SHARE Atlanta Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Grief Support Making Memories ~~ Mementos and Traditions

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Making Memories...Easing the Pain ~ from SHARE Atlanta Parents...

This is the portrait that Kim Schulte had done of her three children,
Ashley, Greyson (In loving memory January 21, 2004) and AJ by Portraits by Dana.
Dana did this with photos of the children.



This is the portrait by Mike Theuer of Molly with her baby brother, Hunter..
a very special memento for Hunter's Family



Topics on this page - click on flower


A list of Websites for Creating Memories...dolls, bracelets, jewelry, story or scrapebooks, portraits, stars

"Remembrances" ~ Personal stories about mementos from SHARE Atlanta parents...

List of Ways SHARE Atlanta's Parents Keep the Memory of Their Baby(s) Close





Websites for Creating Memories

SHARE Atlanta Parents..Making a Difference with Keepsakes...

Heritage Makers Story Books:

My Storybook Lady..Betty's Website - Click on her picture.

Email SA's Betty Miller, SA MOM!! - click on flowerpicture ...Email her if you would like to get her to help you make your very own book!

At our Volunteer Gathering, Betty Miller, an Independent Heritage Makers Consultant, showed us her storybooks that she created in loving memory of her baby, Brian and in celebration of her son, Joey! We all wanted to make our own because they are so beautiful. These books look like REAL books because they are.

Portraits and Pictures of our special babies...Artists can take our pictures of our precious babies and create a loving picture of them WITH thier living siblings.:

"Portraits by Dana" - Numerous of our SA parents have turned to her, and she is a blessing to them. Just take a look. She has embraced The Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Community's need for precious portraits of our special babies.

Mike Theuer creates portraits

AngelPics Project by FotoFix Digital Studios Retouches Precious Baby's Pictures

The AngelPics Project has been created to donate photo retouching resources to the parents and families of a stillborn baby.

Loving Jewelry, precious baby dolls, stars, and certificates, etc. ...All help us remember and honor our special babies.

"Molly Bears" "We create weighted teddy bears for families coping with any form of infant loss. MollyBears.com is here to serve as a Community of support and comfort. We'll be here for you, we know you'll be here for us too."

"Beyond Words Designs" - SA mom, Mandi J., sent us this link. "Thought you all might like the amazing work of artist Beyond Words Designs. It is so beautiful and she donates 10% of all proceeds to hospital memory boxes ~ gifting ART to families of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. Her writing and her art are both powerful and peaceful."

"My Forever Child" - SA mom, Amy G., has a beautiful necklace from this site. I love what they have here...loving ways to remember and to honor our special babies.

"Lauren Nicole Gifts" - SA mom, Karen Gipson, sent us this link for personalized jewelry.

"Grief Watch" Beautiful Birth Annoucements for Miscarriag, stiillbirth and newborn death...

"Star Registry" - Name a Star after your baby.

"Gods Little Ones" - Memorial dolls are created as mementos that look just like your baby.

Preemie Memorial dolls - patterns for or you can have one made to the size of your baby...

"La Belle Dame Jewelry"- Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Loss Memorial Jewelry



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Forever in Our Hearts~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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In Loving Memory of Nathan Alan C. Born and Died June 10, 1987

Last fall, Pat and I planted some shrubs and bulbs in our yard in anticipation of the beauty they would bring this spring. In reality, I identified those Plants with Nathan - something to remember him by and also things that were living and fresh and beautiful. In March, I was quite disappointed when a late freeze caused the newly unfolded blooms on our saucer magnolia to turn brown overnight. Then it occurred to me that this tree was not unlike Nathan - something beautiful one day and gone the next. "But the tree will bloom next year," I thought. Then my brain clicked - "Can't the memories I have of Nathan bloom again, too? "Oh, yes, dear friends, it still hurts so much. But as I looked at the little tree, I also could see the green blades of the iris bulbs poking up from the ground. I'm thankful to God for the iris bulbs and for making Nathan a precious flower in our lives.



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Flowers ~ Garden Mementos

There were lots of things we didn't have the presence of mind to do immediately after the stillbirth of Mary Catherine but, for some reason, we did take pictures of the different flowers sent to us(maybe it was because we had regretted not taking pictures of our precious baby). I put these in her memory book along with cards, the hospital's pictures, etc. Two years later on her anniversary, I took the picture of my favorite arrangement to the florist that created it and had it redone in silk flowers. On Mary Catherine's first anniversary we designated a place in our yard in her memory. I found a statue of a child with a small bird and placed it near our fish pond, and we refurbished an iron garden chair to sit nearby. At Christmas time, because of a memory idea presented by Cindy A. at our first SHARE meeting, I made a stocking for Mary Catherine and put some things in it for our family to share on Christmas morning. Diane J.



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Shared by Cindy A.

Every year, Clayton General Hospital lights a large Christmas tree. The pink ladies allow anyone (for a small donation) to buy a light in honor or in memory of someone. William has a light each year--they give you a card recognizing this. Another way I have remembered him is by giving several books to our church library.



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Little footprints..
On the first anniversary after our daughter Rebeka Lynn died, my husband Dave handed me a box with a locket inside. On the front her initials "R L" were engraved and on the back was "Rebeka Lynn 10-13-85". Dave asked me to open the locket. I was surprised to see Rebeka's footprints inside! Dave had copied them over and over on a copier that could reduce the size of her footprints and laminated them. Then he cut them in a tiny circle and glued them in place. The look on my face of "Surprise and Joy" made Dave beam with pride! The locket made the first anniversary of Rebeka's death bearable. Even today, three years later, I still draw much strength from my locket. Thank you Dave for being such a wonderful husband and my best friend! Love from your wife, Luella K.



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Eileen W. lights a candle

I first started lighting a candle for my son, Andrew, on the day that he was supposed to be born. I searched all over looking for a Catholic Church that still had candles. In the Catholic Church people can light candles in memory of someone or when a special prayer is needed. This seems to be a visible way of remembering someone--kind of like leaving the lights on at home when you are expecting a latecomer. In the three years that I have been doing this, it has made me feel better/worse. Better because I am DOING something, so that in ten or twenty years from now, when my other children ask me, I can tell them that I have never forgotten. I think it's important for children (and adults) to know that they will not be forgotten...or gotten over...or left behind, etc. I feel worse sometimes, because I usually try not to think of that awful day three years ago, and when I light the candle, it brings back all those painful memories. It has a calming effect on me, however, after it's done, and I'm glad I could do something, no matter how small, for my little boy.



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Leigh Anne E. wrote

My husband gave me two tiny gold baby rings. These rings are a constant reminder that my twin sons are still very close to my heart-where they will be forever. I decided that it is not the great big obvious things that I try to do for my sons. Rather, it's the small everyday things that fill my heart with joy. It is the baby-faced angels I wear on the fourth of every month along with the tiny gold lapel angels that I received from a friend at SHARE on their first anniversary that are special.



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A Special Chest of Treasures
Dorothy Ellen's grandfather built a big chest to hold her things. Originally, we put her bracelets, lock of hair, bassinet name tag, etc. from the hospital as well as sympathy cards and guest book from the funeral in it. My father made it big enough, though, so we can add to it as time goes by. Now, it also contains books on infant loss, my journals from the months following her birth, cemetery pictures, her Christmas stocking, Mother and Father's Day cards and Share newsletters. We treasure this piece of furniture because it holds almost all that we have of her, and because it is a symbol of the love that Dorothy Ellen's grandfather has for her, for us and for our family. Also, on each birthday, we have put, by Dorothy's marker, wreaths decorated with age appropriate treasures (walking shoes for age one, toy dolls for age two, etc.). Love, Reece and Mark R.



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Remembering Jimmy

I wanted something to memorialize our little Jimmy, lost by miscarriage at 16 weeks. The ideal thing would have been similar to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, pink and blue marble with all the names of the babies like our Jimmy. I wanted something for our home for others to see so they wouldn't forget Jimmy or ignore the fact that I was pregnant. I decided on an engraved brass heart shaped box. Inside I put Jimmy's bracelet, his last ultrasound picture, and his birth certificate with Jimmy's precious footprints. The box symbolizes the gifts he gave to me while he lived: the hopes and dreams of having another child, the excitement of my husband Reid over our first child together, the joy of telling my father that he had a grandchild due in his birthday month, the light in my daughter's eyes when she heard his heartbeat, and the laughter as we watched his antics on the ultrasound monitor. These memories will gently fit into the heart shaped box engraved "In Memory of James Arvie C. - May 31, 1988". Dannis C.



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List of Ways SHARE Atlanta's Parents Keep the Memory of Their Baby(s) Alive.

  • The Star Register Site - "Like this star our love will shine forever"

  • SHARE Atlanta's Outreach for Healing Menu ~ Donating toys, books, or clothes, during the holidays or on your child's anniversary, that would be appropriate for the age of your child - at that time

  • A locket with a picture of their baby, or their baby's name engraved on the front or back

  • A Mother's ring or necklace with the child's birthstone

  • Putting a lock of hair in a small frame

  • Buying or hand-making a special stocking or ornament to hang at Christmas

  • Lighting a candle at Christmas, birthdays, and/or anniversaries

  • Using a special candle holder for candle lighting

  • Having footprints and/or handprints framed

  • Having sonogram pictures framed

  • Buying or making a memorial box or book to hold keepsakes

  • Donating to a children's charity in your baby's name

  • Donating something useful (a camera for baby pictures, a rocker, "small" baby blankets, etc.) for the hospital nursery where your baby was born.

  • Setting up a quiet spot to sit in the yard with an angel or other special marker

  • Buying or making a doll and dressing it as you would like

  • Having an artist paint or draw a picture of your child

  • Writing and framing a poem to or about your little one

  • Cross-stitching a sampler or pillow with your baby's name, birth date, etc.

  • Making or buying any special keepsake that you feel will help you remember and honor your baby

  • Writing in a dairy about their feelings and experiences as they move through their grief(often sharing these thoughts and feelings in our groups or newsletter)

  • Volunteering in SHARE to help other parents in their grief



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