Our Rainbow Baby

You may have noticed that today, October 15, is Pregnancy and Infancy Loss Awareness Day. While it seems that there is something special to celebrate every day of the year, this day hits close to home for me.

It's hard to believe that almost a year ago to the day, I was at the high-risk doctor praying that the baby I was carrying was still viable. Praying that I would not have to endure another miscarriage. 

Thankfully God answered my prayer.

The year was a tumultuous one. We were settling into a new city, in a new house, after living out of suitcases for 6 months. Daniel and I were ready to expand our family and were elated that by Easter we were expecting. 

Shortly after Easter came the horrible news that I was experiencing a blighted ovum and would miscarry. The miscarriage happened at home on the Sunday before Mother's Day. I was crushed.

Today, as I hold my sweet baby boy, it is hard to believe that last year held such difficulty. My pregnancy with Isaac was high risk and filled with anxiety. There was a fear that would not loose its grip on me. And it all culminated last April with a rather scary emergency C-section. 

Six month later, here we are. Isaac is our sunshine, our rainbow after a terrible storm. He is laughter and sweetness and love. He reminds us that good things can happen, even after bad. My experience in bringing him into the world is one of learning to trust fully in God. In letting go of the things that I cannot control. He is our rainbow baby.

I recently had an epiphany: 
While my miscarriage was very difficult (physically and emotionally), and I am saddened that we never met that baby, if we had not walked through that valley Isaac would not be in our arms today. 

So we press forward and embrace what God has given us: our precious family of four. We do not take for granted our days and we give thanks for the good and the bad, having hope in the knowledge that the child lost is in heaven.

If you have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, I hope that you will be brave and share your story with those around you. In sharing I have found great healing. If you know someone who has experienced this type of loss, be willing to listen in an effort to shoulder their burden with them. Click here for other suggestions for supporting your loved one.

Early this year I met someone who shared HopeMommies.Org with me. This is an organization that provides an online support system for those who have experienced infant and pregnancy loss. They also have retreats you can attend and Hope Boxes that you can purchase on behalf of a loved one walking through this valley of sorrow.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Fall Break 2015: St. George Island

On our final full day in Florida, we all agreed that we should go to the beach. St. George Island is located about two hours from Tallahassee, and the drive along the Forgotten Coast was serene and beautiful.

En route to St. George we made a stop for lunch at the Red Pirate Grill for fried fish and oysters. Jack was a little disappointed that he didn't get a corn dog, but managed to devour his fish platter anyway.

 

After our fill of seafood, we took the long bridge across the bay and made our way to the State Park at the end of the barrier island. On the way we passed miles and miles of undeveloped beaches.

St. George Island is a little slice of paradise sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola Bay, with very little development other than beach houses.

I think it would be amazing to come back and camp here, just for a view of the stars at night. The lack of development in the area means no light pollution and pristine skies.

One surprising thing were the number of Monarch butterflies. Evidently it was the right time of year for the butterfly migration to the Gulf and they were everywhere! I loved how much wildlife we were able to see during the course of our week in Florida!

As expected, my sister came prepared with an umbrella and camp chairs for everyone (I am the sibling that tends to fly by the seat of my pants, my sister is the one who is always prepared for everything and our brother is along for the ride). In addition to seating, she had snacks. You always have to have snacks with kiddos in tow.

The kids had an absolute blast running in and out of the water, attempting to boogie board and helping their Uncle Mark build a sand castle. It was a beautiful day to be at the beach.

The water was a little on the cool side and we teased our Canadian mother for not wanting to go under water because it was too cold! After a little teasing about the Gulf of Mexico being too chilly for her, she was brave and took the plunge. I on the other hand, did not :)

Of course Isaac just chilled in the shade, even managing a nap (what he seems to do best). We have also discovered that our Camelbak water bottles are his favorite thing to chew on to soothe him as he teethes.

After the sand castles had been built (and stomped on) we decided to head home. It was 5 o'clock and we had a two hour drive back to Tallahassee so we decided to stop at Aunt Ebby's, a local ice cream shop, to help stave off our starving kiddos. Ice cream is always a good idea, especially at the beach!

It was a wonderful end to our Fall Break and visit to Florida. We had such a lovely week and had a great time doing lots of fun things with loved ones. Jack especially loved getting to ride everywhere with his cousins in their van – he seemed so grown up on this trip!

Until next year...

Fall Break Recap:

Ellijay, GA   |   Stringers Ridge, TN   |  Wakulla Springs, FL   |  Tallahassee Jr. Museum, FL   |  St. George Island, FL

Fall Break 2015: Tallahassee Jr. Museum

On the second day of our Florida trip, my niece, Izzy, went to school for a field trip to visit the Tallahassee Fire Department. 

My mom and sister took Levi and Jack to the fire station while my brother, Isaac and I had a lazy morning at the house.

When they came home from their outing, we packed snacks and a light lunch to take with us to the Tallahassee Museum (it was called the Jr. Museum when my brother-in-law was growing up).

The Tallahassee Museum is an outdoor museum that feels more like a mini zoo than a museum. Set on 52 acres of natural flora and fauna, it is a living exhibit of Florida's wildlife. 

You can explore the Wildlife Florida section by wandering down nature trails and boardwalks which take you through various gardens and animal habitats that are native to the region.

At the beginning of our walk my mom commented that she smelled a skunk. As we circled back through the Wildlife section we discovered an area that did indeed house a skunk! 

As you walk through the wildlife section you will notice large metal sculptures of dinosaurs nestled into the habitat. The collection was created by Jim Gary in 1979; and after exhibiting around the world, it now resides at the Tallahassee Museum where it provides an element of whimsy to the natural environment. 

In addition to the native animals, there is a section of the Museum called Big Bend Farmstead that is dedicated to showing how rural farmers lived in the 1880s. Here you can view livestock and get a glimpse of how rural farmers spent their days.

If you have the time, you should try the Tree Top Adventures Ropes Course. As you walk through the Museum you will notice the ropes course in the tree canopy above you. 

We were unable to do this adventure on this particular trip because you have to wear close-toed shoes and we were all in sandals. We hope to come back and see the habitats from above! 

There is a children's ropes course (ages 3+) and two different courses for adults. As you walk through the Museum you can see all of the platforms above you and watch as people zip line between trees. 

At the end of our trip we stopped at the playground for lunch and to let our kiddos play. On more than one occasion one of our boys would yell, "Hey! There's someone flying [on a zip line] over that building!"

The museum has been an iconic Tallahassee landmark for more than 50 years and is ranked as one of Florida’s top museums. We enjoyed our afternoon there and hope to return to do the ropes course in the future.

Fall Break Recap:

Ellijay, GA   |   Stringers Ridge, TN   |  Wakulla Springs, FL   |  Tallahassee Jr. Museum, FL   |  St. George Island, FL