Newborn and Infant loss

I’m not sure life could ever really prepare you for whats to come.

I mean there’s life lessons in everything. There’s learning and growing and working towards how to handle situations but to every fully be prepared?

Twelve years ago I didn’t see how I would ever get up and going again. How would I survive if a piece of my heart was missing? How would I care for our daughter or my husband? Or myself?

And although these 12 years have been full of ups and downs and a lot of in between we have a unique story that has built us into exactly who we were meant to me. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Heck most days are filled with a few rainbows and a lot of storms. But that’s life. It’s a constant up and down and a constant choosing to see the sunshine. To find it no matter how big your storm is.

This year has left us with a whole lot of chaos. We are ready to see 2023 go. But it’s because of times like this that we can be grateful for all that we have.

Our sweet Reid. I choose to be joyous of the 4 days you gave us. I choose to know that we will be reunited again and to be thankful for the love that your life brought to this world. In your tiny 4 days you accomplished more then many do in their entire lives. You taught gratitude, patience’s and love. You taught us that there are no guarantees in life and that you need to live today. Tell those you love right now. Don’t wait because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

I will miss you everyday of the rest of my life but I will also be grateful that you are mine. That you choose us and that you entrusted your short story with us knowing that we would never forget you.

SO in honor of our boy please share joy with someone you love. Please help a stranger, send a gift to a foster closet…help someone in need. Spread the joy that so many of us struggle to find everyday. And I dare you to allow that joy to fill your heart. I promise it will.

Forever in our hearts sweet boy. Forever.

Photos of our forever baby. These photos will remain the same year after year but the gratefulness for them grows exponentially every year. I am so thankful to have these memories of Reid…to be able to look back on and to know he was so loved.

To read some of Reid’s other birthday posts you can check out here, here or here.

To read more about his story head here.