I survived attending the first baby shower since Mary Grace died! I know, what did I think was going to happen? That I would just evaporate or something? I knew I would survive, but if it had been a test, I passed with flying colors!
I had fun.
I enjoyed being there.
I felt HAPPY for my friend who was pregnant!
I "oooo'ed and awww'ed" over all the tiny, pink little girl outfits....and meant it!
Yes, I did have a moment when one of the other ladies said, "Oh I want a little girl!" (She has all boys). And I thought to myself, "I want another little girl too..." Which brought just a brief moment of self-pity, but then it dissolved and I was able to go back to being joyful for the mother-to-be!
What a great thing! This was the third baby shower that I've been invited to since Mary Grace died. The first being just a week after burying Mary Grace, and of course I could not attend. The second being a baby shower on my would-be due date, which I also could not attend for emotional reasons. But with this one, the timing was just perfect and I think I have vaulted the baby shower hurdle!
It does feel like a milestone! And I could not have done it without the Lord's help!
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My name is Angela Holmes. I am a wife to Robert, and a stay at home Catholic mommy to Isabel, Ian, Caroline, Cooper, and 5 babies in heaven, including Mary Grace who died in utero from Triploidy. I started this blog to update friends and family as we found out about Mary Grace's condition, and then after her death continued to write as an outlet for my grief. Our story has become one of ever-deepening faith, hope and love for God, even in the midst of loss. Praise be to Jesus!
Loving, devoted husband and father, and always willing to lend a hand to a friend, he helps keep our family on the right path.
Isabel, our nature loving 10 year old, has been a great joy and blessing of love in our life!
Our charming, yet mischievious 5 year old! He is ALL BOY!
She's 3 and she knows it!
Born sleeping February 28th, 2009 at 21 weeks. 8 1/2 inches, 6.5 ounces.
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Divine Mercy Closing Prayer
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
It's Me
My name is Angela Holmes. I am a wife to Robert, and a stay at home Catholic mommy to Isabel, Ian, Caroline, Cooper, and 5 babies in heaven, including Mary Grace who died in utero from Triploidy. I started this blog to update friends and family as we found out about Mary Grace's condition, and then after her death continued to write as an outlet for my grief. Our story has become one of ever-deepening faith, hope and love for God, even in the midst of loss. Praise be to Jesus!
Robert
Loving, devoted husband and father, and always willing to lend a hand to a friend, he helps keep our family on the right path.
Isabel
Isabel, our nature loving 10 year old, has been a great joy and blessing of love in our life!
Ian
Our charming, yet mischievious 5 year old! He is ALL BOY!
Caroline
She's 3 and she knows it!
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting my blog. It means alot that you are part of Mary Grace's story. Please know that my viewpoint is that of a Catholic faithful to the magisterium of the Catholic Church. You may find that you disagree with this. I welcome respectful comments and discussion and want you to know that I pray for every reader of this blog: past, present and future. I ask that you pray for my family as well. God bless!
Friends who read along:
My Fertility History
April 2006: Baby#1 born perfectly healthy after a textbook perfect pregnancy!
Nov. 2007: Start ttc Baby#2 and get pregnant in December!
Jan. 2008: Baby#2 is an ectopic pregnancy, beautiful baby on my right ovary :( Lost at 7 1/2 weeks.
April 2008: Conceive Baby#3!
June 2008: Baby#3 no longer has a heartbeat. D&C performed at 9 1/2 weeks.
August 2008: Emergency D&E after hemorrhage at OBGYN office to remove retained tissue from previous D&C.
October 2008: Conceive Baby#4, Mary Grace!
February 2009: Learn that Mary Grace has a fatal chromosomal abnormality after our 17 week anatomy ultrasound. Lose Mary Grace, February 28th. OBGYN performs D&E after delivery.
March 2009: Start ttc immediately.
June 2009: Try Clomid, 100mg CD3-7.
September 2009: Clomid round 2, 100mg CD4-8.
October 2009: Conceive Baby#5! Lose baby in very early miscarriage at 5 weeks.
December 2009: Go back to OBGYN to request recurrent miscarriage blood panel. Start oral progesterone after ovulation, and daily baby aspirin. Start Femara CD3-7.
January 2010: Blood results come back normal for me. Femara round 2, CD3-7 + progesterone after ovulation & daily baby aspirin.
February 2010: Femara round 3, same as last month.
March 2010: Blood results come back normal for Rob. Femara round 4, CD3-7, decide not to take baby aspirin or progesterone after O this month; this cycle is also a bust.
April 2010: Not doing Femara or baby aspirin. Hoping to try Fertilaid as soon as I can get my hands on some! Waiting to hear from NaproTechnology doctor I contacted.
May 2010: DH and I are both taking Fertilaid (a fertility vitamin blend) 3x a day for 30 days. Will schedule the NaproTechnology doctor appointment for the following cycle. May cycle = not pregnant.
June 2010: Starting back on daily baby aspirin, finishing out the remainder of Fertilaid pills and going to my first NaPro Technology doctor's appointment on the 15th! Did not ovulate this month...stupid Fertilaid!
July 2010: Completely med-free cycle per new doctor. SA for Rob and lots of blood work for me. May get my follicle study in this month if I'm lucky! SURPRISE BFP! I'm pregnant!!!
April 2011: Ian is born!
July 2012: Pregnant with another little blessing; due April 11th, 2013!
April 2013: Caroline is born!
November 2013: Holy cow....pregnant again! Due August 10th, 2014....breaking the "April babies" tradition!
February 2014: Hospitalized with a partial molar pregnancy at 13 1/2 weeks which caused dangerous complications leading to an induction. Baby Francis Marie, our 2nd baby with triploidy, went to heaven February 6th.
December 2015: Cooper is born!
Nov. 2007: Start ttc Baby#2 and get pregnant in December!
Jan. 2008: Baby#2 is an ectopic pregnancy, beautiful baby on my right ovary :( Lost at 7 1/2 weeks.
April 2008: Conceive Baby#3!
June 2008: Baby#3 no longer has a heartbeat. D&C performed at 9 1/2 weeks.
August 2008: Emergency D&E after hemorrhage at OBGYN office to remove retained tissue from previous D&C.
October 2008: Conceive Baby#4, Mary Grace!
February 2009: Learn that Mary Grace has a fatal chromosomal abnormality after our 17 week anatomy ultrasound. Lose Mary Grace, February 28th. OBGYN performs D&E after delivery.
March 2009: Start ttc immediately.
June 2009: Try Clomid, 100mg CD3-7.
September 2009: Clomid round 2, 100mg CD4-8.
October 2009: Conceive Baby#5! Lose baby in very early miscarriage at 5 weeks.
December 2009: Go back to OBGYN to request recurrent miscarriage blood panel. Start oral progesterone after ovulation, and daily baby aspirin. Start Femara CD3-7.
January 2010: Blood results come back normal for me. Femara round 2, CD3-7 + progesterone after ovulation & daily baby aspirin.
February 2010: Femara round 3, same as last month.
March 2010: Blood results come back normal for Rob. Femara round 4, CD3-7, decide not to take baby aspirin or progesterone after O this month; this cycle is also a bust.
April 2010: Not doing Femara or baby aspirin. Hoping to try Fertilaid as soon as I can get my hands on some! Waiting to hear from NaproTechnology doctor I contacted.
May 2010: DH and I are both taking Fertilaid (a fertility vitamin blend) 3x a day for 30 days. Will schedule the NaproTechnology doctor appointment for the following cycle. May cycle = not pregnant.
June 2010: Starting back on daily baby aspirin, finishing out the remainder of Fertilaid pills and going to my first NaPro Technology doctor's appointment on the 15th! Did not ovulate this month...stupid Fertilaid!
July 2010: Completely med-free cycle per new doctor. SA for Rob and lots of blood work for me. May get my follicle study in this month if I'm lucky! SURPRISE BFP! I'm pregnant!!!
April 2011: Ian is born!
July 2012: Pregnant with another little blessing; due April 11th, 2013!
April 2013: Caroline is born!
November 2013: Holy cow....pregnant again! Due August 10th, 2014....breaking the "April babies" tradition!
February 2014: Hospitalized with a partial molar pregnancy at 13 1/2 weeks which caused dangerous complications leading to an induction. Baby Francis Marie, our 2nd baby with triploidy, went to heaven February 6th.
December 2015: Cooper is born!
~ANGELA HOLMES © 2009-2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED~
2 comments:
I am sure this was very difficult for you, but I am rejoicing with you tonight as I read your blog. I can tell you are so excited, and I am excited for you as well.
YAY!! I'm glad you were able to do this. Good job.
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