Day 5

Day 5 {Memorial}

Hadley is buried next to Daniel's Mom and there is not a holiday that goes by that we don't go visit, bring flowers, decorate, etc.

Halloween 2011

Thanksgiving 2011

 

Christmas Day 2011

 

Valentine's Day 2012

 

Hadley's 1st Birthday 2-28-12

Easter 2012

Mother's Day 2012

~Melissa

Day 4

Day 4 {Treasured Item}

This is Hadley's ornament from our 1st Walk to Remember with MEND last year.     It sits in our kitchen and I love looking at it everyday. I think it is the prettiest ornament and we will get another one this Saturday at our 2nd walk to attend.  We will be given two ornaments this year :( It's hard being moved from the one loss category to two losses.  Though they were very different losses the same pain is still there.  A loss is a loss is a loss.  Doesn't matter how if you lost the baby at 6 weeks pregnant or if the baby was 6 weeks old...that is one of the reasons I am so thankful for MEND.  All losses are treated the same.  It was a life that God created and Hadley and Baby Bufe MATTERED to this world.  I'm looking forward to celebrating both my babies this Saturday.   Blessings, Melissa

Day 3

Day 3 {After loss self portrait}

Exactly 1 month after losing Hadley
~Melissa

Day 1 & Day 2

October is a challenging month for me.  It is the month I found out I was pregnant with Briley and Hadley, it is the month of the MEND Walk to Remember, it is the month that starts the holiday season which makes me think of all the things I should be doing with two little girls, it is the month that I should be going into my 3rd trimester with our 3rd baby, and to top it off October is pregnancy and infant loss awareness month.     I told you it was a difficult month...so to help get through this month I've decided to participate in the CarlyMarie "Capture your grief" challenge.  Here are the days and pictures I will take:

So since I am already behind...here is Day 1 and Day 2!!! Day 1 {Sunrise} I didn't start yesterday like I should have so I just found one on the internet that spoke to me...

Something about this picture calms me so I picked this one. Day 2 {Before Loss Self Portrait}

This picture is wonderful yet heart wrenching to look at.  I was 16.5 weeks and on my way to a friends baby shower and Daniel took a few pictures of me because my belly had just started to pop.  I'm not the same Melissa that is in this picture but I'm learning how to be the Melissa I am now...the Melissa that God wants me to be.  ~Melissa

The Newsboys...

...are a big hit in our family right now.   She BEGS me to play this song on my phone.   We also had this conversation in the car the other day...
  Briley: Mommy Jesus died on the cross.
Me: Why did He die Briley?
Briley: Jesus died on the cross. He washed away all of our sins!
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4   ~Melissa

Preschool Princess...

We officially have a preschooler!! Love, Melissa

In His Time...

I have shared our story with many people I have encountered, but I have never had the opportunity to share our testimony in front of a large group.  On August 5th I was given that chance and I spoke to our new church family at Alliance Community Fellowship.  I was given this opportunity to speak because I was not only asked by our Pastor to share our story but I was also being presented to the church as the new Children's Director.   Yes, blog friends!  You read that right :)  I am the new Children's Director for our church and I can't tell you how overjoyed, blessed, humbled and excited I feel.  I am no longer teaching and working soley for our church.  It wasn't a hard decision to step away from teaching because I had such a peace about where God was calling me.  Of course it was hard to leave old students and co-workers/friends, but I know without a doubt this is the perfect plan God has for myself and my family.  I have already been in this position for a month and though it has been a crazy whirlwind of a month, I am LOVING every minute.  I am helping children understand how much God loves them, and alongside their parents, helping lead them to Christ.  It is simply amazing.  I also have a very flexible schedule that is allowing me to work from home as well as the church.  When I am at church I bring Briley with me!!  This is a HUGE blessing for Daniel and I.  We have been praying for a long time that God's plan would allow me to have more time at home with Briley and of course He didn't ignore our prayer.  He answered it...He answered it BIG TIME.   To prepare for sharing my testimony to the church I wrote it out first and I want to share with you what I said.  I have never told you "our story" from start to finish and I'm excited to finally do that.  I hope it gives you a little more insight on who Daniel and I are and the path God has chosen for our family...He truly does make everthing beautiful in HIS time and I know He is only getting started on the beauty He has in store for our family....   Our Story {click the link} Blessings,   Melissa