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Winter (The Way I See It)

Winter.

Winter is one of my favorite seasons.  It is a time of quiet.  A time of rest.  A time when it is alright to focus on being indoors, snuggled up tight, safe and sound.

Winter reminds me that everything has a time of rest.  All God’s creation lies dormant for a while before new life springs forth.

Winter is a time for reflection and planning for the coming year.  A time of gentle nudges as the days begin to stretch a bit longer.

Winter is crisp, cold and sometimes brutal ~ reminding me to be thankful for moments like today when we can be outside together.

Winter is getting to wear my knit hat and scarf, comfy sweats and not caring at all that I don’t coordinate.

A Call for Stories ~ Dejah’s Story

I want to share a story with you.  A story of a mother and her child.  A story of love and grief.  This is Dejah’s story and I am so incredibly moved and grateful that she is sharing it with us ~

Imagine planning for nine months for the arrival of your baby.  She’s been growing steadily and healthily in your belly, feeling your love and loving you back, showing you how strong she is with her kicks and her hiccups.  You live for those visits with your midwife where you can hear her heartbeat, strong and steady.  Everything is perfect, everything is wonderful.  The crib is assembled, the baby clothes and blankets washed and folded and ready to envelop this new life that will soon come into the world.  It might have been a difficult pregnancy–terrible morning sickness, swollen feet, heartburn–but the time is near and all the discomfort was worth it.  Soon, you’ll be meeting your baby.

Now, imagine coming home from the hospital alone.

Empty arms, empty crib.  The only sound of crying in the house is your own.  And even though you have your husband and your son–and they grieve along with you, in their own way–you feel so completely and desperately alone.

No one prepared you for this.  No one talks about how birth can so suddenly, so quietly, so insidiously, turn into death.

This is not something I have to imagine.  This is something I know to be true.  My daughter was stillborn on her due date last year.  I’m that person.  I’m the one who left the hospital with empty arms.  And while I was there, lying in the hospital bed with my beautiful, silent daughter in my arms, I felt more alone than I ever had in my entire life.

I had to leave the hospital to the sound of other women’s babies crying.  The next time I would see my baby was at the funeral home, where I wrapped her in a blanket I had made for her and kissed her cold forehead for the last time.  She would never need me to comfort her, to change her diaper, to rock her to sleep.  Those nine months of waiting were over.  And they ended in silence.

In one thing, I was lucky: I had amazing support from the women in my life.  My doula and my midwife were both sources of strength for me then and in the days that followed.  They helped keep my heart open when all I wanted to do was shut it down.  I’ve meet many women online and in person who know what I’m going through, and I hold each of them dear to my heart.  This grief is our common bond.  The only thing I know to do with this pain and sadness is to try to turn it into love.

I know there are women out there who are not so lucky, who are giving birth alone, unsupported, unprepared (for what ever really prepares you for this?).  Please donate to ensure that those mamas who have been through the unimaginable know they are not alone.  Stephanie’s art is beautiful and real.  Her words come from a place I, too, am familiar with.  I know having one of her art cards would go a long way towards helping a grieving mother feel loved.

My name is Dejah.  My daughter’s name is Sunrise.   You can find out more about us on my blog, where I try to make sense of it all, to turn grief into Love.  I wish you all much peace and many blessings. xo

I you have a story to tell about leaving the hospital without your baby and would like to help the Donate Art project, please click the link above for more details and information.

A Call for Stories

In case you missed it, there is a NEW project that I am undertaking ~ Art for grieving families.

I am donating ART cards to hospital memory boxes.  So far, three hospitals will be including these cards as a way to touch families who (like me) have to leave the hospital without their babies.  As this project grows, I will have more and more requests to fill and I welcome any help that you may feel led to give.  I am humbly accepting donations (see Left margin) and would like to share that as little as $1 will make 1 Art Card possible.

A portion of ALL proceeds Beyond Words Designs earns is put towards this project.   And this project is already seeing such blessings with three funding donations, 3 hospital deliveries (with 2 pending), and two amazing women who answered the Call for Stories and shared their heartbreaking losses and beautiful babies.  If you have missed them, just stop now and read all about Dejah’s and Stephanie’s words.

I would love to hear from you if you would like to share your story.  Just click on the link above and you will be given details and how to contact me.  And I would LOVE some help spreading the word, so grab a button, blog, tweet, Pin it, or share on FB!

Photography and Healing

I have such good news people.  For those of us who are in desperate need of advice for making photos into works of art, my friend Beryl is offering the best solution evah!  Check out her newest brainchild ~ the Pixlr party webinar!  You and 99 other people will get Beryl’s expertise, her attention, and her tips for taking your ho hum shot into Pixlr perfection!

And for those of you who are wanting some healing through photography, Beryl offers the most wonderful class called Radiate that she is offering in June!  Space is limited so HURRY and sign up fast.

Promoting Art Card Donation

I am guest posting over at Sudio JRU today because my amazing friend Jennifer thinks that my Donate Art project is something to share.  Color me all different kinds of blessed.  God has taken a simple gift and is now making things happen that I could never have imagined two years ago while I was still pregnant with Amelia.

Baby girl, your life mattered.  Thank you for inspiring me.  I miss you.

XO Mommy XO

Love

L.O.V.E

LOVE is not a trendy word to throw into an email, or blog post (except in this instance, lol).  LOVE is not just for Valentines.  LOVE is not an exclamation to pepper conversation with.  LOVE is a noun and a verb!  The dictionary states that LOVE is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.  Hmm.  ya don’t say.

I have been thinking a lot about that word today.  I know that I am guilty of throwing it around like an exclamation that punctuates every other sentence. “I LOVE chocolate.  I LOVE that song that makes me sing out loud.  I  LOVE my favorite movie stars.  I LOVE a good book.   I LOVE that new pair of shoes.  I LOVE Mexican food with a frozen strawberry margarita.  I LOVE getting a break from the kids after being with them all week.  I LOVE getting my hair done.  I LOVE going to the movies all by myself.”

And if I LOVE so darn much, than why am I often dissatisfied?  I think the answer is pretty obvious.  LOVE is profound and divine.  LOVE is a gift that we are to give and receive with humbleness.  LOVE forgives.  LOVE conquers.  LOVE saves.

I take LOVE for granted and when I do, I loose sight of its true meaning.  LOVE is to be experienced in relationship with another.  LOVE is meant to run through people, uniting them, connecting them.  And reflecting God’s LOVE for us outward ~ shining His perfect LOVE like a beacon for all to see.

I hope that you feel love ALL year long and not just on that Hallmark holiday!  I hope you feel LOVE from not only the significant ones in your life, but from the one who so LOVED us that he gave us life.

And because I this just happens to be titled “Loved” I thought that I would share it today.   LOVED can be seen along with other fun prints, originals and magnets in the shop.

The Girl Behind the Blog

Yeow!  Yikes!  Did I really just put myself out there?  Um, oh yeah!

I am linking up with Erin & Ashley to participate in “The Girl Behind The Blog” link up.   So, if you want to hear the who, what and why of Behind Words Designs.  .  . just watch the vlog below.

If you would like to see some more amazing vlogs and the girls behind them, just click the link below!

Hard (The Way I See It)

Life is hard sometimes.  That is just the way I feel.  I hurt.  I ache.  I hide the pain.  Putting on a smile for the kids, friends, for the sake of getting through the day.  I am Humbled.  I am Broken.

On my knees reaching out to God in that moment, I remember to look up.  Up to heaven.  Embracing God’s grace.

Asking Him to LOVE me through it all.  And HE does.

Give Away

Ever heard of Annie Sauce?  NO, it is not flavored apple sauce.  She ~ a person . . . Annie.  And she is saucy!

So excited to get to be a part of a giveaway over at Annie Sauce!  I am giving away a print + magnet, so run on over to enter!  Some other really great sponsors over at Annie’s place that will be participating are ~

BlogLovin’ Tutorial

{Silent scream} ‘Nooooooooooooo!’ ~ as I realize that all too quickly the tremendous amount of time and work I put into my blog may be undone by the simplest of things. . . Google Friends Connect.   So, a few friends and I decided to each find an alternative, share it, and link up with one another to help all our readers find NEW ways to follow. . . and I am really Lovin’ what I have found!

Spotlight on ‘BlogLovin’.  Okay ~ I have to say that I like the name for its obvious southern flare (*shout out to those below the Mason-Dixon line) and for the fact that it is simple to sign up for and use.

Love Blogs?  Want to organize and read them at your leisure?  Well, BlogLovin’ is a fabulous way to do it.  BlogLovin’ not only searches for blogs of interest to you and suggests them, but you can organize your best reads into different categories.  BlogLovin’ shows you the 3 latest posts of each blog you follow WITH photos.  So, if your at all like me ~ the photos are a HUGE plus.  And if your not tech. savvy (ahem. . . like me) BlogLovin’ is very easy and non-techie friendly.

There hasn’t been a blog that I couldn’t find yet.  The search feature is easy and well managed, and I like its clean and uncluttered look.  You can click on the logo below and sign up for BlogLovin’ today.

Remember that on March 1st, Google Friends Connect will pull the plug.  IF your following any blogs that are NOT on Blogger you will loose the ability to follow them with GFC.  I am one of those blogs.  But you can follow me at ALL of the listed links below.  And I would love it if you did (insert huge gratitude here).

For more really great ways to follow blogs online, just hop on over to my friends links below!  See their recommendations.  I promise this will be informative!

Follow Me!
Copyright

Copyright 2023 Stephanie Dyer. All rights reserved. Please refrain from using my original artwork, photos or my words without first asking me for permission. Thank you!