Butterfly Mommies

May 14, 2010:

I was surfing around Blogger reading entries of other parents, mostly mothers, from blogs that they have started for their precious little angels. While browsing Footprints On Our Hearts I saw a link button appropriately named Butterfly Mommies. I knew right away this is a site I appropriately belong to.

Butterfly Mommies was visualized by Kristie Verret and Katy Larsen. Two mothers who themselves have babies living in heaven. They came together and offered a place for butterfly mommies to share their respective stories to one another and hopefully, for the general population to understand better the gravity and intensity of a mother's deep grief. I see it as a safe-haven for mothers with babies in heaven.

Katy and Kristie opened their site to any butterfly mommy willing to share their journey with others. With no second thought, I found myself sending an email to Katy and stated to her how an honor it would be to share our Marcus' story to their readers.

May 18, 2010:

I received a response email from Katy saying that she had included our blog in their list. Her email was uncomplicated and warm. The message of sympathy was heartfelt.

Their synopses for each blog list is very personalized and I was expecting for her to ask for a picture or some kind of a layout I would want used for the link. When she did not detail this in the email I immediately checked what they have come up with. I was excited.

I loved the way they incorporated Marcus' framed picture with the title of his blog. They kept the background white, which I truly appreciated. This simple gesture of creating and arranging a personalized abstract for my son's blog is very moving to me. I'm very thankful.

I responded to her email and thanked her for the very thoughtful gesture. I wished her and her family well and offered my prayers.

I wish Kristie and Katy the best in all their endeavors. These two butterfly mommies go out of their way to reach out to people who have experienced great loss. Among others, they have started a ministry called Anchored By Hope (www.anchoredbyhope.com), an "online Bible study and Christian support ministry for those suffering pregnancy and infant loss." Right when I read the mission of their cause from their website, I was instantly given comfort that I was understood and that God is there walking my journey with me.

The lead that Kristie and Katy take makes me stronger in my faith to accomplish my personal projects for my Marcus. I find that I am certainly on the right track to paying tribute to the wonderful memory of my son.

Though my child is not with me, I have experienced more than most mothers ever would. Being a butterfly mommy (or butterfly mama as I call myself) indeed gives us a higher purpose in life after our tragedy. As Marcus' mother, I vow to make my experience a stepping stone into something truly worthwhile; to reach out and help others, to make the mistakes done to us right for others. I vow to make the memory of Marcus undoubtedly count.

My eyes are wide open... I see things in a different light. This is my journey.