Thursday, December 26, 2013

And It Was A Merry Christmas For Our Cats


And it was a Merry Christmas for our fur babies. They each received a special catnip toy, an apple and a banana. 
I like to think it's in memory of our twins except that they bite and attack the toys lol.


The cats also got a new feather toy that dangles off a stick, interactive play time and they love feathers!


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Angel's Day

Today is Christmas Eve and at our house it involves cooking, some prep work for tomorrow and then a celebration with my side of the family. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and what this week and especially this new year will bring. Hopeful for what the future has in store for us and most of all, mixed bittersweet feelings about our twins... I declared in a short way of explaining that our angel babies deserve a day too so that Christmas Eve would be also known as Angel's Day. I can't help but think about our girls and wonder about them, think about the what ifs and miss them terribly. Life just hasn't been the same without them. And while I write this I realize one big, important gift I had made for my husband in memory of our babies, I think I want to give it to him for Christmas and this way he will have it for their Birth Angelversary Day on the 28th of December. I need to find a box and wrap... Happy Angel's Day everyone! <3

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

What I've Learned While TTC

This is what I've learned in my infertility trying to conceive journey. 

-That you're not alone. 
-It's important to have those you can open up to and who listen without judgement. 
-That each journey is different. 
-What works for one may not work for another.
-That being told to "just relax and it will happen" doesn't mean it will happen. In fact it may stress you out more.
-Cherishing what you have when you have it and remembering how others fight for what you have, so be thankful.
-Trying not to be grouchy at those who complain about their pregnancy or how they "wish it were over already".
-Honoring the lives much wanted gone too soon while trying for another.
-Life continues forward no matter what you do, best to try and adapt than fight change.

I'm sure I could go on but these are a few things I've learned through the years.

Our journey is not over, this is not the end, this is still the beginning.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Our Beaded Bracelet Keepsake Waiting List 12/15/13

Our current waiting list for beaded bracelet keepsake orders from Fruit Of The Womb Angels

Current as of Sunday, December 15th 2013


~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Shipped Keepsakes List

Gabriel
Treave Franklin Clark
Baby Finley
three babies, Watson
Baby Odom
Robbie and Jake
Tristin Angel
Hope Noel, Lucas David, June Bug
Elektra Carmen Sullivan
Nehemiah
Amy Heather Mandelbaum
Makenzi Dawn Shouse
Emma Star Moore
Jameson
Elijah
Lillian Rain and Liam River
Maggie Rose
Ronan Michael Mullens
Donna Kay Chrisley
4 months, Magner
Aimee Skyler Williams
Aiden Sifuentes
Austin Bradley Togneri
Katelynn Brooke Tipton
Mateo Luke Rochford
Baby Sexton
Spencer John Osterhout
Timothy William Jr.
Shiloah Rathmann
Tanya Jackson

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Pending to Ship Keepsakes List

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Grace, Blake Nicole
Lizzy and Sis
Mariah
Jake Edward Carey
7 weeks, France
2 angels, Dorman
Angel Cobee Bell
My'Kel
Journey Leonard and Shelby Elizabeth
Chloe Danielle and Zoe Grace
Baby Stidham
Andrew Milan Martin
42 weeks, Higareda
Amera
Michael L. Betta
Masen James Fritzler
Harmony, Serenity
Elijah Alexander Larsen
Christopher Bryon and David Russel
Lane
Tiffany Nicole
Tovi Wren Smith
Richie Orion Smith
Jayarie
Kaleigh Joyce Henson
ShyAnn Elizabeth Laudrey
Erika Renee Pfeifer
Callie Murrell
Layla, Jayden
Keegan Dennis Taft
Miracle Baby Duran-Fleming, Angel Baby Duran-Fleming
8 weeks, Dillon W. Kephart, 5 weeks
Journey Leonard and Shelby Elizabeth Rivera
Sara Elizabeth, Ayanna Faith, James Knight
Raylee Jo
Chloe Anne Battershell
Nevaeh Elizabeth and Naomi Rose Battershell
Hope Elizabeth, 7 weeks- Evans


*Shipping out all orders that have been confirmed with full mailing address Monday morning, December 16th 2013. Hoping that everyone's keepsake helps bring some comfort and peace.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Temporary Closing Of FOTWA

Decided to temporarily close our charity for the holiday and finish up all old and current beaded bracelet requests. It's for the best. This way I can focus on family, honoring our twins babies memories and focus on the future. We will be returning to our charity work with new keepsakes to offer in 2014. http://www.fruitofthewombangels.org/

A Year Ago

It was a year ago, I remember it vividly. Finally being able to relax enough and then all the blood... The fright and worry that something could be wrong, all the nurses and doctors rushing in and out of my hospital room, and then the sigh of relief when they told me everything was ok with our twins, most likely just bleeding from the surgery. That feeling would not last for long.

It was on a Sunday, December 9th 2012 when we lost our first daughter after their laser surgery on December 7th to try and save their lives because they had stage 3-4 twin twin transfusion syndrome. Then after tears holding onto hope and having another one of the worst night's ever with a horrible allergic reaction to a medicine I was given for contractions I was not having, we then lost our second daughter on December 10th 2012.

Yes I blame the fact that it was a Catholic hospital and a teaching hospital for why we had to lose our second daughter. They should be about saving lives and not all medicines work for every patient. But will I be bitter and cold? No. Because I can not do anything about the fact that I lost our babies. I can not change the past. I can only learn from it and move forward.

Our daughters will not be forgotten, I will not allow their memories to be in the shadows. Any future children we have will know of their twin angel sisters and grow up knowing about death and that it is a part of life. Our future children will hopefully not fear death knowing that they should enjoy life and like their parents, embrace the moment and seize the day.

We had so many plans for our twins. Many felt that we could not handle the responsibility of having two children after not having any from eight years of trying. Who are they to judge or say what we could or couldn't have done? All I hear are judgments and unsolicited advice half the time. Like suddenly you're a parent or have been a parent for years and you know everything so hey, let's give these people who are expecting lots of advice and judge them if they want to raise their children differently than society does.

All those plans for our babies are gone now and what we do now in their memory is all for others, in the memories of other much wanted babies gone too soon. The future is now for our dream babies, our rainbows, the children that we hope to have.

I can not believe that after eight years we were lucky enough to get pregnant with help and thanks to infertility doctors through in vitro fertilization, just to lose everything due to twin twin transfusion syndrome just before their 19th week of life. It is now our ninth year of trying and we are hopeful for our rainbow.

It is bittersweet these feelings. The words "it's not fair" come to mind often some days, or the words "why me?" or "I treasured our pregnancy and our babies.. but they...". It doesn't matter because each person is different and who are we to judge? Even though I do find myself being judgmental at times, no I am not perfect, we all have our moments.

So here we are, the present moment, just trying to do the best that we can and make the most of our time together. My husband and I remembering our baby girls, who were identical and beautiful and looked so much like their father. We will honor our twins while we move forward because that is the only direction we can go in. The past can not be changed, the past can only be remembered.

Forever and ever we love you Apple Marie and Banana Lee!!! Thank you for making me a mother and your daddy a father. We will never forget you and you will forever live in our hearts. <3 <3

Lullaby

'Lullaby'

By Evelyn Schwenke, December 8th 2013

Sweet oh sweet my lullaby
My dream dear dream this is tonight
Someday you'll see that day will arrive
But tonight you are my lullaby