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Family Photo
You may want to start a new tradition and take a nice photograph on your child's birthday at a location that has
special meaning to the family. |
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Name your baby
It is so important to give them a name to feel a greater connection. In this way, when family or friends purchase
items, they will be more personalized and meaningful. Our accountant found a shopping bag with Tanner’s
name that we placed in his shadowbox. |
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Theme
Choose a theme for your baby so people can purchase mementos of significance. The butterfly is our son’s, symbolizing rebirth. |
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Shadowbox Purchase one or construct your own. My husband created Tanner’s by using salvaged barn wood, bead board and a salvaged window. It hangs in our family room. |
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Write/Compose a letter
Compose a letter about your loved one for your church to publish in their newsletter. Tanner’s story was in our church paper and local newsletter. Writing connects you to them and to the world. Keep a journal for them. This doesn't’t have to be written in everyday. It is another way to communicate with them and a good way for others to gain more insight on your depth of pain and hope. Poetry is another expression of your love for them. I composed a few pieces and a dear girlfriend created another poem especially for us. Click here to view |
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Sky journal
I love to look into the sky when I feel close to my son. I know at that very moment he is looking at me too. When these special moments arise, take a photograph of the sky and write a brief summary of how you spent your time together. |
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Return Address
there are companies that customize labels. You can represent them subtlety or boldly by including your children in your return address labels. This is another way to acknowledge and show that you do not forget them just because they “physically” are not here. |
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Tattoo
Before I knew my husband, he had a tattoo on his arm of a little hand the size of a quarter. I always teased him
by asking what it meant. It must have been something spontaneous on his part. A few days after Tanner made the
journey, he came home with a “T” under the little hand and said, “now it has meaning”. |
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Create a Card
When our second son was born here, I decided to superimpose both boys together on our Christmas card. I would have
had so much guilt if I sent only one of them. You can do this for any holiday that you feel the need. |
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Drawing
Have a professional artist compose a drawing of your loved one. I have an art background which was helpful in
creating a pencil drawing from a photo. I added hair and angel wings on Tanner to comfort me. I also drew a
picture of my cousin’s baby who was also born still. |
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Tradition
I love parties and we will always have a little something for Tanner on his birthday even if it wasn't shared with
my husband. |
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Star
My girlfriend who lives miles away sent me a surprise in the mail quite some time after. She had purchased a star
that belonged to us and Tanner. The star was such a beautiful gift, but the real gift was she will never forget
him. |
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Scrapbook
Even if you are not an avid scrapbooker our kits are user friendly and may be used in different ways to suit your
needs. These pages were created for Tanner years ago. |
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Join a Church
I can’t tell you how many great people I've met and activities I've participated in. The church just extends
your family to 150, 500 or 1000x. |
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Memory Garden
You can construct a memory garden on your own property or possibly on your church ground. We have done both since
we are in the landscape industry. Churches encourage volunteers to maintain the grounds, so this is perfect if
you do not have the space at home. Click on Memory Gardens for tips. |
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Memory Garden Dedication
once your garden is constructed, have a dedication party to honor your loved one. We had our guests all write personal
messages on the balloons. We photographed all of them before the release. |
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Engraving
Have the name of your loved one engraved in a material that can weather the outdoor elements such as brick or aluminum.
My uncle engraved our son’s name on a stainless steal plaque to hang in his garden. |
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Wind chimes
The sense of audio is also useful in feeling your loved ones presence. Place a special chime where
it can easily be heard from inside the house or to place in their garden where you can listen to their spirit.
My brother and sister-in law purchased a butterfly chime. For Tanner’s first birthday they had a heart charm
engraved to hang inside the chime. |
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Scent
Do you remember a certain scent when your loved one made the journey? When I was pregnant with Tanner in the month
of September, I had a landscape client that lived in a rural area. I would always smell burning firewood while
driving out to the job. The whole essence of autumn is him; pumpkins, apples and spice candles burn with the
image of my son. |
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Season
The season of your loved ones journey can be viewed as something beautiful. Like I mentioned previously, autumn
is for Tanner. Make your season just as meaningful. |
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Support Group
One of the best decisions I made was to join a support group. I met one of my dearest friends who happens to be
the founder of Haven of Hope and Healing, Inc.
- a pregnancy and infant loss center I still attend the monthly meetings and it will be 3 years without Tanner.
I am not a basket case anymore; however, I love our time together talking about our heavenly children. |
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Cremation
We chose to have Tanner cremated. My mother purchased several necklace, perfume vials to hold some of his
ashes. Proudly I wore that necklace hoping that someone would make a comment so I could talk about my baby. |
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Cross-stitch
this craft can be worked on almost anywhere. Frame the finished piece inside their shadowbox or on a wall with
family photos. My husband’s mother began to work on this before Tanner came to us |
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My Forever Child
Remembrance Jewelry, Memorial Keepsakes, Sympathy and Decorative Gifts to comfort those touched by the loss of
a Child. Personalized, Engraved & Handcrafted Miscarriage-Pregnancy Loss Bracelets, Baby-Infant Footprints Charms,
Custom Necklace Pendants with your child's Footprint, Hand print image or photograph. |
