Too many women suffer in silence, because this topic is so uncomfortable. Others don't know how to help with the grieving process, so often times the Mother feels alone. I am so glad we have a day like today to bring awareness and support. I would have been lost without the support we received from the Funeral Home, the cemetery, the group SHARE who offered counseling, helped dress Aria and did molds of her hands and feet, and for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep for the beautiful pictures they did of us with her. That is why this day is so important. To get awareness out that there is help, and that women do not have to suffer alone.
Here is Heather's Story:
You know the saying, "Nothing will ever be the same after this." Everyone has a moment that you know changes your life. That day becomes the date that you determine time. Your life before that date, and your life after that date.
My date is May 19th, 2011.
I was in my third trimester of my fourth pregnancy. I went in for a Dr.s appointment and my baby no longer had a heart beat. I was admitted into labor and delivery 3 hours later. After 10 hours of labor I delivered a baby girl. A baby girl I wouldn't get to bring home. To read more about that story, go HERE.
In this post I want to talk more about life after the date. After we said our Hello's and Good-bye's to our baby girl. After we visited the funeral home. Picked out her plot, her casket. After Aria was buried. After healing from giving birth and letting my milk dry up.
After the month of not wanting to leave my house. After quitting my job because I couldn't possibly be a good coach to my girls when my heart wasn't in it. After I stopped going to church for awhile because there are so many babies there. After I cancelled activities with friends because I didn't have the energy to pretend to care about what was going on in their lives, and I didn't want to talk about mine.
After the months of pulling away from my husband. After the months of hiding my tears from my kids. After the repeated attempts to tell everyone, including myself, that I was okay.
It took me about a year from the time I had her to the time when I was authentically happy again. It's been over five years now, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. What she would be doing, what she would look like, what kind of little personality she would have. What her laugh would sound like. I always know exactly how old she would be. She would be in Pre-K right now. She would be excited about Halloween. She would probably have 3 different costumes picked out, just like her sister did at that age.
I think about how my 11 year old daughter would have a sister. I think about how cute my teenage boys would be with her. I think about my husband buying her all the shoes she could ever want, because that's what he does for the girls in his life. Oh, she'd probably be a terror! She'd be oh so spoiled by every single one of us. We love her so much.
After turns into a beginning. The beginning of a new normal.
May 19th, 2011 was my date.
My after was hard for a long time. And I still have my days. But mostly my after is beautiful.
My after is better than my before, because I love more now. I celebrate more now. I see more! My after turned in the beginning of me really living and celebrating my life.
The thing about having your heart broken, is it has to grow bigger and stronger to repair itself. My heart is bigger and stronger now. I see people differently. I see life differently. I see myself differently.
We were able to spend a few hours with Aria before the funeral director came to take her, and I promised her that I would live a happy life for her. (More on that here. )
Before May 19th, I was a happy girl. I was content. I was satisfied. My life was good, no real complaints. But I didn't really live FOR anything. I just did my day to day. I never tried anything new. I wasn't adventurous. I was just happy with getting by. I had a life, but I was truly LIVING it.
After May 19th, I try not to take things for granted. I push myself. I try new things. I see that this great big world has things to offer ME. I am worthy of great things. I can do great things. I would have never in a million years had the courage to start this magazine before. I would have never had the desire to try new things, like running in the Dirt in the Skirt a few years ago with my sister. I now know I can do anything. I now realize the importance of showing myself, and my children, that life has so much to offer and to take advantage of every opportunity.
Before, I was happy. After, I know what happiness is.
Everyone has their date. How are you living your after?
You'll never get over the heartache and trials you've had to endure. Your heart will never "recover." But you can rediscover!
Rediscover who you are. Rediscover your dreams. Rediscover life! Bring energy to it. Bring urgency to it. Bring purpose to it. Love bigger. Love stronger.
Bad things happen, but time doesn't stop. So often I wanted a time out. I needed to catch my breath. The rest of the world was going about their days like nothing happened, and I was sitting there thinking, "I just lost my baby!!" I just needed everything to stop!
Haven't we all had that moment? When things seem to be spinning out of control, and nothing is going right? And all you can think is, "I just need it to stop!" But, time is cruel. It doesn't stop or even slow down for anyone or any circumstance.
Time Keeps going, so you have to keep growing.
You have to keep getting up. You have to keep trying. Some days I got up to get my kids off to school just to get back in bed until they got home again. And honestly, that was ALL I could do. But I did it. And after a few weeks, I was able to do a little more. Little by little your happiness will grow. Day by day, step by step, you'll grow more.
Your after can be better than your before. You just have to decide to keep going. Don't give in. Don't give up. Keep growing your happiness.
You might ask yourself, "How can I ever be the same?"
I know I did. I remember thinking that life would be completely different now. How could life be the same after losing a child? How could my heart ever be the same after such a loss? How will I ever be the same person that I was before? How will life go back to the way it was?
I'll tell you, I'm not the same. But, "Nothing will ever be the same" doesn't have to be a bad thing.
My date was May 19th, 2011. And nothing is the same.
Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.
Love,
Heather
Fall has always been my favorite time of year. I love everything about it. The way the sun lights in a soft golden haze. The sound of the leaves while taking a walk. Cuddling in a blanket while watching a spooky movie. The happiness on a child's face with the excitement of all of the season's activities.
Fall is filled with romance. It's a happy, playful time. It's a cozy and warm and beautiful.
We feel it's so important to treat your marriage as the most important thing in your life, because it IS the most important thing in your life. We often take our relationships for granted. This Fall spice up your relationship and bring it energy. We have these 50 great date night ideas to do this Fall.
1. Have a scary movie marathon
2. Schedule a dance lesson
3. Go to a bookstore
4. Grab some hot chocolate at a
5. Go for a scenic bike ride
6. Visit a local farmers market
7. Go to an arcade and play all the two person games
8. Go to a Costume shop and have a fashion show.
9. Bring blankets to a homeless shelter
10. Cuddle by the fire and read old letters from each other
11. Rake some leaves, play in them, and then rake them again
12. Have a bonfire party with some other couples
13. Have a board game night
14. Go to a Haunted House
15. Drink hot cider on the porch
16. Get dressed up and go somewhere fancy
17. Have a Netflix marathon on a rainy day
18. Visit a local restaurant you’ve never been to
19. Bake a pie together
20. Take a walk together and admire the changing leaves
21. Visit a pumpkin patch
22. Go on a picnic out in the country
23. Go horseback riding
24. Carve pumpkins together
25. Plan a morning pick up football game with other couples
26. Go to a local high school football game
27. Host a costume party with friends
28. Go camping
29. Go outside and star gaze
30. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
31. Go on a nature hike
32. Head to the fair
33. Go to a matinee
34. Go to a play
35. Go to a drive-in
36. Make breakfast, then eat it in bed
37. Go bowling
38. Go thrifting together
39. Take a bubble bath together
40. Pack care packages for the troops
41. Shop for canned goods to donate
42. Tackle a fun DIY project together
43. Visit the Zoo
44. Make S’mores
45. Go out for dessert
46. Visit a Corn Maze
47. Visit your local state parks
48. Go apple picking
49. Go on a hayride
50. Take a mini-road trip
For some reason, this time of year brings out my crafty side. I love nothing more than spending an afternoon getting creative and making my home warm and cozy.
We came up with these 3 Easy Fall DIYs that you can easily and happily spend and afternoon doing.
The Pumpkin Platter
Halloween Candle Sticks
Pumpkin Floral Centerpiece
To read all the details and get the instructions, check out the October/November issue of Sparklers Magazine online now.
Today's the last day of the month. I like to reflect on the good changes I made to my life before I set goals for the next month. By consistently trying our best, we will be able to achieve the best. The key is to make deliberate choices every day that move you closer to your goal.
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What were you able to accomplish this month that is moving you towards a September to remember? For me, it's been waking up earlier. It's been a game changer!
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"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." - Mother Teresa
A happy Mom means a happy house. Long days and long nights sometimes leaves you with only enough energy to just get through the day. Here are 10 tips to help you be a happier Mom, and to enjoy and celebrate your divine role.
1. Have a schedule. Kids thrive on routine, and your day will go much smoother if you set up a regular schedule and try to stick to it.
2. Get up early. This seems crazy when you are barely getting enough sleep as it is. But, getting up a little earlier to get a head start on your day will make the whole day go a lot easier.
3. Get dressed. Look good. Feel good. Do good. You will feel better about your day and be able to do more good if you feel better about yourself.
4. Make daily “you” time. All Moms need a break, otherwise you will break. Take a little bit of time each day to do something for you. Even 15 minutes will refresh you and keep you going. Read a book, take a bath, write, paint. Do something you enjoy.
5. Excercise. Getting physical helps your mind and your body stay healthy and focused.
6. Keep a gratitude journal and make a list of goals. Taking time to reflect on your blessings will turn those hard Mom days around. So will goals. It’s hard to keep going with the hard days if you don’t have goals and plans to look forward to and work on. Be a good example to your children, and show them that being grateful and working hard will take you far in life.
7. Date your mate. This one is so important. Make sure you take time once a week to go out on a date with your spouse. Life is a lot more fun when you are connected and on the same page as your spouse.
8. Keep up with the housework. It’s easy to feel stressed and out of control when your home is chaotic and unorganized. No one loves to clean, but the reward will bring you peace.
9. Hugs. Take time each day to hug your kids. Give each child one on one time during the day. Build your relationships. That is what makes life worth it.
10. Serve. Get out and get involved. Helping others always brings happiness, and so does getting out of the house. Find something that interests you and find a way to get involved.
Looking for an excuse to Celebrate Life? We've got you covered with this easy Backyard Bonfire.
How often do you take a night out of the week to celebrate friends, family, and life? It doesn’t have to be a big production. It doesn’t even have to be something that takes weeks to plan. It doesn’t need to cost a fortune! Sometimes a celebration can be put together in an hour’s time, and one trip to the grocery store. We want to encourage you to stop making excuses. To stop thinking “one day,” and make that day to enjoy your life today!
Have fun and get creative with your S'mores Bar. We had three different cookies and three different chocolates for our guests to mix up and try new flavor combinations.
We have some very easy tips to help you throw together a backyard bonfire in no time, with really no effort, and little money.
To read all the details on How to Host a Backyard Bonfire from the August/September Issue of
Sparklers Magazine, CLICK HERE
"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." – Khalil Gibran
For this Month's Celebrate:Friendship, Girls Day Out, we chose a morning hike. It was the perfect way to really re-connect with my girlfriends. We were able to walk and talk, and share goals and give support and encouragement. We also had the opportunity to find peace and beauty out in nature, and go home to our families feeling energized and grateful.
I packed up a morning snack of yogurt and trail mix to bring along, which gave it that special "get together" feeling, even though it wasn't a typical get together.
For this Month's Celebrate:Friendship, Girls Day Out, we chose a morning hike. It was the perfect way to really re-connect with my girlfriends. We were able to walk and talk, and share goals and give support and encouragement. We also had the opportunity to find peace and beauty out in nature, and go home to our families feeling energized and grateful.
I packed up a morning snack of yogurt and trail mix to bring along, which gave it that special "get together" feeling, even though it wasn't a typical get together.
To read all about it, check out theAugust/September Issue of Sparklers Magazine
Celebrate:Friendship Article
What has been one of your favorite Girl's Day Out? Do you have an idea you would like to share?
The August September issue of Sparklers magazine is live. We hope you find some inspiration in it.
"Love is friendship that has caught fire." - Ann Landers
Challenge 5 for the #sweet16sparklerssummer is to have fun with your relationship. Summer love is the best type of love. I remember a few summer flings, growing up, (I happened to marry one of them!) and they were so exciting, innocent and thrilling. Bring that feeling back to your marriage this week by planning something fun and spontaneous.
Go park and make out. Go lay under the stars. Share a shake. Go skinny dipping. Bring back some fun and dare to get a little wild with your date night. Pass up on dinner and a movie, and do something a bit more adventurous. Spark your summer! Spark your relationship!
