HeARTfelt Goodbye

When we found out that Milo was going to die, we vowed to do all we could to be sure that the world recognized his life. One of the ways that we ensured that this happened was by having a funeral for him. We carefully planned out the event as much as we could ahead of time, with most of the details coming together the week between when the babies were born and the funeral date. We couldn't be prouder of the grace, creativity, and pure love that comprised the service. It truly was a work of art, from the music by our dear friend Mike, to the sermon by our pastor Cindy, and a letter Mark wrote to Milo. Below is the link to the audio of the funeral service. Thank you in advance for listening. Knowing that people out there are bearing witness to Milo's life heals my heart in unmeasurable ways.

In addition to the funeral celebrating Milo's life, at my shower each of the guests made a "quilt square" with a special message for Milo. We will be framing it and hanging it in our house so that we have a daily reminder of everyone who loved that baby so deeply despite never having met him. My mom did the cross stitch and she and my sister put all the squares together. Here are some photos of it so far.

Others also have shared their artistic talents in order to help us remember Milo. Our friend Gloria crocheted him this beautiful hat and blanket, which we had him photographed with on the day he was born and died. Another friend, Cassandra, had her mom make a quilt for Milo.

People often ask us how it is that we are able to bear so much heartache. I believe that part of the reason we are able to make it through is because of the ways in which we choose to celebrate and honor Milo. I also believe we are strengthened by the ways that others have acknowledged our suffering, both through their quiet support, such as simply attending his funeral, and by more creative means, such as the quilts above. These acts don't wash away the pain--nothing ever will--but they allow us to feel that Milo's life is worth attention and care and love.