Avery's Light

10/15/2024

Today is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness day, and it also happens to be the same day that we found out we were expecting Avery in 2011. An awareness day we knew nothing about at the time but one we’ve observed for 12 years now.

This day is observed annually through an international “wave of light” remembrance event where families are encouraged to light a candle at 7pm in your respective time zones. By keeping your candle lit for at least an hour, you will help keep a light burning for 24 hours in memory of all babies gone too soon.



💗💙💗💙

10/14/2024

The White Pumpkin by Jennifer Stephens Giles

This is the story
Of a pumpkin of white
What is its place on this crisp autumn night?
Amidst all the orange and colors of fall
It seems out of place; not belonging at all
But oh what a place, and oh what a story
You see, this pumpkin is the image of glory
Of babies so small, so incredibly tiny
Perfect in purpose, their souls shining brightly
No less a baby, a child just the same
As one who was held and called by their name
Was my baby a he?
Or was she a she?
These are the thoughts their parents still think
Yet bigger than questions and what ifs and whys
Is the comfort they feel when they look to the skies
For their hope is the truth that they so tightly cling
“I’ll know all the answers when He hands you back to me”
This pumpkin is sweet baby boys and girls
Who never opened their eyes to this world
Who never cried, never feared
Protected from pain
The lives they have touched
Will never be the same
What a life, what bringers
Of all things pure and good
And we honor their lives as any parents would
By loving our children and speaking their names
And asking others to please do the same
This pumpkin is precious little ones
Whose lives although short were covered in love
In kisses and snuggles, rocking and playing
Their parents never knowing they wouldn’t be staying
But the time that they had they would never trade
Even if they could be saved from the pain
Their cribs may be empty, but the promise remains
They will kiss and snuggle their babies again
This white pumpkin is for all of these sweet angel friends
Whose parents all know this isn’t the end
And how they are doing
Tonight up in heaven
Is better than anything we could imagine
So while we’re missing our children
While we’re still on this side
Our hearts continue to swell with magnificent pride
At the special, the wondrous, the out of place things
Like this white pumpkin, and the joy that it brings
A reminder that our children are more than alive
They are perfectly whole, all things are made right.

10/04/2024

Throughout October we will be sharing various Pregnancy and Infant Loss resources.

The first organization we’d like to highlight is The Finley Project. Their program provides holistic support to mothers after the loss of a baby. A first of its kind organization, the Finley Project has served over 500 mothers since it started. Founded by Noelle after the loss of sweet Finley in 2013, this organization supports mothers across the country. Check out their page for more information.

Grief can often feel like an isolating journey, leaving mothers overwhelmed and alone in their pain. But it doesn’t have to be this way. A simple referral to The Finley Project can transform the life of a grieving mother, offering her the support, compassion, and resources she needs to navigate her loss.

If you know a mother who is struggling with the heartbreaking loss of an infant, please don’t hesitate to connect her with us. Your referral could be the lifeline she’s desperately searching for—a bridge to hope, healing, and a community that understands. Together, we can ensure that no mother walks this path alone.

10/01/2024

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month throughout the United States noting that, “National Observance of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month offers us the opportunity to increase our understanding of the great tragedy involved in the deaths of unborn and newborn babies. It also enables us to consider how, as individuals and communities, we can meet the needs of bereaved parents and family members on work to prevent causes of these problems….”

For all the babies and children that have left us too soon...we love you, we remember you, we honor you and we will always speak your name.

💗Avery 💗