This is not really how I wanted to make this announcement, but here goes.
About three weeks ago, we found out we were pregnant again! We are so excited to be welcoming another baby into our family. Our rainbow baby.
Today was our first prenatal appointment and the we did not see what we need to be seeing at this point. We couldn't find a heartbeat and everything is smaller than what it should be. They drew blood today to check my levels and they will check them again Thursday. We need these numbers to go up!!! If Thursdays numbers are good, we will have another ultrasound on Tuesday to see how baby is growing. PLEASE be praying! We need your prayers and a miracle. Nothing is impossible with God! We have been trying to think of something to call this baby besides "baby" and we have kind of settled on Jakin. Jakin means "He establishes". We need God to establish this pregnancy beyond a shadow of a doubt and make it thrive!!!
One year ago today we found out that Shyla's heart had stopped beating and this news today was definately not what we wanted to hear, but again, I can't say it enough, nothing is impossible with God!!! Please join us in praying for our baby, Jakin, to be established!!!
We love you all. Thank you for your prayers and for beliving in this life inside of me!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Shyla's Life Celebration Invitation
We can’t believe how quickly a year has gone by. Just one short year ago our lives were changed forever. Sometime during the last week of August, our sweet Shyla Joy quietly drifted from the comfort of her mother’s womb to the comfort of the Father’s arms. We take comfort in knowing she never knew pain, heartache or tears on this earth and will be waiting for us when we make it to Heaven. What a glorious day that will be when we are all reunited!
August 31, 2009, is when we learned her heart had stopped beating and on September 2, we were blessed to be able to hold our girl. From that moment we knew that eventhough her life had ended on this earth, her legacy was just beginning. I don’t think we really knew what that meant at that time, but so many things have happened because of her life. But God has been faithful and He has truly used what was meant to harm us and turned it into a blessing.
We knew from the moment that everything became reality that God was going to make beauty from these ashes and her life was going to make a difference in others. We have really been struggling with how to best acknowledge what God has done and remember her on her 1st birthday. We thought about having something for just the family or just spending the day at home. I’ll be honest, at times, I think I might just want to spend the day at home alone. BUT…I know that is not what I feel God has called for her life to be. We have decided to celebrate her life and all the many things that have happened since she graced Heaven. We would like to share with everyone who means so much to us things that remind us of her. Her scrapbook, her footprints, the articles that have been printed in the newspaper about her and her time as the March of Dimes Ambassador, her Christmas stocking stuffed with random acts of kindness done in her memory, one of the care packages we deliver to the hospital and so many more things.
Please drop by the HELP Pregnancy Care Center in Monticello sometime between 6:30 and 8:00 PM to share in her memory and legacy. You don’t have to stay long, but we would really love to share her with you all.
On Shyla’s first birthday, we would like for you to take a moment to remember her and all that has occurred because she lived.
Also, if you feel like you would like to contribute to her legacy, please feel free to bring any of the following items to be included in the care packages that we will continue to deliver to the hospital.
• Small Packages of Kleenex
• Large Ace Bandages
• Nursing Pads
• Disposable Cameras
• Small Stuffed Animal
• Blank CD’s and cases
• White Votive Candles
• Journals
• I’ll Hold You In Heaven by Jack Hayford
• A Guide for Fathers: When a Baby Dies by Tim Nelson
• A small pendant or charm saying “hope” or “love” or a butterfly or a heart. Something the mother can wear in memory of her baby is always appreciated. (The remembrance Heart charms can be found at most Christian book stores. These are a heart with a tear cut from the center of it).
• Foot and Handprint Impression Kits
There are more things in the basket, but they are handmade or aren’t as easy to find. Any help with these care packages is much appreciated by us and by the family that recieves it. Something else the hospital is always searching for is preemie sleepers or doll clothing that would fit a baby too small for preemie clothes. Also, handmade preemie (or smaller) hats and blankies are always needed.
Please don’t feel obligated to provide any of the above things and please don’t feel like you can’t come without bringing something. I just knew that some of our friends and family were looking for ways to remember her on her birthday and do something in her memory, so we wanted to provide this list.
Thank you all for your love and support through the past year and in the years to come.
In God’s never ending love,
The Wells Family
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Understanding
On August 31 I will have the amazing opportunity to speak with local nurses, doctors, hospital personel, pastors, counselors, and social workers about pregnancy and infant loss.
I have been working on this project for a while and it is really happenning! We will start the morning with a wonderful doctor talking about different kinds of pregnancy loss and then a representative from the state March of Dimes office will address early infant loss and exsisting resources. Lastly, a panel of parents who have experienced loss will be answering some predetermined questions. It is our plan for them to specifically share what was least/most helpful after their loss, specific instances they remember that were hurtful, and things we wish others new about pregnancy and infant loss.
It is my hope that we can educate the "first responders" to those experiencing loss and hopefully make a difference in someone's life who may walk down the road we are now on.
So... I need your help. If there are any Mama's out there who want to be a part of this event, but you are out of state, there is a way you can help. I need your stories. If you want to be a part of this project, please leave the following information in a comment or email me at scattercreativejoy at gmail dot com.
*First name, City/State/Province
*Baby's name (if named)
*Gestation/age at the time of loss
*Cause of loss if known
*One thing that was most helpful in the first days after your loss.
*One thing someone said or did that was particularly hurtful.
*Anything else you would like these health care providers to know.
Thank you all so much!!!
Also, please spread the word! If you can, link this post on your blog and send your readers this way. I would really like to have several stories to include in something I can give the participants. Right now, I have 23 professionals registered and this is just by inviting through email. The information should be hitting the newspapers and radio soon. We have applied to give nursing and social work CEU's and if we can offer these, I know we will have several more register!
Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and helping educate the community!
I have been working on this project for a while and it is really happenning! We will start the morning with a wonderful doctor talking about different kinds of pregnancy loss and then a representative from the state March of Dimes office will address early infant loss and exsisting resources. Lastly, a panel of parents who have experienced loss will be answering some predetermined questions. It is our plan for them to specifically share what was least/most helpful after their loss, specific instances they remember that were hurtful, and things we wish others new about pregnancy and infant loss.
It is my hope that we can educate the "first responders" to those experiencing loss and hopefully make a difference in someone's life who may walk down the road we are now on.
So... I need your help. If there are any Mama's out there who want to be a part of this event, but you are out of state, there is a way you can help. I need your stories. If you want to be a part of this project, please leave the following information in a comment or email me at scattercreativejoy at gmail dot com.
*First name, City/State/Province
*Baby's name (if named)
*Gestation/age at the time of loss
*Cause of loss if known
*One thing that was most helpful in the first days after your loss.
*One thing someone said or did that was particularly hurtful.
*Anything else you would like these health care providers to know.
Thank you all so much!!!
Also, please spread the word! If you can, link this post on your blog and send your readers this way. I would really like to have several stories to include in something I can give the participants. Right now, I have 23 professionals registered and this is just by inviting through email. The information should be hitting the newspapers and radio soon. We have applied to give nursing and social work CEU's and if we can offer these, I know we will have several more register!
Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and helping educate the community!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Eleven
I know I say this every month, but I just can't believe how much time has past. It seems so unreal that in just one month, she will have been gone a year.
Getting ready for back-to-school has been hard. This time last year I was plump and pregnant. Getting my office ready for students, traveling to DC on a business trip, doing all the regular back-to-school things. This year, everything reminds me of her. That this time last year I was nearing the end and just didn't know it. I wish I could just be that niave again.
Maybe.
Grief is so like fear. Not knowing how each day will twist or turn our emotions. The ride has slowed, but there are still surprises and unexpected loopty-loops.
Like filling out my calendar for August. Ugh. Every time I schedule something I think, "Oh, that was my last Dr's appointment, the last day I heard her heartbeat." Or, "That's the day I flew on a plane for the first time and she did somersaults." But the worst is when I look at the last week of August and can't actually say, "That was the day she entered into Heaven and into the Father's presence." I don't know what day that happened. She was gone before I knew it. The whole month of August is just one big question mark. I'm finding myself a little more emotional this month than the last few, probably just because of that not knowing.
In one month we will celebrate her life and all the blessings that are happening because she lived. But, part of me cannot help but realize these blessings that are happening because of her life would not be without her death as well.
She has inspired a bittersweet ministry.
Getting ready for back-to-school has been hard. This time last year I was plump and pregnant. Getting my office ready for students, traveling to DC on a business trip, doing all the regular back-to-school things. This year, everything reminds me of her. That this time last year I was nearing the end and just didn't know it. I wish I could just be that niave again.
Maybe.
Grief is so like fear. Not knowing how each day will twist or turn our emotions. The ride has slowed, but there are still surprises and unexpected loopty-loops.
Like filling out my calendar for August. Ugh. Every time I schedule something I think, "Oh, that was my last Dr's appointment, the last day I heard her heartbeat." Or, "That's the day I flew on a plane for the first time and she did somersaults." But the worst is when I look at the last week of August and can't actually say, "That was the day she entered into Heaven and into the Father's presence." I don't know what day that happened. She was gone before I knew it. The whole month of August is just one big question mark. I'm finding myself a little more emotional this month than the last few, probably just because of that not knowing.
In one month we will celebrate her life and all the blessings that are happening because she lived. But, part of me cannot help but realize these blessings that are happening because of her life would not be without her death as well.
She has inspired a bittersweet ministry.
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