Willow Hope – My Incredible Ivy

Holding her with open hands…

I remember when we brought Zoe home from the hospital at 3 days old. It didn’t seem like we should be allowed to just walk out with this tiny human, fully responsible for her life. I put her bassinet next to my bed and woke up several times each night, frantically feeling to make sure…

My Story

I am one of those people who had her life planned out at age ten. Become a teacher, get married, have kids. And life pretty much followed. I went to Hope College, became a teacher in Allendale, married Sam, and had two kids – Zoe and Eli. Last summer, Sam and I decided it was…

Letters

My sweet Willow Hope, It has been two months since I learned that you had gone to heaven and I would never get to hold you in my arms here on this earth. Your mommy’s heart has never been so shattered. For awhile, I was in denial. I kept thinking that there was still a…

Words of Truth

Can I be honest here? One of the hardest things about the journey I find myself on is trying to reconcile the immense grief I have over the loss of our precious baby, with the fact that I am still carrying a healthy little girl. My belly is expanding (perhaps a bit more rapidly than…

Learning the Ways of Grief

“Have mercy on me Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by my sadness.” Psalm 31:9-10 Somehow until the past few months of my life, I was oblivious to this verse. In fact I feel like…