A Walk to Remember

"We walk for the steps they will never take"

A couple weeks ago I went with Amy to the "Walk to Remember" put on by Heartstrings for infant loss. I showed up expecting to just walk, with maybe some sort of list of all those that had lost a baby. I never could have imagined what a sad but beautiful day it would turn out to be.

I also never could have imagined just how many families are affected and how many people lose children.

The day started out with a speaker and a man who had lost a child performing a song he had written. I am still amazed at the calm and serenity that you could almost touch.

Each parent or family that had lost a baby was given a memory charm that was made for their child. At a certain point in the program, their was a memorial service where each shild name was read and their parents were able to able to hang the charm on a tree. There were over 500 familes there that had been affected in some way.

These are Emma and Josh's charms

Before the walk started, a preacher was Westover Church was asked to give a prayer, and even now as I think back to that prayer, I am touched by the spirit. It was one of the most beautiful prayers I have ever heard. I know that the presense of our Heavenly Father was felt by all who were there.

Here is the group of us that walked on "Team McKinney twins."
Julie, Amy, Me, Orena, Charlotte, Bonnie, Erin and Heather

Along the way, each child's name was listed again

Here's Amy acting goofy... excited to be done with the mile and a half walk.

Each family also made a quilt square for the quilt that will be put together.

Heather, Erin, Amy and me.

I feel so honored to have been a part of such a wonderful event. I can only hope that it can help in the healing process for those who are greiving.

At the end of the day, we were looking at the quilt squares and Amy was talking to another woman, and the woman knew who Amy was. After Emma and Josh died, Amy published the blog that she had written after their birth and death and the hospital asked to have some copies that they could give to other grieving mothers. This woman recognized the names on Amy's quilt sqaures and asked if tshe was the one that had written the book. I felt truly amazed in that moment it my dear friend Amy. During the hardest thing that she will probably ever go through, she has found so much strength, and has helped to bring strength and comfort to others.

I love you, Amy!