Friday, March 27

on the palms of my hands i have written your name

At midnight it will be one month since Angel Mae was born and died. Exactly 4 weeks ago from right now as I write this, things started to go very wrong.

I'm trying not to relive it. I'm exhausted and achey just from getting through this day, and I don't want to put myself through too much active remembering, even though it is all right here with me all the time. It's too much for my body, and I know it will be a dive off the deep end into guilt and regret and shame. There's a well of that waiting for me to jump in and explore.

4 weeks ago if I had handled things differently, if I had acted more quickly, if I had had more information, would I still be pregnant right now? Maybe. Maybe not. Would I feel more like I had done everything I could to save her? Maybe. Maybe not.

I can't tackle those feelings tonight. I'm too sad, too tired. And I just miss her, miss her, miss her, miss her, miss her.

A couple weeks ago I submitted her name to the Shrine of the Holy Innocents in New York City. I'm not Catholic, and also I guess it's possible that the founding of this shrine was politically motivated, if you know what I mean. But I don't much care. It's another place her name is written down and sometimes read. It's another place she and we are prayed for.

The shrine sent us a certificate acknowledging her life. It says:

"I will never forget you. See, upon the palms of My hands I have written your name." (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Yes.

1 comments:

Paige said...

Jenni,

I'm so, so sorry for the loss of your beautiful Angel Mae. (I saw your post at Glow.) Tonight is two months since we lost our Cayden, and I will tell you that I feel better tonight than I did at one month, but I remember the deep, unbearable ache and the gush of tears when I realized it'd been one month since we lost our baby boy. I'm thinking of you tonight and sending you much love.

xo-Paige

 

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