Dorothy’s Birth Story–A Story Of Preeclampsia, Stillbirth, And A Mother’s Love

I had been in the hospital for a week after being diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and after an initial scare, it had been a rather uneventful stay.  They were ready to send me home and have me visit the hospital daily for monitoring.  I was on board with the plan.  I felt fine and Dorothy…

I Waited Your Whole Life To Meet You And I Had To Say Goodbye

I used to rub my stomach and whisper to you. "Hey there baby girl. What are you doing in there?" "Hi sweetheart, I can't wait to meet you." So many moments imagining what it would be like to say hello. To see your face. To welcome you into the world. Days spent curled up in…

The Purple Blanket Isn’t Yours–A Letter To My Baby Born After Stillbirth

The purple blanket isn't yours. Even though it's the blanket that covered your car seat when you left the hospital. Even though it lay in the background of so many of your baby photos, Even though you sleep with it every night now that you're old enough. It's not yours. The purple blanket is your…

Read An Unexpected Family Outing’s 10 Most-Read Pieces of 2019

Here I sit at the end of another year. Another year of putting myself out there and sharing pieces of my story in the hopes of helping someone else cope with the pieces of their own. Another year of sitting in front of a keyboard trying to find words to capture the thoughts and feelings…

19 ways for grieving parents to remember their child at Christmas

19 Ways A Grieving Parent Can Remember Their Child This Christmas

If your child of any age has died, there is no question that Christmas is a difficult holiday. There are so many reasons why you might not want to participate in the festivities this holiday season. An individual's reason for choosing whether to celebrate changes from seasons to season and even from moment to moment.…

Siblings Grieve Too And We Owe Them Honest Conversations About Their Siblings Who Died

"Hey bubs, guess who's coming over this weekend." It was a simple question for my toddler, asked in an effort to make conversation and prolong our 110th listening of the Little Mermaid soundtrack. "Oh, I know," she responded, her eyes smiling. "Who's coming over?" I repeated. "It's my sister, Dorothy. She will come play." Gripping…

I Don’t Want To Remember What It Was Like When My Baby Died, But I Will Never Forget It

It's been almost four years since my daughter was stillborn. It's been almost four years since I went home without my baby. A day I wish I could forget. And somehow, I remember that day like it was yesterday. On that day, I changed out of my hospital gown and packed up my belongings. I…

After The Death Of Our Baby, Attending Couples Therapy Helped Our Marriage Thrive

After our daughter, Dorothy, was stillborn we wasted no time in finding a therapist. To be completely honest, it was fear that drove me to make the initial call. I was terrified of what would happen to myself, my husband, and our marriage if we did not seek help. I knew we did not have…