Catching Up

Due to being unwell, I am a bit behind where I want to be in Winter Remembrance. I'm back in full swing now, though and will continue to work until everyone who would like a remembrance piece has one.

Last night, when I set to work doing Simon's piece, I was joined by my faithful companion, Dave.

I think this heals me as much as it does the people I make the pieces for.
Again, if you would like something, please let me know. There's no charge. I know how hard the holidays are, whether the pain of loss is still raw or whether it's been years.
Be blessed.
May the days be gentle.

Winter Remembrance: Simon

Remembering Sweet Simon, my friend's son.
Rest easy, sweet boy.
<3

Because I Cannot Just Sit Here On My Hands...

Our world is hurting so much, friends.
So much devastation, heartbreak, murder...

14 years ago, there was a terrorist attack here, on American soil.

My Dad and I sat quietly in the car, while I cried and poured out my fears. Dad said many things that day, one of them being:  "This loss of life...it will bring people together. We need to pray."

This is still true.
Before we argue semantics ("oh, well, Paris needs our prayers more than Beirut does" or something like that), we need to stop what we are doing and PRAY.

We need to open our hearts.
Open our arms.
Open our eyes.

There are people who need love. Who need understanding. Who need Christ.

I went outside and lit candles tonight. Because it's something.

It was windy, so it was quite the undertaking. Candles kept flickering, wanting to go off. I remember praying for them to just stay on a little bit longer.
And it hit me.
We're all like that.
Tiny little lights.
It may not seem like our tiny light matters.
But, it does...
because when you gather so many people with His love in their hearts together...
oh, friends...
we can light up this world.

A Winter Remembrance Project

...when you have no pictures of your child, it's hard.
...when you are so many miles away from the cemetery....
...when there are no ultrasound pictures to be had....
...no photographs...no memory box...

...when your parents are gone, and you don't even have pictures and you desperately just want SOMETHING to honor their memory.

...when you've suffered a sudden loss, and you're trying to honor someone....but the grief is still so fresh.

it's just hard.

To speak of them, to say their name.

Sometimes, you just need something to hold. Something tangible. Something to look at that displays their name.

After much prayer, and deliberation, and talking it over with my husband, and more prayer, I'm going to offer ornaments...remembrance pieces to those who would like them, in memory of our loved ones. This will be the first in a series of remembrance projects.

There is no charge.

There never will be.

I don't make complicated memorial pieces, nor do I own a store. I think people who do are amazing, but that is not me.
I work for a living, and do not intend to make my living doing this.
People I know have graciously donated the supplies for my projects, or I have bought them myself.
For those who have asked:
if you feel led to donate, please consider donating craft supplies to the projects, or consider donating your time at a homeless shelter or simply to a friend in need.

More updates will be posted in the coming days.

If you would like your loved one included in this project, please know this:

1) I will need their name, and anything else you may want included on an ornament/name piece.
2) It will be customized to your wishes, and it will be one of a kind.
3) If you wish, I can ship it to you. Also at no charge. I've set aside funds for this, but donations of stamps are accepted. Books of stamps, not money for stamps.
4) To be included, please contact me via this blog, and to send me your address email me at joanna.unbehaun@yahoo.com

I'm hoping to make the holidays a bit easier on all of our hearts.

Speaking Out and Remembering

Loss of any kind has such a stigma attached to it.
If we speak out too much, we're not "healing."
I think that in order to heal, we HAVE to speak out.

I know so many people who have suffered the loss of a baby years ago, who were never allowed to talk about their children. They were encouraged to have another child as soon as possible, to "forget."

Despite a doctor's advice, I got pregnant very quickly after the loss of my first daughter. I never spoke about her because it "wouldn't help me heal."I gave birth to my living daughter exactly a year after her big sister died.

Having another child, while it was a beautiful experience, didn't make that initial grief go away. It festered somewhere under the surface, until it all exploded out in a horrible argument with my husband. It's an argument that I wish I could take back, but it helped me to see the light:

I wasn't "done" grieving yet. In fact, I had hardly begun.

Riley Grace would be 10 this year.

Her sister, my living daughter, Ella is 9.

I'm still not "done."

I'm still healing.

Chances are, you've lost someone dear to you.

A husband. A  wife. A parent. A child.

Chances are you're not "done" grieving yet, either.

And that's all right.

Grief is a process, with no time limit.
Healing is a process, too.

It's my hope that this blog becomes a safe place for those touched by loss.

It's my dream to help others, whether it's by offering free remembrance pieces, or simply by being a sounding board, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on.

So, please.

Share your stories. Tell me about your loved ones.

Speak out and Remember.