There have been so many wonderful people praying for us through this time and I appreciate it so very very much!
I put together a scrapbook which was available for people to look at during Savannah's "visitation / open house" thing on Saturday.
I thought I'd try to "show" you it here. It will be a long post with lots of pictures, even splitting it over several days, so please bear with me. :)
Love and thanks to all of you!!!!!
My son, Terran created the tooled leather cover for Savannah's book.
My son, Jeremi marbled the paper that I used for the end papers.
My son, Micha spent hours watching his sister, Emilie so that I could finish the book.
Without them, this would not have been possible. :)
page 1
page 2:
I can't really tell Savannah's story without first telling Tori's and Sarah's and Stephen's.
For the journey really begins there - a journey of pain, yes, but much more of learning and growing in the Lord, of seeing His hand and loving His ways...
page 3
page 4
I printed out and pasted in my blog post which you can read here:
page 5:
I printed out pictures I found on the internet of babies at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 11 weeks gestation - the ages at which I miscarried each of my three little ones.
No Life Too Small
Victoria Ruthanne
July 2000
named after my Gramma Rosenow
Sarah Morganne Laine
March 2001
named after a lovely woman who taught me about loving God's Word
(if you've never read Laine's Letters - http://www.lainesletters.com/ - I'm sure you would be blessed to do so.)
Stephen Matthias
May 2003
His name was given to me by God in a dream
As a Lutheran who believes in the efficacy of infant baptism, my biggest concern was the salvation of a baby who died before having the opportunity to be baptized.
Pastor Sturm was not very helpful, but I prayed to God to show me in His Word what was true. I couldn't just believe it because I wanted it to be true, I had to know God said so.
That day in my Bible reading, was when God first gave me Psalm 22:10 - "From my mother's womb, You have been my God."
We know that babies can hear while still in the womb. How many times have I felt a little one within me react to a noise or to music. God's Word says that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Knowing that our babies heard God's Word while still inside me, I felt God's comforting confirmation that even an unborn child could be gifted with God's saving grace...
page 6
I printed out the words to my song, Little One
As I grieved for those little ones - barely there and then taken away -
I was learning that just because I'd always wanted a big family, that didn't mean I was relying on the Lord to open and close the womb.
He had to teach me to say
WHATEVER, LORD!
I will trust You
I will love You
I will serve You
whatever Your plans for me might be...
"For I know the plans I have towards you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future."
go on to part two of Savannah's story:
http://habakkuk3.blogspot.com/2009/03/savannahs-story-part-2.html
http://habakkuk3.blogspot.com/2009/03/savannahs-story-part-2.html
Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful book to remember your daughter by~
ReplyDelete~Cinnamon
You are absolutely a incredible woman of God and a great inspiration to all. I was deeply touched as I read along in your posting and viewed these pictures. We have an awesome God who is certainly in control at all times. We take refuge and rest in knowing that your children are with Him now, just as they were in your womb, and enjoying their everlasting life with Him.
ReplyDeleteMy love and prayers to you,
Alleluiabelle
God bless you all and ease your pain. You're such an inspiration, thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Flavia
Hi Heidi,what a beautiful and touching book you have created to honor your precious children. My daughter recently loss two babes through miscarriage and is now carrying another babe,11 weeks into her pregnancy. May God continue to bless your family and give you much comfort through his precious Holy Spirit.......
ReplyDeleteBlessings,Shelley
I have been reading your blog for a little while now and praying for you. Just yesterday I went for my own scan at ten weeks to be told there was no heartbeart. I have been listening to your song 'Little one' and it gives me such comfort. I pray that I will come to have the peace and strength you possess.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on your family, Bonnie
Hello, my name is Theresa Taylor. I read about your daughter from Eyes of Wonder, whose blog was mentioned on Large Family Mothering. This is how I came to read about Savannah. GOD Bless you. Your posts have helped heal in me a hurt I have had since 1994. On April 14, 1994, I gave my life to Christ. I promised HIM I would trust HIM and follow HIM wherever, whenever, and for whatever. I was 40 weeks pregnant. On April 19th, 1994, my baby Angela went home. I went in for a normal checkup and no heartbeat. I kept thinking, if only I were strong enough to bring her into the world from my womb, GOD would raise her from the dead. I was shocked, distraught, and inconsolable. I spent many weeks afterwords crying myself to sleep in hot tubs because I couldn't stop shaking and couldn't relax enough to sleep. Now 14 years later, I see what true faith in Jesus is..... To love and hold my little girl and know that this was not condemnation, but I have a treasure in Heaven. A daughter who I will get to spend eternity loving. Thank you, for your strength and trust in JESUS, to love your baby in death as as JESUS has loved us in HIS death. An eternal, ever lasting love, that nothing can take away. I hope to get to know you in your writings, and praise GOD, He has blessed me with 3 other children in our home, and another baby due in October 2009. Our family has 2 daughters, 20 and 9, and 3 sons 18, 13, and 6. Theresa Taylor, Maurice, Louisiana
ReplyDelete(((((Theresa))))) How I wish I could come and hug you for real! I am praying for you. May God continue to hold you close to Him and give you joy!
ReplyDeleteHeidi,
ReplyDeleteI just read about your dear daughter (and other three babies so early "lost") on your blog (learned about it through Eyes of Wonder). It seems so clear to me why God chose to allow you to go through this recent loss. You are such a strong witness for Him through this experience! I was just reading an essay titled "Self-renunciation" by John Angell James, and was reminded that we are not here for our own enjoyment. We were bought with a price, and we are here to glorify God, not to enjoy ourselves. You seem to be doing so well trusting God at His word and accepting the bad as well as the good from our merciful God. I also lost a daughter -- she had Trisomy 13 and lived four wonderful weeks (www.livingwithtrisomy13.org/MemoriesofEffie.htm).
May God bless you and keep you. Our dear children are a gift from God - no matter how long He gives us with them. My prayers are with you.
ReplyDelete