Dear Friends,

Dreams are often born long before a baby is. For my family, our dreams were born in 2016 as we sat around our Christmas tree, with the words, Surprise! We are having another baby! I will never forget the way my son's eyes grew large with awe and raw excitement, the way joy shined within them as bright as the lights from the tree. I will forever remember my daughter's fierce hug and the sound of her voice as she squealed, I can't wait and will love them so much! Their love was immediate, and so was ours.

When I learned we were having a girl, I bought pink pastries to share the news with our kids. My husband and I watched with delight as they realized We are having a sister! and began voicing their dreams of her: I will drive her to dance lessons; maybe she will wear pigtails; will she like Legos, too, like me? On Valentine's Day, we celebrated how easily our love for her had grown and shaped every thought of our future. And even though I was working with Share and well understood the statistics and risk of miscarriage after 40, I never, ever dreamed I would be that one in four women who would lose their baby. We loved her completely, like we would keep her forever.

Like so many others, it was during a routine ultrasound that we heard the words that shattered our dreams: I am so sorry. She's gone. There are simply no words to describe our heartbreak. I held my son as he writhed with grief I didn't even know how to measure; I felt my daughter's flood of tears on my shoulder even as she tried so hard to be strong. My husband and I were wrapped in a fog of unimaginable heartache as we wrestled with the enormous question, how do you stop the heart from loving simply because a heart stops beating? In those helpless moments, I understood that I had no power whatsoever to change our new reality, but I did have the greatest resource to help us navigate life without our daughter--I had Share.

No one, no one knows how to navigate the unexpected heartbreak of losing a child, but Share helped our family find the way to lose and love and honor our baby, all at the same time. With the support of Share, I understood my choices and was encouraged to make the ones that were best for our grieving family. Our tiny baby girl, Caroline Claire, was lovingly delivered by a nurse that Share had trained to take care of parents like me. Share gave us words to comfort our son and daughter as they tried so hard to process what we lost. They helped us weave our love for our daughter into every breath, every decision, every interaction we had with her. And in the years since her birth, Share has given our family countless ways to honor Caroline's memory, as well as gentle guidance toward a future rich with love for her and filled with new, different dreams.

And now, nine Christmases later, Share's mission is so deeply embedded in my heart that I now serve as Share's director, and I witness Share changing lives every day. I see how Share is there for the parents struggling after miscarriage; the couples grieving their newborn son while balancing the fear and hope of a new pregnancy; the grandparents supporting their child through their heartache while grieving their grandchild, too; the siblings who miss their baby brother or sister and don't yet know how to process the hole in their family. Share is there for the young father whose son was stillborn, longing to speak to another dad who truly understands what he is going through; for the mother with empty arms just aching to hold her baby. Share is there for all of them, with loving support, gently creating space even in the most broken hearts for hope and healing to grow.

As we enter this beautiful season of giving, I ask you to please help Share continue their mission of supporting families like these, like mine, by giving generously today. Your gift helps ensure that every bereaved parent, sibling, and grandparent can find comfort, community, and resources at no cost to them, exactly when they need it most. Your donation truly enables Share to touch lives, heal hearts, and give hope, and we couldn't do it without you. We are so, so grateful for your support.

Please join me in giving the gift of hope this holiday--I'll be giving in memory of our Caroline.

With warmest love and gratitude,

Jenn Stachula, with loving support of Jim, Sophia and Nate