Sophie’s Table

Make a treasured memorial table out of an old piano bench.

Who: Chris, Scarlett, 4 boys(Sage, Sam, Stone, and Slade) and 1 girl(Sophie) Scarlett’s mother Vickie and aunt Susan

 What:  A memorial table for our sweet baby girl Sophie, born sleeping August 29, 2012 due to a true knot in umbilical cord

Why: To create something beautiful in honor of our baby girl we never got to meet, to have something tangible to look at and talk with and admire, to feel the pain, to release, to fellowship with family, to remember, to just be in the moment.

How: We got an antique piano bench(my mom purchased in Texas where we used to live), my mom painted it white, we all wrote Sophie notes, printed out meaningful scriptures, a copy of her footprints and measurements, cut-outs of cards received, scrapbook paper.  The boys all drew pictures, wrote poems, and decorated her name in different designs(some were  zebra-print). We cut out letters in the scrapbook paper to spell out Sophie. We also used very “girly” stickers. We took all of these items, placed them on with craft adhesive (Modge Podge). Be sure to do each layer in steps and let it dry before moving on, this gives it the layered look. Also, want to put a couple of coats for extra protection.  The piano bench lid opens up, so on the inside, we painted it bright pink.  We are also able to keep all of Sophie’s special items, such as, blanket, dried flowers, cards, hat, pictures, a tiny bear.

We could not go through this storm without our God, our family, and our friends………..

Note from Sophie’s grandmother: I cannot take credit for the Sophie table. I give that glory to our Lord. I had been praying about what I could do to help Scarlett and family, not hinder their grieving. In the middle of the night, that antique piano bench that I bought on an Amarillo trip with them came to my mind. I got up and started painting it that night. The next morning, I grabbed my pretty papers and supplies and started arranging them. I had some sympathy cards people had sent me that week so I cut out some parts of them. As I worked on the table, it occurred to me(God thought) that this could be one of the projects the boys and I could do when my sister and I traveled to see them. The day we worked on the table was one of the most “at peace” days we had.

We cried and laughed over the items we made to go on the table. As we sat there working together, details for the memorial service worked their way into our conversation. Once again, God spoke to me and suggested we take the table to the service and ask people to sign in memory of Sophie. From my experiences in the classroom, I know ownership of a project helps students to learn and feel pride and joy in a project. Based on the joy we received from this project, working as a family on any healing project will be a blessing to those grieving.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20

 

 

Nine Eleven

Rock to Sleep Designs

The Art of ART

The Maple is a very large, shady tree.  If its seeds are implanted too near the mother tree, they will be overshadowed and will not grow.

In God’s perfect, creative design, the Maple produces seeds in a way that overcomes this obstacle to their fertility.

The Maple seed has a complex design, falling only when dry enough to flutter in the wind, making the veins of the dried wing carry it far enough away from the mother to best ensure its survival.

But as beautiful as the fall is, the creative design and structure of the seed is not the only factor that is involved in Maple reproduction.  While a Maple can release hundreds of thousands of spinning seeds each year, the health of the tree – and of the seeds – is based on factors other than the tree itself.

Every season, every year, the Maple has a different reproductive potential, which is based on factors such as the previous winter, amount of rain during the spring, and strength of the wind in the late summer – the strongest wind carries the seeds the furthest.

Isn’t our own fertility so similar?  Our ability to procreate isn’t just about ourselves.  Factors larger than us are involved, factors from seasons past, and in our current season.  The cold, dark winter that appears lifeless holds potential for the future.  The messy, brown, mascara and tear stained cheeks of the spring season when it appears as if the prayers will never be answered.  The dry, brittle summer and the seemingly unfriendly gusts of wind.  They all play an instrumental role in establishing just the right environment for the seed to grow.

If you are a parent, or an aspiring parent, utilizing the God-inspired technology of ART, you may more than most feel a bit like the Maple.

It is my gentle hope that you can discover beauty and marvel at the mystery of the journey.

 

 

Fertility in the Fall

A single sunflower head can yield 2000 seeds…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…just for the chance that one will grow.

The Music of Your Heart

Day of Hope

Cherry Blossom Memorial

Nesiah

Held

The SBD® Doula provides support to families experiencing birth in any trimester and in any outcome.

Here at stillbirthday.info, you can learn about the SBD® Doula.