if you have small children, if you one day will have small children, if you work with small children, take some time today to read THIS story.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. One way you can help young victims of abuse and neglect is through a CASA program. If you are in TX, you can locate your local CASA program here. Nationally, more information can be found here. (The above images were from some work I did for Texas CASA last fall.)
You can bid on a 1-hr one-on-one, ask whatever you want, mentoring session with me AND help provide safe, clean drinking water to those in need. To check out and/or bid on my session, go HERE. To see the list of other AMAZING photographers participating, peep THIS (and I'll have you know I bid on a session with someone myself). And to learn more about The ShootQ Thirst Relief Mentor Auction, mosey on down HERE.
[Note: Before you read, a word of caution--this post discusses pregnancy loss and I understand this may be a sensitive topic. Please do not read any further if this is a difficult subject for you at this time.]
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It's is a long one. Bear with me.
This blog is a place where we get to celebrate births and newborns and the miracle of life pretty much on a daily basis. I know how delicate life is. I know how miraculous the creation of life is. I don't take it for granted, not for one single second. I don't consider myself a typically religious person, but I can tell you I pray for every newborn client that comes my way. I pray before every birth. I pray during every birth. And I pray after the birth.
I've debated now for some time whether or not I should talk
about pregnancy loss on here, especially because I have no basis in reality on the subject. However, over the years, I've had several
friends, relatives, and clients who have experienced one of the
most devastating kinds of losses anyone could ever fathom. With each of
their heartbreaks, I struggled to find the right words to say how
terribly sorry I was and searched frantically to find some way I could
help them through such a difficult time. I felt guilty because I had
three healthy children of my own and I
was ashamed because I didn't really know how to talk about it or even if
I should talk about it.
Several months ago, I met Andrea...a
talented photography buff and soon-to-be client. I was scheduled to
photograph the birth of her second child. We had talked about the
anticipated day, planned everything out that we could possibly plan and I
was so excited to hear the results of her *big* ultrasound.
But not everything happens the way you intend and sometimes the dream of having a healthy, happy child doesn't become a reality:
I was so excited to be pregnant with my second child and on May 11, 2010 my husband, daughter and I ventured to the doctor's office for our routine ultrasound. We were going to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. We could barely contain the excitement as we waited to be called back. Would my daughter have a little brother or sister to play with come fall? All of the dreams of my second child ran through my head and sadly they all came crashing down with 4 words. "There is no heartbeat."
I honestly never thought about losing a child, especially after having a textbook pregnancy up until 19 weeks, a healthy daughter and being 27. I delivered my son, Oliver, the next day and it was hello and goodbye in one day. We left the hospital brokenhearted and empty handed.
I quickly turned to online resources in my grief looking for women to relate to. Somewhere I could share my story and feel less alone. Within a few weeks I found a brand new site, Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope, an online resource where women who had experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss could come together, share their stories and their faces, find support and know they are not alone. These were women that were just like me, young, healthy and now very aware of the true devastation of pregnancy and infant loss. This was where I met Kristin, the founder, who lost her daughter, Stevie Joy at 26 weeks just 4 days before I lost Oliver, and I quickly knew this was my calling and how I could help spread awareness and share Oliver's story.
We joined forces and propelled by our deep desire to make a difference in honor of our children, Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope has grown at an incredible rate, with nearly 250,000 website hits, 400 stories up on the site and most recently a community forum. Clearly, women are ready to start talking about pregnancy and infant loss.
We have launched our new campaign called I AM THE FACE which runs through October 15th, which is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Our goal is to have 2,000 women who have lost a baby add a picture of their face to the site, to represent the 2,000 women who lose a baby every single day in the US. The goal is to 'put a face' on pregnancy and infant loss, and let more women who are suffering in silence know that they are not alone, and have no reason to be ashamed.
We are hoping that this becomes a movement, that those who have experienced a loss start thinking of themselves as survivors. You can really feel a sense of new found pride radiating from the women who have joined the campaign already. Yes, they are sad, but they are proud to have survived one of the worst things that can happen to a person, and proud to speak of the children they have lost and who have touched their lives forever.
"There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this earth."Andrea and Kristin have been so brave and generous and forward-thinking. Their efforts have not only helped families who've experienced losses but also their friends and relatives who wish to support them in some way (I found this link to be particularly helpful). Watching Andrea turn her grief into something so powerful inspired me and I felt it was important to promote this incredible resource. To join the movement, please go to www.iamtheface.org. You can also read stories of loss and hope, and share your own at www.facesofloss.com.
Andrea...thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story on here and I hope we can help continue to honor the memory of Oliver through Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope.
Well technically, it was an early birth. Very early. 12 weeks early. The first time I actually met his mama was while she was in the recovery room...about a 1/2 hr after he was born.
When I got the call that this would be "the day" I was so caught off guard. He wasn't supposed to arrive until the end of August. This was the middle of JUNE! But it was an emergency situation and he had to be born...immediately. Driving over to the hospital that day, I was so full of concern and emotion and I just kept wondering how in the world these parents (first-time parents) would be able to deal with what was about to happen? I mean, it's scary enough having your first child, but to get a surprise like this and not knowing how this new little life would manage outside of the womb...I can't even imagine.
I remember sitting in the waiting room...alone (nobody had time to get there), waiting for some sort of news when a man in glasses strode through the door leading to L&D. He was grinning from ear to ear and perhaps still a little white from the shock of it all. His son was here! He was tiny (2lbs 3oz), but he was healthy and it was an absolute a miracle!
I've had only a little bit of experience with preemies, but in that experience, I knew that this new family of three had a long road ahead of them. A road filled with machine beeping and tubes and tests and unknowns and ups and downs and infinite 3 minute hand-washings. While I was supposed to be there to capture the "birth day," I knew that all of those amazing first moments of this particular birth would be delayed over many, many days (67 days in all). And so I asked them if they wanted me to chronicle this very different birth journey. And so we did.
Beverly (who happens to be a very talented photographer) has allowed me to share the birth of Baby Miles with you all in the hopes that it will help other parents who are in or may someday be on a NICU journey and to generate support for the March of Dimes. After watching Miles' birth slideshow, if you are so inspired, perhaps you could donate or volunteer? In fact, to help celebrate Miles' homecoming, I pledge to contribute $1 per comment left on this post (one per person; up to $300) left between now and Sept. 1, 2010 to the March of Dimes.
So here you go. This is Miles' birth story...from the day he was born...to the day he got to come home. Truly something to celebrate:
When I got the call that this would be "the day" I was so caught off guard. He wasn't supposed to arrive until the end of August. This was the middle of JUNE! But it was an emergency situation and he had to be born...immediately. Driving over to the hospital that day, I was so full of concern and emotion and I just kept wondering how in the world these parents (first-time parents) would be able to deal with what was about to happen? I mean, it's scary enough having your first child, but to get a surprise like this and not knowing how this new little life would manage outside of the womb...I can't even imagine.
I remember sitting in the waiting room...alone (nobody had time to get there), waiting for some sort of news when a man in glasses strode through the door leading to L&D. He was grinning from ear to ear and perhaps still a little white from the shock of it all. His son was here! He was tiny (2lbs 3oz), but he was healthy and it was an absolute a miracle!
I've had only a little bit of experience with preemies, but in that experience, I knew that this new family of three had a long road ahead of them. A road filled with machine beeping and tubes and tests and unknowns and ups and downs and infinite 3 minute hand-washings. While I was supposed to be there to capture the "birth day," I knew that all of those amazing first moments of this particular birth would be delayed over many, many days (67 days in all). And so I asked them if they wanted me to chronicle this very different birth journey. And so we did.
Beverly (who happens to be a very talented photographer) has allowed me to share the birth of Baby Miles with you all in the hopes that it will help other parents who are in or may someday be on a NICU journey and to generate support for the March of Dimes. After watching Miles' birth slideshow, if you are so inspired, perhaps you could donate or volunteer? In fact, to help celebrate Miles' homecoming, I pledge to contribute $1 per comment left on this post (one per person; up to $300) left between now and Sept. 1, 2010 to the March of Dimes. So here you go. This is Miles' birth story...from the day he was born...to the day he got to come home. Truly something to celebrate:
[Music by Philip Hintze and "Welcome Baby" by my dear friend Michelle Jamail. Interestingly, I used this same compilation for previous births, but it fascinates me how "Welcome Baby" took on an entirely new meaning here.]
