Hello ladies. So here we are with a fresh start to our “blogging”! We announced last night at group that we will once again attempt to stay current on the blog if all of you ladies are willing to write as well. We would like to use this as a tool to stay better in touch in between groups and to further discuss topics discussed at group or that are heavy on your heart. If you would like to sign up to receive an e-mail notification when someone has blogged look in the archives under June 2007. There you will find step by step directions.
Last nigths group subject was guilt. There is so much guilt that is associated with the loss of a baby. Do you have guilt that you are still struggling with? We discussed that the definition of guilt is “the fact of being responsible of a crime or wrongdoing”. Look at what you are feeling guilty over and ask yourself if what you are struggling with is indeed a fact. Most often it is not. We tend to beat ourselves up over the “what if’s” and the “if only’s”. It comes down to accepting what happened and knowing that God was in control the whole time. Tell us how you are feeling about guilt. . .
~Kristin
Tiny Purpose 
Interesting topic…
One of the things I felt guilty about in the beginning of my grief was that my husband and I chose to have our son Cole, cremated (whom we had lost at 34 weeks, to a cord accident.)
Part of me struggled wondering if I had chosen this because I was selfish and was trying in some way to fill my empty arms at all costs.
For example, when I met others who had been through similiar (but different) losses and they shared that they were going to the cemetery to leave flowers or something special for their angel on special days – a part of me again felt envious and empty for not having a special PLACE to go.
Then, at some point I also recognized that there are so many others and families that face losses and will never have a PLACE to go to grieve – no matter their personal decisions-since so many little lives are lost to miscarriage as well.
This is one of the primary reasons I was driven to persue the placement of the Christmas Box Angel monument, despite the lack of support or understanding of so many for this particular cause.
While I do hope this finds members of Tiny Purpose well, I also wanted to take the opportunity to share some information that may be helpful. I do hope the details and the copies of the book The Christmas Box have been shared at your recent meetings too by the leaders of the Tiny Purpose group.
The Christmas Box Angel Statue was introduced to the world in the book The Christmas Box, a worldwide bestseller and hit television movie by author Richard Paul Evans. In the book, a woman mourns the loss of her child at the base of an angel monument. Though the story is mostly fiction, the angel monument once existed but is speculated to have been destroyed. The new angel statue was commissioned by Richard Paul Evans, in response to reports that grieving parents were seeking out the angel as a place to grieve and heal.
Now the individuals and families in and around Lenawee County, who have been impacted by such a loss, do have a special place to remember their angels.
Many of you may have even seen the angel monument at the Walk to Remember, an event that was started over 13 years ago in Lenawee County by true pioneer advocates for bereaved parents, nurses Arwana Reed and Nancy Mehan. Not only did these women organize local support groups, seek out professional development opportunities to aid them in this facet of support, but they also served families impacted by these losses with extremely exceptional dedication while they were in their care in the hospitals in which they served. They also initiated the fundraising efforts for the beautiful bronze angel that the Merillat Foundation helped us to complete.
The first annual Candelight Remembrance service will be held at the Christmas Box Angel of Hope monument in the Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian on December 6th at 7:00pm.
We hope you will join us – as we gather to recognize those who have lost a child. Knowing that others will do the same at the other nearly 100 angel monuments around the country and annually on December 6th.
Feel free to contact me directly, if you have any questions at CMHesanangel@aol.com