On December 9, 2016, my baby, Maely Grace was born. She came to this earth in an imperfect, tiny little 3 pound body. We would spend only one hour and six minutes with her before she was taken back home to heaven. That was the first, last, and only time we would ever be with her strong little spirit in this life.
The Miracle of Maely
My baby girl developed many fatal birth defects in utero, and we were told that there was a very good chance she would be stillborn. So while our hearts were broken to have to say goodbye so soon after saying hello, we felt incredibly blessed that her heart beat as long as it did. We spent more time with Maely alive then we ever thought would be possible. It was a little miracle among the tragedy of losing her.
Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a child. It is earth shattering, and you are forever changed. With each passing day, Maely becomes more a part of the past. But through the tears and longing, we've been able to find peace. We strive to keep her memory alive, and find ways to make her a part of our present lives.
Until We Meet Again
Growing up, I was taught that you can't truly know what happiness is without experiencing pain. Infant loss is the most painful thing I have ever gone through, but because of it, the birth of our second daughter, Navy Hope has been even sweeter and more joyful. I'm humbled to my core to have her. I wish with all my heart that my two girls could grow up together and be best friends, but that wasn't the plan for their lives. So until they meet again, and we are all reunited as a family, we'll keep Maely Grace close to our hearts.
She is forever our Miracle Maely.