SHARE Atlanta Memorial Service

This Sunday is the annual SHARE Atlanta Memorial service for parents who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. SHARE is a wonderful support group that helped me make it through the first year after we said goodbye to our son Caleb. October is actually Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month.

The service is beautiful: music, a reading of names of the babies we are remembering, a balloon release and and many poems are read written by parents of the group. I will be reading a poem I wrote on Caleb's first birthday. I was sitting at my cubicle at work.....Lindbergh BellSouth Center and typed it out very quickly - then I cried for a while. I love this poem. I hope I can keep it together when I read it Sunday.....keep me in your prayers for that pulease and also say a prayer for all the parents who are going into the first holiday season without their babies..... its VERY hard that first year.

Beautiful Boy
Gentle Son
Fierce Independent
Loving one

Anticipation Excitement
Wonder and Joy
We wanted to know you
Our sweet baby boy

Determined to meet us
You arrived earlier than planned
Inspiring to others
A loss hard to understand

Engraved on our hearts
You love always to abide
We walk without you
Yet you are always at our side

Hold my hand
Kiss my cheek
My gentle strong son
Let me feel your presence until day is done

Come in our dreams
Let us hug you and kiss you
Gone from our lives
Now we so dearly miss you

With love from our family
More than one could comprehend
Happy Birthday Sweet Angel Caleb
Our Little Man, Son and Friend

written in loving memory of our son Caleb Andrew 08/17/05

Born at 24 weeks gestation, with us on earth 8 days