dk, this is a wonderful thread, and I do beleive that you have opened eyes to what a child really really is-
love from God that is given to us for a time, a time that can be short or a time that can surpass our own. In any case, when we lose love, we are going to grieve. Too many people expect us to shove our feelings under the carpet- they dont want to hear
about it. I say shout it from the mountaintop!
dk, i hope that you dont think I am trying to hijack your thread, I just feel that your OP has brought up LIFE issues, and that i can see paralells…bless you and your family
This thread reminds me of a couple of cases in life in which we are expected to ignore, hide, or forget our babies.
- Remeber when it was absolutely unacceptable to share the news of a pregnancy until you had safely passed the 1st trimester? That was simply to spare anyone the details or have to mourn or comfort you in any way. HOOEY! I have spread the news as soon as I found out- I cant contain my excitement. And you know what? I want my friends and family to know because if something did happen to the baby, i dont WANT to hide. Keeping the news to yourself only perpetuates the hiding. I feel like it demoralizes the precious life that dwelt inside by not acknowledging it. I want to grieve without shame.
- Adoption- Remember when young women were forced to give up their babies if conceived out of wedlock? Now I know this is far better an option than abortion, but what about those who wanted to try to keep their babies? Older teens and those in their early 20s, etc…And to not know where they were taken to and who would adopt them, etc. I tell you from experience, this is true heartbreak. I have been expected to not count my son as one of my children. Everyone says to me now, “oh you are gonna have a 3rd baby” and I think to myself, no I am having my 4th baby. I still dont have the courage to always stand up for him to be counted. I am a product of this cultural problem. I am supposed to be embarrassed of him. Shame on me…

Consequently, I was informed that at 2 mos he died of SIDS. So on top of being ‘embarrassed’ about the adoption, I am then grieving for a son that I only held once that I shall never hold again. Again, we are not supposed to grieve for our children.
I tell you- our culture has devalued life for far too long. dk, bless you for bringing your dear children forward to be counted. I am going to visit those websites that have been listed here and make him be counted. I am going to make a more concerted effort to stop ignoring him, as I have done for almost 17 years. Thank you for sharing with us, and I know you have helped many, many people. God is truly great!
melissaP**