Monday, March 3, 2008

The 3rd

Yesterday morning, as we were driving to church and passed the hospital where Tristan was born, I realized that come Monday(today) it would be March 3rd - 3 months to the day that Tristan was born. I will never forget that day. Monday, December 3rd as we drove to the hospital with such excitement knowing we were finally going to be able to hold our precious little boy and yet there was fear as we were unaware of what that day would bring. We never imagined we would actually be able to bring our precious little boy home from the hospital and share 56 incredible days with him.

Those thoughts also led to me realizing that Tristan would have been 3 months old today! When I was pregnant and once we brought Tristan home, I NEVER, in 56 days allowed myself to think past the day we were celebrating, we lived "in the moment". However, since Tristan passed away there are days, like today, that my mind wanders and I think about where we would have been at this point. It's very hard to describe this emptiness in my heart and in my life, yet if you've lost a precious little baby then you completely understand. When you have a new healthy little baby you are so excited and you are bursting with an indescribable kind of love. You are very busy, every minute of the day/night, taking care of them. You have the every day excitement as you watch them grow and accomplish little things like lifting their head, smiling, taking more formula and before you know it you are buying the next size diapers and the next size clothes. Unfortunately, my hours are not filled with precious moments like those, they are only filled with precious memories of what once was.

I love being a mommy. It's something we longed for 5 long years before Tanner was born, 10 more years before Tayden was born and then only 1 short year before Tristan was born. We've spent a good part of our 17 1/2 yr. marriage trying to have children and build the family we so desperately wanted to have. So, now that I have suffered the loss of one of our precious children it's hard. I really miss Tristan so much. I miss those big brown eyes that were so alert, at night time of course. I miss watching him turn his head to the side as I would come up to the bassinet and talk to him. I miss rubbing his little face. I miss kissing his entire face when the feeding tube was out and he had no tape. I so miss that 24 hr care that made me feel like a new mommy! I long to feel those new mommy things like not getting a shower until 2:00 p.m., being exhausted to the point that I can't remember what day it is or if I've changed his diaper recently, what time the last feeding was, remembering if I gave him all his medications, just everything that comes with having a new baby!

I know that all of this is part of the grieving process and feel as though I am doing so much better than I ever believed I would be. Although I really wish the pain and emptiness I am feeling would go away sooner than later, what I don't want to do is rush it, ignore it or cover it up and it affect me years down the road. I know people who did not allow themselves time to grieve, people who rushed the grieving process and people who never actually got over the loss of someone and it has affected them to the point that it has changed their entire life. Right after we found out about Tristan having Trisomy 18, Trayc and I were laying in bed one night and I was crying and I said, "I am so scared of how this will affect me", "What if I never get over the loss?", "I don't want this to change who I am", "What if I never laugh again?", "I'm not a bitter or angry person but what if this destroys me?". He so sweetly, through many tears of his own, assured me that this would not change my personality, that we would still be the same close family, that our marriage would still be just as sweet, he promised me that he would not allow Satan to win in this situation and that as a family we would honor and glorify the Lord every step of the way. As much as I wanted to believe that back then, it almost seemed impossible as devastated as we were that night. But now, having just lost our precious little boy a mere 35 days ago, I can honestly say that it did not change my personality or who I am, I am laughing again, I am making memories again, I am not angry, I am not bitter, I am not angry or bitter towards God nor have I ever questioned why He allowed this for our family. What this HAS done is cause me to reach out to girls who are hurting, to have a more consistent quiet time, to have a more serious prayer life, to be more in love with Jesus than ever before, to trust in His plans more than my own, to be more committed to Him and long for Heaven to see the face of our Heavenly Father and to see my precious little boy again!

Please pray for us as we continue dealing with the loss of our precious little boy, as I work through the night hours and as we are diligently working on the foundation.


Bible notes (re: Genesis 50:1-11): When Jacob died at the age of 147, Joseph wept and mourned for months. When someone close to us dies, we need a long period of time to work through the grief. Crying and sharing our feelings with others helps us recover and go on with life. Allow yourself and others the freedom to grieve over the loss of a loved one and give yourself time enough to complete your grieving process.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I continue to pray for your family every day Yvette. I know that God is helping your entire family through this difficult time. God Bless.

Kenzie said...

Yvette-

I know there are so many great days and so many difficult nights... yet you continue to smile and laugh and demonstrate to your boys (including Trayc) how to love unconditionally, even as you grieve. I am praying for you as we both continue this road to healing. I know that you are so thankful for your precious time and yet, it makes it that much more difficult to say goodbye (for now). Just know that I love you so much and continue to think about y'all each and every day!

Love and praying,
Kenzie

Laurie in Ca. said...

Prayers continue for you in my house, asking God to show you how much He loves all of you. I am praying especially for your nights, asking Him to give you sweet sleep and dreams of Tristan. He will always be in your heart and just a memory away. Someday in the near future, I pray that the hurt will take a back seat to the joy this precious little boy brought to your lives. Your foundation will be so blessed because of your blessed 56 days with Tristan. You will help so many find faith and hope. I am praying for this.

Love, Laurie in Ca.

123 said...

it's 3:32 am and I'm praying for you.
Traci

Kim (marygracesummons.blogspot.com) said...

Sweet Yvette,
I am praying for your nights - I know how difficult it must be for you. You are getting through this - we are getting through this. I never realized how people did it but now we know, one day at a time - really sometimes one moment at a time - lots of prayers and lots of support. And what a wonderful husband you have - I just love it when Satan loses big! Sometimes the emptiness that my arms feel seems too much, but God will fill us back up - he will. I am so proud to know you and to have been a part of Tristans life.
I love you and will keep right on praying.....
Kim

mrsrubly said...

continued prayers are coming your way Yvette and Trayc you have sucha beautiful family.

So Blessed said...

Praying for your precious family today and every day as you continue in your grief journey.

Michelle said...

I think of you and pray for you, especially when I am up at night with my daughter. Thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for reminding me to appreciate the little things. Thank you for being such an example of what God can and will do for any of us if we allow Him too. All of your boys are precious. Tristan is thought of each day! He is so special!

Michelle