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This!newsletter!is!dedicated!to!the!following!children!with!love:!� Brett Jared Marten �

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NEXT MEETING

Monday, July 9th, at 6:00 PM

Rose Park (21st St. West & Ave. D)

Please see details on next page!

National Office ! P.O. Box 3696 ! Oak Brook, IL 60522-3696! Toll Free (877) 969-0010 Website: www.compassionatefriends.org ! Email address: nationaloffice@compassionatefriends.org

P.O. Box 50395 ! Billings, MT 59105 Website: www.tcfbillings.org Regional Coordinator: Arlene Priest – (406) 252-3013

The Compassionate Friends is a mutual assistance, self-help organization offering friendship, understanding and hope to bereaved families. The primary purpose is to assist them in positive resolution of the grief experienced upon the death of a child and to support their efforts to achieve physical and emotional health. The secondary purpose is to provide information and to educate about bereaved families. The objective is to help those in their community, including family, friends, employers, and co-workers to be supportive.

PROGRAM

Annual TCF Picnic &

Balloon Launch Memorial Service

July%2014!

!

BRETT JARED MARTEN

10/72 - 7/97 !Although we lost you in a car accident 17 years ago, I was recently thinking about when you were 3 years old. we had just moved from Arizona to Columbus. It was August and all the doors and windows were open and I suddenly heard a commotion outside. I went out the back door and saw several people in the next door neighbor's yard. When I got over there I realized they were all standing aroud you and you had your head stuck in the neighbor's wooden picket fence! I thought about walking away--no-one wants to admit their child is stuck in a picket fence. But I did the right thing and claimed you. It took us a few minutes to get you out of that fence and it was a strange way to get to know our neighbors. And you never could tell me why you did it! It really makes me chuckle today and I guess that's a sign of healing--when the good memories are comfortable and the pain is tolerable.

Love & miss you til we meet again, Mom, Dad, Brandy and little Brett

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July

Our!Annual!TCF!Picnic!&!Balloon!Launch!Memorial!Service!will!be!on!Monday,%July%14th%at%6:00%p.m.%at%Rose%Park!under!the!shelter!closest!to!the!floral!garden!and!adjacent!to!our!brick!walkway.!*This%is%in%place%of%our%regular%meeting%at%Billings%Clinic%Hospital.%%TCF$will$provide!chicken,!drinks,!plates,!&!utensils.!!We!ask!that!each!family!bring!a!salad,!side!dish!or!a!dessert!to!share.!!You!may!also!want!to!bring!lawn!chairs!or!a!blanket!as!seating!is!sometimes!limited.!!All!family!&!friends!are!invited!to!share!in!this!event.!!Following!the!picnic!we!will!have!a!short!memorial!service!followed!by!a!beautiful!balloon!launch.!!Please!RSVP!to!Lorie!Haacke!@!855N3071!how!many!family!members/friends!will!be!attending!to!insure!everyone!gets!a!balloon.!!We!will!also!need!a!few!volunteers!to!help!with!reading!of!poems,!passing!out!balloons,!and!clean!up!after!the!potluck.!!!

If!you!can!help!please!give!me!a!call!!Thank!you!&!hope!to!see!you!there!!

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!

4TH!OF!JULY!!

Screamers,!whistlers,!and!bright!flashes!of!light,!Make!this!a!very!special!night.!Can!you!see!all!the!celebrating!and!fun,!As!you!look!down!after!the!setting!sun?!This!is!the!day!of!celebrating!our!nation's!birth,!But,!for!some!of!us!it!is!a!day!without!mirth.!The!sun!will!rise!tomorrow!on!all!the!spent!debris,!It!will!remind!us!of!what!was,!but!can!never!be.!There!are!many!reasons!others!shout!and!cheer,!But!for!others,!it!is!just!another!sad!day!of!the!year.!!Linda!Allen!TCF!Lexington,!KY!!

LET%ME%GO%!!

We've!known!lots!of!pleasure!!And!at!times!endured!pain.!We've!lived!in!the!sunshine!And!walked!in!the!rain!

!!And!now!for!a!time!We!must!be!apart.!But!I!am!not!aloneNNN!

You're!forever!in!my!heart.!!!

Death!always!seems!so!sudden!And!it!is!always!sure,!

But!what!is!often!forgotten,!It!is!not!without!a!cure.!

!!I'm!walking!now!with!someone!!And!I!know!He'll!always!stay.!I!know!He's!walking!with!you,!

too,!Giving!comfort!every!day.!

!!There!may!be!times!you!miss!

me,!I!sort!of!hope!you!do.!

But!smile!when!you!think!of!me,!

For!I'll!be!waiting!for!you.!!!

Now!there!are!many!things!for!you!to!do!

And!lots!of!ways!to!grow.!So!get!busy,!be!happy!and!live!

your!lifeNNN!Miss!me,!but!let!me!go.!

!!Author!Unknown.!

WHERE%DO%I%GO?%!!Now!that!you're!gone,!where!do!I!go!!!to!see!your!fair!smile!to!hear!your!tingling!giggle!to!smell!your!dank!hair!after!a!swim!to!listen!to!your!questions!to!touch!your!gentle!cheek!to!feel!your!bear!hug?!!!!!Where!do!I!go!!!to!share!all!my!years!of!wisdom!to!find!someone!who'll!tell!me!truth!to!answer!the!phone!that!won't!ring!to!tell!you!I'm!sorry!to!know!that!I!am!loved!and!to!pour!out!my!love!and!my!tears?!!!I!shall!go!!!to!the!pictures!that!hold!you!forever!to!the!books!we!shared!to!the!music!you!taught!me!to!love!to!the!woods!we!explored!as!one!to!the!memories!that!never!fail!to!the!innermost!reaches!of!my!heart!to!where!we!are!always!together.!!!Marcia!Alig!TCF,!Mercer!Area!Chapter,!New!Jersey!

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We Welcome the Following Families to Our Group

It is always hard for us to say, “Welcome” to any newcomers because we are so very sorry you became eligible for our membership in the COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS. We are glad, however, that you found the courage to come to a meeting. Making that first step can be very difficult. We hope you felt some love, comfort, and caring in being with others who truly understand your grief.

“WE NEED NOT WALK ALONE”

J. F. & Lisa Sowerwine, son, Craig J. Sowerwine, born: May of ‘92 & died: May of ‘14

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“Love Gifts” are a beautiful expression of our deep & never-ending love for our children. “Love Gifts” help us to reach out to bereaved families, friends, & co-workers in various ways- books, tapes, videos, borchures, and this newsletter. These gifts are deeply appreciated. If you would like to send a “Love Gift,” please mail it to: The Compassionate Friends,

P.O. Box 50395, Billings, MT 59105. Please include who your “Love Gift” is in memory of. Remember, your gift is also tax deductible!

With much gratitude, we thank the following for their “Love Gifts.”

Trudy Stauduhar, in memory of her daughter, Carrie A. Hildreth Kinda

Charlie & Audrey Reed, in memory of their son, Tim Charlie & Audrey Reed, in memory of friends, Jon & Nancy Whitmer Glen & Pam Thomas, in memory of their daughter, Tavia R. Thomas

Russ & Sherry Van Tine, in memory of their daughter, Deborah Van Tine Westra Joyce Saunders, in memory of her son, Richard Thomas

Joe & Kathleen Niemi, in memory of their daughter, Jennifer Lynn Hossfeld’s 7/28 angel date Joe & Kathleen Niemi, in memory of their grandson, Levi James Anders’ 7/28 angel date Maurice & Delores Muth, in memory of their children, Deborah Berg & Howard Muth,

and granddaughter, Beth Ann Berg

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Fundraising!Opportunity!with!Lucky's!Market!!!!

**WE!DID!IT!!!**!!!! The!votes!were!counted!and!The!Billings!Chapter!of!TCF!has!been!chosen!by!Lucky’s!Market!to!be!in!the!running!for!a!3Nmonth!bag!credit!recipient!position.!Billings!TCF!will!be!one!of!the!“wooden!dime”!recipients!for!the!quarter!(July,!August!&!September).!Each!time!a!customer!comes!in!with!their!own!bag,!they!will!have!the!option!to!either!receive!$.10!off!their!bill!or!a!wooden!dime.!Most!choose!the!wooden!dime!and!then!donate!it!in!the!front!vestibule.!Lucky's!Charitable!Foundation!will!match!funds!raised!at!the!end!of!the!quarter!and!give!that!to!the!organization!as!well!!! $

So$please$spread$the$word,$shop$at$Lucky’s$Market$with$your$own$bag,$$and$donate$that$wooden$dime$to$TCF!!%

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TCF%Rubber%Wrist%Bands:*Now%available%in%a%child’s%size%too!*%%

“FOREVER$IN$MY$HEART”!rubber!wrist!bands!are!now!available!in!“junior!size”!too!!These!blue!&!white!marbled!wrist!bands!are!just!$2!&!available!at!our!monthly!meetings.!Shipping!is!available!for!an!additional!$1.00!fee.!

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Just for Siblings %

FIREFLIES%DELIGHT%%

Fireflies%When%we%were%young.%

Summer%nights%We%were%having%fun,%

And%I%miss%you,%My%Friend.%I%miss%you.%

%%Precious%smiles%

Show%me%you%care.%Sparkling%eyesXXX%

How%we%both%would%dare%To%be%alive,%My%Friend.%

I%miss%you.%%%

And%years%have%passed.%I%dream%of%youXXX%Midnight%lights%

And%a%sunrise%view.%%

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The Rose Park Sanctuary Fund

The sanctuary in Rose Park has become such a meaningful and special place to our members that we want to insure that it is well maintained for years to come. In an effort to preserve and financially support any future additions to our beloved sanctuary we designate these donations to the “Rose Park Sanctuary Fund.” The following donations were recently made: In memory of: With love from: Alta Thompson Erin Koepp Nancy Whitmer Arlene Priest Terri’s mom, Alta Thompson Arlene Priest Tavia Thomas great aunt Arlene Priest With much gratitude, we thank you all for your contributions. Remember, your gift is tax deductible!

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WHERE%DOES%THE%SISTER%COME%IN?%%

My%brother%was%killed.%He%was%murdered%for%no%reason%at%all.%

My%pain%is%so%sharp,%so%close%But%THEY%think%I%shouldn't%be%suffering%so%much.%.%.%As%much%as%his%wife,%

who%grieves%for%her%love%and%her%future.%

As%much%as%his%son,%who%will%never%know%his%daddy.%

%

As%much%as%his%parent,%who%have%lost%their%only%son,%their%first%born,%their%child.%

%

I%have%lostXXXXXmy%closest%friend;%the%man%I%admired%most%in%my%world;%the%person%I%spent%most%of%my%free%time%withXXXXonly%for%company;%

the%person%I%played%yahtzee%with%until%2:00%a.m.%knowing%I'd%beat%him%soon;%the%boy%I%grew%up%with%and%followed%

around%constantly;%the%love%that%only%a%brother%and%sister%can%know;%

the%respect%he%had%for%me;%the%talks%and%the%personal%jokes.%

%%

I%have%lost%my%brother,%it%hurts%JUST%AS%MUCH.%

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Bridgette%Huard%TCF,%%%Yakima%WA%

A!HUGE!THANK!YOU!to!the!folks!at!Big!Sky!Nursery!in!Laurel!for!donating!the!flowers!for!our!floral!garden.!If!you’re!out!looking!for!flowers!please!consider!taking!your!business!to!Big!Sky!Nursery.!They!are!located!at!1500!East!Railroad!St.!!!

My%soul%survives,%My%Friend.%Do%you?%

%%

Ocean%waves,%Sunsets%so%bright.%I%search%for%youXXXX%

Dancing%stars%in%flight%Like%fireflies,%My%Friend.%

I%see%you.%%%

Fireflies%within,%It's%you.%

%%

Fireflies%delight%My%summer%nights.%

%%Nancy%Braxton%

TCF%Louisville,%KY%

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Lovingly Remembered…

Our children, grandchildren and siblings…

Birthdays

Vanessa Hegg - 07/06 Pat Anderson Ivy Ray Barnes - 07/20 Jamie Barnes Clayton Barnes Derek E. Behm - 07/31 Dave & Joyce Behm Luella Doom Brad James Black - 07/04 Jim & La Vaun Black Jessica Whalen - 07/13 Arlene Buchfink Greg Chirrick - 07/26 Margaret Chirrick Kirsten Annette Jackson - 07/10 Patricia A. Cline

Kalin Econom - 07/06 Terry, Donna & Erin Econom Randall Brown - 07/31 Mary & Dick Fossen Terrie Herman - 07/10 Roberta Frasca Jason Jay Hansen - 07/11 Eugene & Carol Hansen Miranda Irene Jansen - 07/11 Marie "Tony" Jansen Ricky Holland - 07/05 Janet Jones Charles "Chuck" Krug - 07/06 Marlene Krug Kristin Jo Mackney - 07/18 Ronald & Shirley Mackney

Brandon Wilks - 07/07 Betty Norman Drew Pearson - 07/04 Ray & Karen Pearson Jared Rodriguez - 07/20 Jim & Becki Rodriguez Richard Saunders - 07/23 Joyce Saunders James Robert Schaff - 07/26 John Schaff Deanna Niles - 07/24 Clarence & Juanita Swanson Spc. Nicholas Edward Turner - 07/20 Linda Turner

Anniversaries

Vanessa Hegg - 07/30 Pat Anderson Wendelyn "Wendy" Elizabeth Bell Piskula - 07/26 Fred Bell, III AJ Blain - 07/27 Al & Bobbi Blain Douglas Scott Hunter - 07/20 Bernadette Brady Brandon C. Davis - 07/28 Drew & Leah Jarrett Brown Tony T. Tafolla - 07/23 Darlene Tafolla Carlson Kirsten Annette Jackson - 07/11 Patricia A. Cline Forest G. Dana - 07/28 Greg & Cynthia Dana Thomas J. Erkens - 07/06 Jim & Carol Erkens

Jordan Paul Hanson - 07/28 Paul & Lorrie Hanson Becci May - 07/14 Donna Hawkins Akaiah Cheeryl James - 07/21 Edward & Cheeryl James Sarah Nicole Osborne - 7/? Al & Sue Jeroma Ricky Holland - 07/20 Janet Jones Melissa Ann "Missy" Keller - 07/24 Carol Kunz Holly LeMoine - 07/28 Linda LeMoine Brett Jared Marten - 07/17 Sharon & Walter Marten Alex Mills - 07/27 Pat & Peggy Mills Jennifer Lynn Hossfeld - 07/28 Joe & Kathleen Niemi

Levi James Anders - 07/28 Joe & Kathleen Niemi Lynn W. Okken - 07/13 Mari Okken Brandon William Bissell - 07/12 Nikki Olson Randy Rahrer - 07/03 Darryl Rahrer Tim W. Reiter - 07/04 Allene Reiter Kyle David Beeler (Strand) - 07/21 Sherry Shandy Blake John Stephens - 07/28 Ed & Syri Stephens Sheila Burleigh Tavia Rae Thomas - 07/11 Glen & Pam Thomas Louis Joseph Todisco - 07/16 Joe & Becky Todisco

That their l ight may always shine…..

We know how important it is for your child’s name to be included on this page. We apologize if we miss anyone. We encourage you to notify us if you notice an error or if you would like us to update information, especially if your address changes or if we are missing a date. However, if you find it too painful and would rather not have your child’s name listed here, please let us know by calling Lorie (855-3071) or Erin (256-1569), or by emailing the newsletter editor at Editor@tcfbillings.org.

Thank you for your patience & understanding.

!!

REMINDERS%%Newsletter%Dedication:!!Trudy%Stauduhar,%you%have!signed!up!for!the!August!newsletter!dedication.!!If!anyone!else!would!like!to!dedicate!please!send!your!dedication!information,!as!well!as,$the!$30$donation!to:!Billings%TCF,%P.O.%Box%50395,%Billings,%MT%59105%or!email!it!to!the!newsletter!editor!at:!tcfbillings.org.!!Please!have!all!information!submitted!by!the!15th%of%July.!!I!appreciate!your!cooperation!so!that!the!newsletter!can!be!printed!in!a!timely!manner.!

!!!PHONE!FRIENDS!!!!$

If$you$are$having$that$kind$of$day$when$you’d$really$like$to$talk$to$$someone$who$cares,$please$give$any$of$the$people$listed$below$a$call.$$$

Their$names$are$on$the$list$for$YOU!$$Arlene$Priest$ $ 252R3013$ $ $ 21Ryear$old$son$–$Illness$

Erin$Koepp$$ 256R1569$ $ 16Rmo.$old$daughter$R$Heart$Defect$

Terri$Haacke$$ $ 259R7515$$$$$ 15Ryear$old$son$–$Suicide$

Lorie$Haacke$$$ $ 855R3071$$$$$ 15Ryear$old$sibling$R$Suicide$

Virginia$O’Neill$$$ 652R0895$$$ 20Ryear$old$son$–$Auto$Accident$

Joan$Meyer$Nye$ 322R8587$$$ 19Ryear$old$son$–$Suicide$

Joe$Reierson$ $ 256R8174$ $ 23Ryear$old$son$R$Suicide$

THE%BILLINGS%TCF%STEERING%COMMITTEE%%

Chapter!Co!leaders!! ! Erin!Koepp!! ! 256N1569!! ! ! ! ! Lorie!Haacke! ! 855N3071!Chapter!Advisor!! ! Arlene!Priest! ! 252N3013!Treasurer! ! ! ! Erin!Koepp!! ! 256N1569!CoNnewsletter!Editors!! Lorie!Haacke! ! 855N3071!! ! ! ! ! Sharon!Marten! ! 245N6162!Activities!Coordinator!!! Terri!Haacke! ! 259N7515!First!Contact!! ! ! Debbie!Clevenger! 248N6930!Librarian!! ! ! ! Janet!Jones! ! 860N3622!

Dates%to%Remember%!

Friday,!July!4th!–!Independence!Day!!

Monday,!July!14th!–!Annual!Picnic!&!!Memorial!Balloon!Launch!6:00!p.m.!–!Rose!Park!

*Potluck:!Please!bring!food!*!See!page!2!for!details!

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Monday,!August!11th!–!TCF!Meeting!7:00!p.m.!N!*Room!E*!

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Saturday,!August!16th!–!Brick!Dedication!1:00!p.m.!–!Rose!Park!

!Monday,!September!1st!–!Labor!Day!

!

Monday,!September!8th!–!TCF!Meeting!7:00!p.m.!N!*Room!E*!

!

Monday,!October!13th!–!TCF!Meeting!7:00!p.m.!N!*Room!E*!

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2013%Floral%Garden%Weeding%Schedule%%

July%5th%–%Trudy%Stauduhar%**July%12th%–%Peggy%&%Pat%Mills%July%19th%–%Janet%Jones%July%26th%–%Mary%Mattheis%Aug.%2nd%–%Trudy%Stauduhar%Aug.%9th%–%Lorie%Haacke%Aug.%16th%–%Chad%&%Linda%Caldwell%!**This!is!the!weekend!before!our!picnic!!!We!always!want!our!floral!garden!to!look!nice,!but!especially!at!this!time.!Thank!you!to!all!of!our!volunteers!who!help!us!keep!our!floral!garden!looking!so!beautiful!for!everyone!to!enjoy!!!

Please!let!us!know!if!you!can!help!!

PONDERINGS ALONG THE PATH

By Nadine Boyd !Dear!Compassionate!Friends:!!! Recently!a!close!friend!and!I!had!a!discussion!regarding!how!to!comfort!a!friend!who!is!going!!through!a!rough!period!in!her!grieving.!!Her!daughter!would!have!graduated!from!high!school!this!year!!and!just!a!couple!of!weeks!later!celebrated!her!birthday.!!This!close!friend!has!always!been!exceptionally!!sensitive!to!the!grief!of!parents!who!have!lost!children,!as!she!has!gone!through!our!family's!grief!!(her!son!and!our!Aaron!were!the!same!age),!and!we!have!had!three!other!coNworkers!and!Friends!who!!have!also!lost!children.!Despite!being!so!close!to!the!grief!of!bereaved!parents!so!many!times,!she!said!she!still!struggles!with!how!to!comfort!these!parents.!!She!asked!if!you!mentioned!those!children's!birthdays,!anniversary!dates!or!loving!memories!to!that!Friend,!and!risk!upsetting!them!and!making!them!cry,!or!just!not!saying!anything!but!letting!them!know!you!understand!they!are!going!through!a!tough!time!and!be!as!supportive!as!possible.!! I!told!her!it!is!kind!of!a!"noNwin"!situation,!because!it!hurts!either!way.!!It!hurts!to!remember!those!birthdays!and!anniversary!dates,!but!for!me,!not!saying!anything!about!my!child!is!infinitely!more!painful!than!mentioning!him.!!I!find!because!Aaron!died!so!young!(age!5)!and!it!was!so!long!ago,!the!people!who!do!remember!Aaron!are!especially!precious!to!me.!!I!still!may!get!choked!up!and!cry!if!you!talk!about!him,!but!what!a!precious!gift!to!share!those!memories!!!I!still!get!Christmas!cards!and!notes!from!doctors!and!nurses!who!worked!with!us!at!the!hospital!in!Minneapolis!,!and!that!shows!me!they!thought!our!Aaron!was!special!also.!!Staying!in!touch!after!all!these!years!is!a!thoughtfulness!I!truly!appreciate.!! My!Friend!going!through!a!rough!period!right!now!handles!it!differently.!!She!is!a!private!person,!and!prefers!the!coNworkers!at!her!job!not!know!what!she!is!going!through.!I!sent!her!a!email!letting!her!know!I!was!thinking!about!her,!and!I!wished!her!daughter!a!Happy!Birthday!up!to!Heaven.!She!wrote!back!that!she!is!thankful!to!have!such!good!friends!who!remember!those!dates.!! Going!back!to!the!discussion!with!my!caring!friend,!I!guess!the!way!to!handle!these!situations!is!to!approach!the!grieving!person!with!caring,!offer!support!and!let!them!set!the!"tone"!of!how!they!want!your!support.!!Don't!be!afraid!of!tears.!!Tears!are!a!release!of!emotional!pain!and!can!be!healing!tears.!!If!the!grieving!person!reacts!with!anger,!back!off,!but!don't!take!it!personally.!!They!may!not!be!in!a!place!where!they!can!accept!support,!or!they!are!angry!they!are!in!this!situation!to!begin!with.!!! Don't!say!"I!know!how!you!feel!"!!Even!if!you!are!a!bereaved!parent!yourself!and!lost!your!child!in!the!exact!same!circumstances!and!at!the!exact!same!age,!you!may!have!had!a!completely!different!relationship!with!your!child!and!they!may!be!at!a!different!stage!in!their!grief.!! Don't!say!"they!are!in!a!better!place!"!!Even!if!our!heads!know!this!is!true,!our!hearts!and!arms!ache!with!the!loss!of!our!child.!It!doesn't!matter!how!old!our!child!was,!how!they!died!or!the!circumstances!of!their!death,!the!fact!that!they!died!before!us!means!they!died!too!soon,!and!our!hearts!are!broken.!! Don't!say!"You're!so!strongNI!just!couldn't!live!if!my!child!died!"!What!are!you!sayingNthat!you!love!your!child!more!than!I!loved!mine?!It!hurts!like!crazy!to!go!on!living!with!this!pain,!but!my!husband!and!other!children!needed!me!too.!!We!are!stronger!than!we!think,!but!it!is!an!ongoing!struggle!to!stay!strong.!! Do!say!"I'm!so!sorry".!!Sometimes!a!hug!or!handshake!and!these!kind!words!mean!more!than!anything!else.!!If!you!knew!the!child!and!have!a!story!that!indicates!how!special!that!child!was!to!you,!write!it!down!and!send!it!to!the!family!on!the!child's!birthday,!anniversary!date!or!just!sometime!in!the!future.!!! Do!remember!birthdays,!anniversary!dates!and!holidays.!!Bereaved!parents'!lives!have!forever!changed,!and!sometimes!it!is!hard!when!everyone!else!goes!back!to!their!"normal"!lives!after!two!weeks!and!expect!that!you!will!do!the!same.!!! Do!realize!that!we!are!not!the!same!person.!!We!are!grieving!and!forever!changed.!!Please!try!to!understand!when!we!forget!things,!cry!for!no!apparent!reason,!react!with!anger!to!a!completely!innocent!remark!or!other!odd!behavior.!!I!sometimes!think!that!we!should!be!given!nametags!and!bumper!stickers!that!say!"Please!be!patient!with!meNI'm!grieving".!!! Do!understand!our!grief!from!losing!our!child!is!different!than!other!loss.!!No!parent!should!ever!outlive!their!child.!!We!are!grieving!not!only!the!physical!loss!of!our!child,!but!the!loss!of!future!memories!and!the!grief!of!feeling!we!let!our!child!down!by!failing!to!protect!him!or!keep!him!safe.!! It!is!ironic!that!the!task!of!educating!others!about!our!grief!and!how!to!comfort!us!falls!to!us.!I!remember!several!occasions!when!people!asked!how!many!children!I!had.!I!shared!that!I!have!three!boys,!but!Aaron!now!lives!in!Heaven.!!They!would!get!tears!in!their!eyes!and!I!ended!up!comforting!them!!!! I!also!believe!that!God!sometimes!puts!us!in!places!to!seek!out!and!comfort!other!Friends.!!I!can't!tell!you!how!many!times!I!have!struck!up!conversation!with!a!stranger!to!find!they!were!bereaved!parents!as!well.!!It!was!very!healing!to!share!stories!of!our!children.!!The!Bible!says!"Blessed!are!those!that!mourn,!for!they!shall!be!comforted".!!It!was!truly!a!blessing!and!brought!great!comfort!to!meet!and!share!with!those!Friends.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I!wish!you!the!light!of!comfort!and!healing!during!those!dark!times!of!deep!grief,!and!the!strength!to!reach!out!to!others!to!help!heal!yourself.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! ! In!friendship,!

Nadine

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Parent’s!name_____________________________________!Phone_________________!

Address___________________________________________________!

City_________________________________!State______!Zip_____________!

Child’s!name__________________________________!

Birth!date________________!Date!of!death________________________!!

!!! I’d!like!to!donate!to!the!“Rose$Park$Sanctuary.”!

!!! I’d!like!to!give!a!“Love$Gift.”!

I’m!enclosing!$_________,!in!memory!of!___________________________________!

If$ this$ is$ the$ first$ newsletter$ you$have$ received,$ it$ is$ because$someone$who$cares$about$you$has$asked$ us$ to$ send$ you$ a$ copy$ in$hopes$this$may$offer$some$comfort$to$you$in$your$recent$loss.$