, something to help remember their sweet babies by and something to help them heal.
I don’t mention this to many people because they look at me like I’m a bit of a freak for being able to do these sessions. (Yes, they ARE hard to do and even harder to edit. But I do them because I know how much it will mean to those parent to have beautiful images of their angels.) I’m really mentioning it because I want to get the word out. If you are in need of their services, or if you would like to volunteer too (They need photographers and digital retouch artists.) please visit their website at www.nilmdts.org.
(I promise my next post will be much lighter!)