The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Discussions on grieving infant death & stillbirth; only the strength of the Lord makes it possible to tell the tale...

Friday, November 01, 2013


Tumblr can be a soothing place to pass the time when illness takes its toll. I've found it to be a great place to add to my collection of dolls...
http://dolliemama.tumblr.com/

Friday, June 28, 2013





















Some days come & go with little notice, 
and good riddance to them.
Whilst other days, 
for this reason or that, 
are forever etched upon the heart & soul. 
Today commemorates one of those days 
that will remain always vivid, 
no matter how much time evaporates...

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Happy Father's Day





Burying A Baby Changes Everything...

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Wednesday, March 13, 2013



Nearly a decade into my own journey, it's both a joy and a sorrow to see the loss support community expanding by such leaps and bounds. Still Standing is a most remarkable resource, and what a blessing to have stumbled across them.

It's joyful to have such a wealth of common writers so that I know that I'm not alone, and that my departed daughters' voices are being heard. But it's also sorrowful because what a stark reminder of the vast multitudes who are on this path with me. So many more have joined the cause since I first embarked. The little silent voices of anguished grief have increased by incredible decibels--and that's very sad indeed.

Nevertheless, coming across Still Standing has given some refreshment to my own silent voice. When I first began this blog, I did so as an outlet to keep the memory of my daughters active, and to give voice to my journey thru the plights of child loss. But it lost its lustre once the pickle jar of critics felt it their obligation to tell me what was wrong with my grief, wrong with my faith, wrong with me...

I mean, who wants to go into the depths of expounding over experiences so vastly precious and so deeply introspective when some chucklehead from the peanut gallery then comes along seeking to rub the wounds with salt and vinegar? One chortlehead even had the nerve to threaten me if I should dare to edit his comments before I published them, and issued insult of my weakness of character for daring to not publish his comments at all.

Yes, Mr. SuperiorJackass, I admit that I'm a coward when it comes to sharing the likes of your commentaries; and no, I don't care to litter my blog with your particular flavor of chastisement over how the universe apparently knew best in rendering me barren and bereaved. I swear if I have one more person seek to tell me how the world is a better place because I couldn't reproduce, or that my children died as a result of karma biting my ass where it should...argh!

Seriously! what a mean, loathsome thing to tell loss parents: that their children died because somehow "karma" chose the better path for their children because we weren't supposed to be parents to them. Tell that to the thousands upon thousands who take solace from sites like Still Standing (and the plethora of other resources noted on my sidebar).

I suppose it's a very good thing that I don't believe in "karma" but rather in the supreme justice of the Lord God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. The likes of His justice gets handed out to every single soul He creates when they die and go to meet Him face to face. My daughters did not die because I was destined to be a bad parent; that somehow they would be better off without me or we them--yet, if such logic were true then many many more are the parents who would be barren, and far far fewer children would ever be conceived!

To say that my children died to spare them from some conjectured abuse implies that other children who aren't spared abuse somehow deserve their plight, because if my children died to spare them from some future horror, then why don't all children die in order to spare them as well? Such "karmatic" thinking erroneously places blame and conjecture where it's not deserved or warranted, and it fails to take into account the multitudes for whom the "logic" is meted out inconsistently.

No, my children died because the sin nature of this world is alive and very active, and that allowed for death and doctors to rob us of them, and they of us.

Ultimately, there will be an Accounting when all is said and done. The Scriptures tell us that the Lord God Almighty keeps a Ledger of everything. Thus, they who hastened their deaths through malpractice, negligence and indifference will be held accountable by the measure of His supreme justice. They may get away with their actions here, but in eternity they will not. I believe emphatically that everyone meets their Maker--no one is exempt from death and no one escapes meeting God face to face; no one! And so it is Written that everyone will have to account for themselves when they die; everyone.

And so it is that I may get lectures and beratement by the likes of they who have no worldly clue; faithless nay-sayers who care not a single jot about me, my children, other loss parents, or even their own eternal fates; but come hell or high water, I'm Still Standing!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Abigail's Born to Heaven Day


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Easter Lilies


Easter Lilies, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.

Lilies of the Valley


Lilies of the Valley, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.

You're Not Forgotten


You're Not Forgot, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.


The Sweetest Flower, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.


Butterfly Bouquet, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.

Forget-me-Nots


Forget-me-nots, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.

Faith is the bird that feels the light and
sings when the dawn is still dark.
~ Rabindranath Taqore~

Heart, Be Still!


Heart, Be Still!, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.


The Power of a Flower, originally uploaded by Rose Red Cottage.

Sweet Memories

Forget Me Not

Remembering you always...


{Hello there}, originally uploaded by Stacysparkle.


Butterfly, originally uploaded by Bob Jagendorf.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Way Out West - Don't Forget Me

Way Out West - Don't Forget Me

Lyrics:
There's just one thing that I need to say 
Before I close my eyes and walk away 
There's just one thing that I need to feel 
Before I walk away against my will 

There's just one thing that I need to hear 
Before I walk away for the last time 
There's just one thing that I need to see 
Before I take this chance and set us free 

Don't forget me 
Don't regret me 
Don't suspect me 
Don't neglect me 

The memory of this still reminds me of you 
The memory of this still reminds me 
The memory of this still reminds me of you 
And that is where you'll find me 

Stars in your eyes 
Did you take the time to realize 

Can you count the stars in your eyes? 
Did you take the time to realize? 

There's just one thing that I need to say 
Before I close my eyes and walk away 
There's just one thing that I need to feel 
Before I walk away against my will 

Don't forget me 
Don't regret me 
The memory of this still reminds me of you 
Don't suspect me 
The memory of this still reminds me 
Don't neglect me 
The memory of this still reminds me of you 

The memory of this still reminds me 
Stars in your eyes 
Did you take the time to realize?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Target Is ‘Down’ With Down Syndrome: 5 Things Target Said By Saying Nothing At All



Target Is ‘Down’ With Down Syndrome: 5 Things Target Said By Saying Nothing At All

Sunday, October 30, 2011


I came across a most wonderful blog (& online shoppe) that I just had to share...
Headcoverings By Devorah

Saturday, October 15, 2011

October is Baby Loss Awareness month
I am the face

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope


Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Another Season of Abigail


For now they doth slumber in cemetery yonder,
Such Treasures In Heaven, our hearts always ponder;
The best Gift of Christmas isn't babe from the womb,
But His promise of Rebirth and His Empty Tomb ♥

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

October is Baby Loss Awareness Month

Monday, October 11, 2010

October is Baby Loss Awareness Month

Saturday, October 09, 2010

October is Baby Loss Awareness Month



Friday, April 16, 2010

In the Throws of April

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Missing My TurtleBird



click the title to go to Anne's Legacy Page