This image was taken on the day that Graidan went to be with Jesus – September 6, 2007

The Sutherlands came into the studio the following year – these are the piggies of all their children.

This is the back cover of The Broken Egg.  Dawn (Graidan’s Mommy) says that this is one of her very favorite images!!

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is celebrating their five year anniversary.  I joined NILMDTS in early 2006 shortly after their 1 year anniversary.  There are currently over 7,000 photographers world wide that donate their time, talent and hearts when they offer their services of infant remembrance photography to families in their greatest time of need.  NILMDTS has my heart.  As the area coordinator for Cincinnati, I’ve completed over 150 sessions for these precious angels myself and have referred other NILMDTS photographers on 52 sessions.  We have a healthy base of volunteers in Cincinnati now and we would LOVE your support in furthering our mission.  Your donation would help increase awareness of the services that we are able to offer and to recruit and train new photographers.  SO—-  Click the link – give NILMDTS a HIGH 5 donation!!

 What Grieving Moms Want for Mother’s Day:

 TheComfortCompany.net Offers 10 Simple Ways to help Moms Cope When Mother’s Day Hurts

Acknowledgement is what grieving mother’s want most for Mother’s Day, suggests a survey by www.thecomfortcompany.net, a website that specializes in meaningful sympathy gifts. The online survey asked “What can others do to ease your pain on Mother’s Day”. Over 80 percent of the 200 respondents answered, “Recognize that I am a mother”.

“While Mother’s Day is generally considered to be a day of celebration, for many women it is a day of pain and loss” says Renee Wood, former social worker and founder of The Comfort Company. “It’s important to remember those moms who have had a failed pregnancy or who have lost a child at any age.” In response to the survey results, thecomfortcompany.net has issued a list of ten simple ways to reach out to a grieving mother on this difficult holiday.

1. Recognize that they are a mother: Offer a hug and a “Happy Mother’s Day”. Send a card to let them know you remember they are a mother even though their child is not with them physically.

2. Acknowledge they have had a loss: Express the message, “I know this might be a difficult day for you. I want you to know that I am thinking about you.”

3. Use their child’s name in conversation: One mother responded, “People rarely speak his name anymore, but when they do it’s like music to my ears”.

4. Plant a living memorial: A tree or rose bush, like memories, will grow in beauty as the years pass. 5. Visit the grave site: Many mothers felt that it was “extremely thoughtful” when others visited their child’s grave site and left flowers or a small pebble near the headstone.

6. Light a candle: Let the mother know you will light a candle in memory of their child on Mother’s Day.

7. Share a memory or pictures of the child: Give the gift of a memory. One mother wrote that the “greatest gift you can give is a heart felt letter about my child and a favorite memory with them”.

8. Send a gift of remembrance: Many mothers felt a small gift would be comforting. Suggestions included: an angel statue, jewelry, a picture frame, a library book or toy donation in the child’s name or anything personalized.

9. Don’t try to minimize the loss: Avoid using any clichés that attempt to explain the death of a child. (“God needed another angel.”) Secondly, don’t try to find anything positive about the loss (“You still have two healthy children”).

10. Encourage Self-Care: Self-care is an important aspect of the “healing the mind and spirit effort” according to several mothers. Encourage a grieving mother to take care of herself. Give her a gift certificate to a day spa or any place where she can be pampered.

©2007 The Comfort Company. All Rights Reserved. May be reprinted with permission and credit to: www.thecomfortcompany.net

Time to support an EXCELLENT cause!!  On April 25, I will be walking 6 miles (which for those of you that know how much I detest any form of excercise- it’s a huge deal) in the Cincinnati March for Babies to benefit the March of Dimes.  For years, I’ve wanted to participate in one of these walks for a cause – I’ve just always had something else going on, well – my word for the year is COMMITTMENT (something that I’m trying to apply to EVERY aspect of my life) – so no more making excuses – I’M DOING IT – and now I need your support - so come on ya’ll – support the March of Dimes and Team Till We Meet Again.  I’m walking in honor of all the families and sweet angel babies that I’ve served on behalf of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.  It would be worth it, if the $$$ raised in this walk keeps even ONE family from needing our services as volunteer bereavement photographers.