My Heart Hurts Today

I was thinking about blogging about an interesting article I read the other day, but I received an email late last night that read, "Today would have been G's 5th month birthday.  On 3.16.2012 at 2 a.m. G had her last meal.   I stayed up with her until 3 a.m. that morning, checked up on her and fell asleep."

The niece of the pastor who officiated my wedding passed away on March 16th at around 7 a.m.  I had heard the little girl had been born with complications, but I was under the impression she was getting better and doing well.

When I read this email, I cried and my heart literally hurt.  I don't know if other parents feel this way, but becoming a parent has made my level of emotion and empathy skyrocket.  I find myself getting choked up watching a Google commercial or reading Love You Forever by Robert Munsch to my girls at bedtime.

I am going to need a while to process how a family can even begin to cope with a loss this great.  The email went on to describe how one of her older children responded to the news of his baby sister's passing, "He wanted to see her.  He wept by her bedside where she was laying down and just wanted to hold her.  He's very quiet in his demeanor and not very emotional.  He kept thinking that she was going to wake up.  He grabbed our stethoscope to listen for a heartbeat.  He was desperately searching for G's heartbeat."

I hope this blog post is today's reminder to hug your children and show & tell them you love them.  I find myself simply going through the motions and trying to get through another day as a busy mom.  This incredible loss has given me a renewed sense of thankfulness for my family and loved ones.