Holiday Grief
Forever Loved, Missed, and Carried Daily
By: Keisha Wells There are many keepsakes I have for my twin sons. Delicate and treasured items made and purchased for and in honor of them—blankets, bracelets, and the crocheted hats that framed their angelic faces in our final earthly moments together. I keep them stored safely and take them out from time to time,…
Read MoreMissing More Than Milestones
By: Kayla Leibner I often find myself wondering what life would be like if I wasn’t a bereaved mother. I wonder how different I would be if I wasn’t on this path. The truth is, this is my reality, and I’ll never again know life the way it was before this journey of grief began. …
Read MoreSeasons of Love
By: Nikki Grayson The deep green and blue ocean waters rise and fall before me. The deep blue horizon looks to be a million miles away. Sand wedges between my toes and the warmth of the air envelopes me. As I search for hidden sand dollars, my eyes are set on the tan sandy beach,…
Read MoreDad’s Arms Are Empty Too
By: Nikki Grayson Swollen eyes, pink tinged cheeks, and a steady stream of tears. Dark circles under the eyes, a solemn face, and forced words of strength. The definition of a newly bereaved mom and a newly bereaved dad. Yet we both are experiencing the same hurt and shared grief, the expectations are so different…
Read MoreDear Husband, Thank You
By: Casey Zenner Oftentimes on this loss journey, I find myself forgetting that there is another person on this journey with me. While I, of course, never actually forget about my husband, it is hard in the midst of my grief, to remember he is grieving too. I think that is because our husbands fill…
Read MoreWhen ‘Happy Father’s Day’ Has a New Meaning
By: Steven Lied Happy Father’s Day. These are three words that have taken on a new meaning since the loss of my son, Asher Ray Lied. As I reflect on Father’s Day in my life, I find myself remembering when I was a kid and all of the things that we did for my dad…
Read MoreTo Be A Mother, All You Must Do Is Love
By: Casey Zenner What makes someone a Mother? This is something we recently talked about in one of the Ending a Wanted Pregnancy support groups I belong to on Facebook. When you think of the word Mother, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? It may be your own mom. It may…
Read MoreStill a Mother’s Day: Honoring Motherhood During the Pandemic
By: Keisha Wells Thirteen years ago, I faced my first Mother’s Day without my sons—just 29 days after they took their first and last breaths. Although a bitter-sweet celebration, I was gently supported by family and received thoughtful gifts and love on this premiere day in my motherhood. The first of so many days I…
Read MoreA Letter to the Newly Bereaved Mom on Mother’s Day
By: Kayla Leibner Dear Mom, I know you’re not the kind of mother you imagined you would be, but that doesn’t make you any less of a mother. In fact, you are the strongest kind of mother. Your baby lives in heaven instead of in your home. You hold your baby in your heart instead…
Read MoreMothering Each Day
By: Robyn Busekrus The birds are singing and the sun is shining. When I turn the calendar to May, it brings sadness. I say to myself, “Here we go again.” This month, we honor mothers and for those of us who have been on this loss journey it is difficult. This May, my son would…
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