A special episode in honor of your motherhood. This entire month we are giving space for your unique story of motherhood, providing a little extra support and hope as you head into Mother’s Day – a day that can be full of many complex emotions, often very painful.

But more important than our resources and articles on the blog and special episodes here on the podcast, mostly, I want you to know, we want you to know that Your motherhood is motherhood, too.

Even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s, or like how you wish yours was.

Even in the journey you’re facing, this day is for you, too.

In this special episode I am kicking off this month with a poem written by Meg Walker called This is Motherhood, Too. I pray it brings you comfort, hope and gives you space to honor your unique journey as a mother. 

For our best and most helpful resources for navigating Mother's Day, download our free Resource Bundle & Workbook: www.themorning.com/mothersday. 

From Every Moment Holy, Volume II 

"Lead me, O Lord, through this layered confusion 

of celebration and lament, of things present,

and things past. Let me make of this day a new thing.

Though holidays might be hard days, O God, 

by the movement of your mercies 

may they also become holy days, 

teaching me again and again to entrust to you my many griefs,

as often as these unavoidable days uncover and reveal them."

"Now lead me, carry me, and walk beside me through this day,

O Christ, shepherd of all my sorrows. In unexpected places, let me find joy.

Amen."

FREE HOLIDAY RESOURCES: www.themorning.com/holidays

1. Download the Free Navigating the Holidays Workbook & Resource Bundle 
2. Join us for a Christmas Devotional Book Club for December (Get the devotional here.)
3. Our Christmas Gift Guides for Grieving Moms
4. Keepsake DIY Ornaments (click here)
5. Get your Christmas Apparel (Back in the shop!)

> www.themorning.com/holidays

FREE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITY
A place away from social media where you can find support and care from women who are just like you. Women navigating the day to day ups and downs of grief. A place where you can feel not alone in this. Come join us: themorning.com/community

FREE GRIEF GUIDE

Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.

FREE GUIDE: IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOM
And if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend: themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS
If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen into today’s special episode where I share: a non-comprehensive list of the things a grieving mom may be thinking about at any given moment. I say non-comprehensive because the things we think about as grieving moms are often complex and can be difficult to put into words.

I am sharing this somewhat seemingly random list of thoughts to do two things:

1. To help a grieving mom hear me say -- you are not alone in the way you are thinking about this nor are you crazy. The way you are seeing this and thinking about this is completely normal and to be expected. 
2. To help someone who has not experienced the loss of a baby better understand what is happening inside the head and heart of a grieving mom -- to have compassion and empathy when you might not understand how she is responding or better yet to have compassion and empathy when you judge her response as not appropriate.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month. In these short episodes I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. If you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast is going to be incredibly helpful at understanding her better. 

IF YOU ARE A GRIEVING MOM

For an abundance of resources about navigating life after the loss of a baby head to www.themorning.com/resourcebundle

IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOM

And if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

In this week’s episode I have the honor of interviewing Michele Benyo. Michele is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, an early childhood parent coach, and the founder of Good Grief Parenting. After her 6-year-old son died of cancer, her 3-year-old daughter said, “Mommy, half of me is gone.” This heartbreaking statement defined Michele’s life purpose. Her mission is twofold: to help parents through the unimaginable challenges of parenting while grieving the death of a child, and to help parents meet the unique needs of a child who has lost a sibling in the early childhood years. The desire of Michele’s heart is to see families live forward after loss toward a future bright with possibilities and even joy.

The immense practical wisdom Michele shares during our time together is invaluable and I just know you are going to love Michele. 

FREE RESOURCE BUNDLE
Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode144

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS
If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Today’s special episode is all about the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. And you are going to hear from all three members of The Morning team in this special episode, Meg Walker is going to share with you thoughts about last year, Mary Margaret Powitz is going to share with you 3 hopes for the new year and I am going to finish our time with 3 prayers I have for you as we end 2021 and enter 2022. 

Before we jump into that I want you to hear me say: You made it through the holidays friends — I am so proud of you. I wish I could give you a hug and look you in the eyes and say “You did it. You made it through one of the toughest seasons a grieving mother has to walk through.” 

I would love to encourage you to spend some time today or tomorrow, just a few minutes, reflecting on this past year, on this moment right now, and on the holiday season. We created a simple workbook for you with questions and prompts to help you reflect on the year as we move into a new year, head to themorning.com/newyear to download yours. 

The purpose of writing out your thoughts is not to come up with perfect words but to get all that’s in your head out -- to remember things you don’t want to forget; to reflect, to pause, to ponder, and to process. 

You have been through so much this year, it will be an incredibly helpful exercise to take a few minutes to sit in it, reflect on it, learn from it -- before diving into a new year. Download that free workbook at themorning.com/newyear and then head over to our free community to share with us what you discovered during your time of reflection. 

New Year Reflection Workbook
www.themorning.com/newyear

Show Notes
www.themorning.com/blog/episode143

Free Community
www.themorning.com/community

Bonus Episode from the Christmas Promises for the Grieving Heart Daily Devotional

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

At Christmas we celebrate Jesus' first coming as a baby, when He came to be our Rescuer and Redeemer, our Healer and our Comforter. But we also anticipate His second coming, when He will wipe away all the tears, all the sadness, all the pain, all the brokenness, and all the death.

HOLIDAY WORKBOOK & RESOURCE BUNDLE
for the grieving mother
www.themorning.com/holidays

FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Bonus Episode from the Christmas Promises for the Grieving Heart Daily Devotional

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3

The baby we celebrate at Christmas, that baby in a manger, He is our good news, our hope. He is good news because He came to bring freedom, to set us free. Freedom from death and sin and all that is broken. Jesus came to bring life. And He came to bring healing and comfort.

HOLIDAY WORKBOOK & RESOURCE BUNDLE
for the grieving mother
www.themorning.com/holidays

FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

This week on the podcast Kristyn Szala joins me back on the podcast to talk about Cuddle Cots – what they are, why a mom who has received a life-limiting diagnosis should know about these, how to learn more about them and how to get one for yourself or for someone you love.

Kristyn shared her full story with us in Episode 134 but is joining us this week to talk specifically about Cuddle Cots and the role this resource played in her bereavement care. Kristyn says over and over during our time together what a blessing Cuddle Cots were to her after her son Asher was born still due to complications from a life-limiting diagnosis of Trisomy 18. Cuddle Cots gave her, and give moms like her, the gift of time. This amazing resource gives parents, as well as friends and family, the ability to spend time with their baby that they wouldn’t really be able to otherwise.

Cuddle cots are not widely known about in the US but they are gaining traction as a very helpful resource in bereavement care for families who have experienced the loss of a baby and Kristyn shares all about that in this episode.

If you have been given a life-limiting diagnosis or knows someone who has this episode is going to be very helpful. And if you are a grieving mom, looking for a way to bless other moms I would listen in – knowing about Cuddle Cots and helping to raise awareness about this unique and helpful resource might be the very thing someone you know and love will need in the future.

Like I shared last week in Episode 141 with Gina Harris, CEO of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, as we near the end of the year, if you are looking for year end giving opportunities this would be a really, really great opportunity to give to in honor of your baby this Christmas. To find out more about how to connect with Kristyn and give a donation head to www.facebook.com/AshersHope. Or reach out to your local hospital and give a donation for them to begin raising the funds necessary to purchase their own Cuddle Cot!

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE-LIMITING DIAGNOSIS & LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode142

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

This week I have the honor and privilege of interviewing Gina Harris, a mom who has experienced devastating loss with two sons diagnosed with life-limiting diagnosis as well as the immense pain of two subsequent miscarriages. Gina understands this journey well and is here today to share with us not only as a mother who has experienced the loss of a baby but also as the CEO of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is an organization that provides the gift of remembrance portraits to parents experiencing the death of a baby. Gina is passionate about the value of photographs for families like us and I was so grateful for this conversation. I especially loved when she said:

“the photographs of our son David, are our most prized and cherished possession. They are everything to us still to this day. 14 years later… these photographs document the existence of our precious babies.” 

I can’t wait for you to hear more about Gina’s story, the role that remembrance photography played in her story as well as Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Gina shares with us how we can help spread the news about the services they offer, both for moms and for medical professionals, and how you can get connected and learn more about their volunteer opportunities. As a side note they need more than just photographers as volunteers, so don’t dismiss those volunteer opportunities until you hear Gina share a little more about ways you can serve.

Also, I wanted to mention that as we near the end of the year, if you are looking for year end giving opportunities this would be a really, really great organization to give towards and you could even do so in honor of your baby this Christmas. To find out more about how to give a donation head to nowilaymedowntosleep.org, that’s nowilaymedowntosleep.org. 

HOLIDAY RESOURCES
Along with this podcast episode we have pulled together all of our best and most helpful resources for navigating the holidays, into our Holiday Workbook & Resource Bundle.

This resource is going to include quick access to all of our holiday material, including links to our holiday interviews and posts like how to handle Christmas Cards as well as a workbook that gives you space to prepare your mind and heart for the holiday season  -- you can find that free download at www.themorning.com/holidays

FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode141

Today we are talking about Christmas traditions for the grieving mom. I want to share a few things I’ve learned about traditions over the years, how they might be helpful to you, as well as a few traditions you may want to incorporate into your Christmas season and a few tips for navigating traditions in general. 

HOLIDAY RESOURCES
Along with this podcast episode we have pulled together all of our best and most helpful resources for navigating the holidays, into our Holiday Workbook & Resource Bundle.

This resource is going to include quick access to all of our holiday material, including links to our holiday interviews and posts like how to handle Christmas Cards as well as a workbook that gives you space to prepare your mind and heart for the holiday season  -- you can find that free download at www.themorning.com/holidays

FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode140

To my grieving friends on this Thanksgiving Day. 

I wish I could pull up a chair beside you and sit with you in person. To give you a look of understanding when someone you love says a hurtful thing or squeeze your hand under the table to remind you that you aren’t alone. Or cover for you when you need to hide away for a bit. To tangibly remind you that you're not alone.

Even if I can’t be there with you in person, I want you to know that you are loved today and not alone. I thought you might need to hear from someone who understands first hand how hard today really is, so I wrote you a short letter and wanted to read it to you.

today is hard. And that’s ok. 

I know how seemingly impossible it feels to be thankful and how the idea of celebrating feels like a contradiction and how maybe the only emotion you are experiencing is rage. 

And I know how all of that makes you feel guilty and full of shame.

This is me, a mama who has been there, telling you it is hard. Holidays are hard. And feeling grateful when your heart is broken and your arms are empty -- when a life is missing -- is really, really hard.

NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAYS AFTER BABY LOSS

www.themorning.com/holidays2020

A very special episode as the holiday season is upon us. I asked a handful of previous guests on the episodes who have experienced different types of loss to share their best wisdom and advice for navigating the holidays. Listen into this very very special episode, made up of 6 women sharing incredible wisdom from their experience of walking through the holidays as grieving mothers. 

If you are a grieving mom this episode will make you feel less alone this holiday season and equip you with tangible ways to face the holidays. 

If you love a grieving mom this episode will help you love and understand her better this holiday season. 

I am incredibly thankful to the women who so beautifully shared their wisdom on this episode, Kristin Hernandez, Aimee Jones, Mary Margaret Powitz, Kelly Griffin, Sarah Sandel and Carolyn Keller . Thank you, thank you thank you. It was my joy to listen and learn from you and it is my honor to walk alongside you in your grief.

HOLIDAY RESOURCES

Along with this podcast episode we have pulled together all of our best and most helpful resources for navigating the holidays, into our Holiday Workbook & Resource Bundle. This resource is going to include quick access to all of our holiday material, including links to our holiday interviews and posts like how to handle Christmas Cards as well as a workbook that gives you space to prepare your mind and heart for the holiday season  -- you can find that free download at www.themorning.com/holidays

Also, join us for a free live event: Hope for the Holidays, happening on November 21, where we will be sharing all of this wisdom about navigating the holidays live -- you can register for this live event in our free private community; if you aren’t a member of our community yet, now is a great time to join -- you can find more information about how to join over at www.themorning.com/community.

As we near Thanksgiving and move into the Christmas season I thought it would be helpful to share a few simple tips for navigating the holidays as a grieving mom. I know first hand the difficulty and sorrow and deep longing that accompanies a broken heart as it enters the holidays and I want to share a few things that may ease the pain of it all just a bit. 

HOLIDAY RESOURCES

Along with this podcast episode we have pulled together all of our best and most helpful resources for navigating the holidays, into our Holiday Workbook & Resource Bundle. This resource is going to include quick access to all of our holiday material, including links to our holiday interviews and posts like how to handle Christmas Cards as well as a workbook that gives you space to prepare your mind and heart for the holiday season  -- you can find that free download at www.themorning.com/holidays

Also, join us for a free live event: Hope for the Holidays, happening on November 21, where we will be sharing all of this wisdom about navigating the holidays live -- you can register for this live event in our free private community; if you aren’t a member of our community yet, now is a great time to join -- you can find more information about how to join over at themorning.com/community.

In this episode I’m sharing with you what I want every grieving mom who has experienced a 2nd trimester loss (late miscarriage or stillbirth) to know about grief and life after loss. I pray the words I share with you today offer you hope. I pray they remind you that you are not alone.  

In this episode:

• Letter from a grieving mom to a grieving mom

• Words of hope and understanding from women have experienced a similar loss

• Answers to questions you may be wondering about your loss and life now

• 5 Things to Know about Grief

• 10 Ways to Honor and Celebrate Your Baby

• 1 thing you can do today to find hope:

  • Journal Prompt: Write a note to your baby/babies telling them your favorite memory you have about your pregnancy and/or baby that makes you smile.
  • Prayer Prompt: Ask God to remind you of those sweet memories when you most need them. 

PINK STORK
Holistic health support they offer women, especially grieving mothers > Here

RESOURCES FOR YOU

FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLE
Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.

THE MORNING SHOP
For tangible tools to help navigate grief and to honor your baby and motherhood. Shop Here.

FREE DEVOTIONAL
A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope

RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS
If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Listen in as I spend time with Carolyn Keller as she shares with me about her daughter Bethany who had trisomy 13. This episode is full of so much wisdom -- Caroyn shares about her pregnancy journey with Bethany as well as her life in the NICU.

She talks about what it was like to receive a life-limiting diagnosis and how she navigated that news with her husband and her 3 living children. And then we talk about what it was like to say goodbye and navigate life after loss. Again, we talk about marriage and parenting and what her faith looked like during that time.

Carolyn gives so much wisdom in this episode as well as a ton of practical advice including her favorite resources and books for navigating a life-limiting diagnosis and life after loss and how to walk living children through both of those.

Carolyn said something towards the end of our time together, something that only another grieving mom would be able to hear and understand, she said: “I look forward to the sadness because through the sadness, I can have joy remembering my daughter.” Such a beautiful and honest and accurate sentiment.

Make sure to listen all the way to the end when Carolyn shares a few more words that I promise will offer you freedom and hope today in your grief journey. 

I am so thankful to Carolyn and her willingness to share her story and wisdom with us -- I pray it is a blessing to you. 

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

CHRISTMAS BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
www.themorning.com/christmas

RESOURCE FOR HOW TO LOVE A GRIEVING MOM
www.themorning.com/friendsandfamily

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode137

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

A very special episode as we end Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month.

For us here at The Morning and on The Joyful Mourning Podcast,  honoring your babies, telling your stories, raising awareness about the tragic reality of baby loss, and helping those who love a grieving mom better understand what she needs and how to best support her, is not something that ends when awareness month is over.

This is why we are here, week after week, month after month, year after year -- to offer support and community, to remind you that you aren’t alone, to help you navigate the difficult and complex realities of life after baby loss.

We wanted to commemorate the end of this special month by sharing your voices, your stories and your wisdom. Listen in to this very very special episode, made up of nearly 30 women with different stories of loss all sharing what they wish others understood about baby loss.

• If you are a grieving mom this episode will make you feel less alone. 
• If you love a grieving mom this episode will help you love and understand her better. 
  

I am incredibly thankful to the women who so beautifully and courageously shared their stories and wisdom on this episode. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

It was my joy to listen and learn from you and it is my honor to walk alongside you in your grief. 

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

RESOURCE FOR HOW TO LOVE A GRIEVING MOM
www.themorning.com/friendsandfamily

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode136

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Listen in as I spend time with Mary Prince and she shares her motherhood journey with me. She talks honestly and candidly about her recurrent miscarriages, and then her son Noah who was born at 26 weeks due to a placental rupture who would die just a few short months later as a result of a rare and very difficult to diagnose heart defect. I ask Mary to talk about what it’s been like to be an invisible mother, having experienced pregnancy 4 times, having delivered a baby boy and mothered him in the nicu, but now to have only empty arms.

Mary shares what has surprised her about her motherhood journey and the grief that she has endured. If you love a grieving mom, she gives really helpful wisdom and advice about what it looks like to support a mom who has experienced the loss of a baby.

At the time of this recording Mary was 18 weeks pregnant and Mary gives an honest real-time look into what pregnancy after so much loss has been like. She gives wisdom and really helpful tangible advice that I think will really encourage you if you are in that season. We talk about all those things and so much more. 

I am so thankful to Mary and her willingness to share her journey with us -- I pray it is a blessing to you.

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode135

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Throughout October I am highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in a series of 4 short mini bonus episodes. My hope is to give grieving moms a voice, to acknowledge your loss and at the same time to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. 

In this third episode of the series I am sharing a non-comprehensive list of the things a grieving mom may be thinking about at any given moment. I say non-comprehensive because the things we think about as grieving moms are often complex and can be difficult to put into words. I am sharing this somewhat seemingly random list of thoughts to do two things:

1) To help a grieving mom hear me say -- you are not alone in the way you are thinking about this nor are you crazy. The way you are seeing this and thinking about this is completely normal and to be expected.

2) To help someone who has not experienced the loss of a baby better understand what is happening inside the head and heart of a grieving mom -- to have compassion and empathy when you might not understand how she is responding or better yet to have compassion and empathy when you judge her response as not appropriate.

So, if you are a grieving mom I hope this reminds you that you aren’t alone. And if you are here because you love a grieving mom, I hope this helps you understand us a bit better. 

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Resources www.themorning.com/pregnancyandinfantloss.

Listen in as I spend time with Kristyn Szala and ask her all kinds of questions about her motherhood journey. Kristyn has experienced infertility, journeyed through ivf, experienced a miscarriage with one of her twins and then would go on to experience a life-limiting diagnosis for her son Asher.

During our time together Kristyn talks honestly about her experience with IVF and what it was like to lose a twin in the first trimester of pregnancy -- she shares what it was like to grieve that loss, the unique challenges it held and what advice she would give to a woman in that situation.

We go on to talk about what it was like to receive a life-limiting diagnosis for her son Asher -- what she wishes she had known, what she learned and what she would have done differently. Kristyn said that immediately after hearing the news she canceled everything, her maternity photos, her baby shower, everything. But then after thinking about it for a few days she decided this baby and this pregnancy was worth celebrating.

She said she asked herself: “how do I want this pregnancy to be? I want it to be full of joy.” This part of our conversation was really beautiful and I absolutely love the idea her friend did for her in the way of a Baby Blessing -- you’ll have to listen to hear exactly what I’m talking about.

We talked about a few specific tactics that were helpful to her in navigating life after loss as well as a major career change she made a few years following her son Asher’s death.

The last thing we talk about very candidly and tenderly is the reality that Kristyn is unable to have more children and what it’s like to navigate losing your youngest child -- if that is your reality too, I am sure that what Kristyn has to say about this will remind you that you are not alone.

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode134

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Throughout October I am highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in a series of 4 short mini bonus episodes. My hope is to give you, grieving moms, a voice, to acknowledge your loss and at the same time to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. 

In this second episode of the series I am talking about why we as loss moms talk about our babies and addressing all the other things someone who has not experienced this kind of loss may find strange or odd, awkward or uncomfortable  -- or all of the above. If you are a grieving mom I hope this gives you permission to grieve in any way that is helpful to you, and to honor and celebrate your baby in any way you choose. If you are here because you love a grieving mom, I hope this helps you understand us a bit better. 

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Resources: www.themorning.com/pregnancyandinfantloss

Listen in as I spend time with Aimee Jones as she shares with me her motherhood journey and the story of her daughter Ginny who was born still at 34 weeks. Aimee shares honestly about life after the loss, what surprised her about this journey and what were some of the unique challenges of losing her first born, having no answers as to why her daughter died and what it was like to make the decision to try to have another baby and what pregnancy after loss was like for her and what wisdom she would give to a mom entering that season.

I ask her what it was like bringing a living baby home after losing her daughter and how she coped with the grief while simultaneously holding so much joy -- her answer is so beautiful and wonderfully simple and practical. We also talk about how her grief has changed in the 2 years since she lost Ginny, what it was like at the beginning and what’s it like now and I think her response will be really encouraging to anyone in the fresh days of grief. One thing

Aimee has an abundance of wisdom to share for the grieving mom and my time with her really encouraged me personally and I am certain that it will encourage you too. 

FREE RESOURCE FOR LIFE AFTER BABY LOSS

Over the past 5 years we have helped thousands of women navigate life after the loss of a baby and we pulled our best and most helpful resources all into one easy to access resource. There is a separate bundle for miscarriage, infant loss and life-limiting diagnosis so the resources are very specific, tailored to you and your grief journey. To get your free resource bundle head to themorning.com/resourcebundle

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode133

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Listen in to the first bonus episode in a series I have titled Conversations with a Grieving Mom. Throughout October I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in a series of short mini bonus episodes. My hope is to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. In this first bonus episode I am speaking openly about why raising awareness about pregnancy and infant loss is valuable and important, why it matters. 

5 Ways We Are Raising Awareness & Honoring Your Baby(s)
www.themorning.com/blog/pregnancy-infant-loss-awareness-2021

--

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month. Maybe you saw the statistics yesterday as women raised their hand to say “I am 1 in 4” and to share their story of baby loss. Or maybe you didn’t even notice, just another ‘awareness’ month filling up your feed. It’s ok, I didn’t know that October was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month either until it was me. Until I was the 1 in the 4. But here’s the thing, while you may not be the 1 you likely know her. She is your friend. Your sister. Your daughter. Your neighbor. Your coworker. The stranger at the grocery store. The acquaintance at church. 

1 in 4 is so much more than a number. Raising awareness is about so much more than a statistic. It's a person. It’s a life.

We raise awareness because that one matters.

We raise awareness because the numbers would tell us that if it isn’t you, then you likely know someone who has experienced the loss of a baby. We raise awareness so that you might know better how to love her and care for her.  Because to ignore her pain is to ignore her.

We raise awareness because we want you to know our story. To know our baby. Because to know us and not know about our baby is to not really know us at all. 

--

5 Ways We Are Raising Awareness & Honoring Your Baby(s)
www.themorning.com/blog/pregnancy-infant-loss-awareness-2021

Over the past 4 weeks we have been talking specifically about navigating faith after the loss of a baby, asking hard questions about God and what the Bible has to say about our loss because if you are anything like me you have asked those questions before, maybe not out loud for fear of judgment but in the quiet private corners of your own mind. Questions like Why did God allow this to happen? Did I do something wrong to deserve this? How can I trust a God who would let this happen? This series of conversations is incredibly needed and it has been a privilege to discuss these hard, but important questions. 

In this final episode of this series on faith after loss, I have the privilege of interviewing Kristin Hernandez, author of the book Sunlight in December, A Mother’s Story of Finding the Goodness of God in the Storm of Grief. Kristin’s motherhood journey has been wrought with loss and she enters into this conversation with incredible tenderness and empathy -- as a grieving mom who has spent time wrestling with God, searching for answers, for truth and for hope. 

Kristin shares her motherhood journey with us and what her spiritual walk looked like amidst her losses and after. She talks about misconceptions about what it means to be a strong christian who is grieving and what it looks like when God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we want Him to. And I loved when Kristin said “I can trust and believe what the Bible says, even when I don’t feel it.”

This conversation is for anyone who knows and loves God and is walking with Him. It’s for the woman who is really wrestling in her faith right now. It’s also for the woman who isn’t quite sure what the Christian faith is all about and maybe you are looking for answers or just want to learn more -- this is a great place to start. And lastly, if you love a grieving mom, this would be a really, really great conversation to listen to in regards to better understanding what a grieving mom is experiencing as she navigates her faith journey. 

Kristin and I do our best to bring the truth of scripture into these hard, difficult spaces but I am certain that there is more that could be said and additional conversation that would be potentially helpful. One of the best things I would recommend is to come join us in our free community -- a safe space where you are free to wrestle through your questions, anger, sadness, confusion and hurt. Find out more about our free community by heading to themorning.com/community. I can’t wait to meet you there and talk about these things with you.

And lastly, we have pulled together our favorite free resources for navigating faith after the loss of a baby including a free 7 day devotional. Check out those resources at themorning.com/faith.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode132

In this episode I am asking a series of difficult but important questions about God, our suffering, and navigating faith after the loss of a baby to Lacey Rabalais. She spends her days studying and writing about God’s Word and as a theologian who had also experienced the loss of a baby I knew she would be the perfect person to discuss these questions with. Many of the questions we are discussing today were submitted by you, listeners of the podcasts and or members of our free private community, The Joyful Mourning Community. These are real questions and like I said, somewhat difficult to answer in a way that might feel acceptable in the midst of heartbreak and sorrow.

Questions like:

• Why does suffering exist?
• Did God plan our suffering or did He just allow it?
• How can he be good if either of those are true?
• Is God powerful enough to heal my baby?
• Did He just choose not to? 

I know that this conversation and some topics we talk about might be hard to think about or consider and I want to encourage you by saying that’s ok -- you’re free to wrestle with the truths we present here. My hope is that as you listen, even to that which might be difficult to hear or believe, that your heart would be comforted in knowing that you are not alone and that you are loved by the God of the universe far more than you could ever comprehend or imagine. And that not only does he love you but he loves your baby too. 

We do our best to bring the truth of scripture into these hard, difficult spaces but I am certain that there is more that could be said and additional conversation that would be potentially helpful. One of the best things I would recommend is to come join us in our free community -- a safe space where you are free to wrestle through your questions, anger, sadness, confusion and hurt. Find out more about our free community by heading to www.themorning.com/community . I can’t wait to meet you there. 

Additionally we have pulled together our best resources about navigating faith after the loss of a baby including a free 7 day devotional and a few of the resources that are mentioned in this episode -- you can find all of those resources over at www.themorning.com/hope

Ok friends -- thank you for listening. I pray this episode grows your faith and your love for the God who loves you so much.

JOIN THE FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode131

RESOURCES FOR FAITH AFTER BABY LOSS
www.themorning.com/hope

Listen into today’s special episode about: why we as loss moms talk about our babies and addressing all the other things someone who has not experienced this kind of loss may find strange or odd, awkward or uncomfortable  -- or all of the above.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month and over the course of the month you will hear 3 short mini bonus episodes. In these short episodes I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. If you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast is going to be incredibly helpful at understanding her better. 

IF YOU ARE A GRIEVING MOM

For an abundance of resources about navigating life after the loss of a baby head to www.themorning.com/resourcebundle

IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOM

And if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

This week I invited my friend Lindsey Dennis back to the podcast to talk about her spiritual journey and walk with God amidst anticipatory grief and the grief that followed the loss of her two daughters, Sophie and Dassah -- both from life-limiting diagnoses.

Lindsey shares honestly as she answers questions like:

• Did you ever get angry with God?
• Did you doubt His goodness?
• Did you doubt your faith completely?

I also asked Lindsey how she wrestled through the idea that God was powerful enough to heal her babies… or was He? Or did He just choose not to? And if He chose not to, is He still good?

We also discuss the question: did I do something wrong to deserve this loss? A question that many of us have probably thought about or asked at one point or another in our grief journey.

We end our time talking about heaven and what the Bible has to say for us as grieving moms and the hope we have to see our babies again one day. 

Whether you have been following God for a long time, if you are new to the christian faith, or if you are searching or angry or confused or questioning everything you thought you believed -- you are in good company, friend. You are not alone and I think this episode will encourage you today right where you are. 

FREE DEVOTIONAL
Download a free 7 day devotional written specifically for women who have experienced the loss of a baby. 7 days of bible passages with a short devotion and prayer.

www.themorning.com/hope

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode130

FREE PRIVATE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

This week I have the privilege of interviewing Vaneetha Risner -- a woman who has walked through an incredible amount of pain in her life, experienced loss and suffering and yet joyfully says ‘God does not make mistakes.” During our time together Vaneetha shares the story of her son Paul and what her relationship with God looked like after his death.

We talk about asking God all the ‘why’ questions, why me, why him, why this way? We talk about whether it’s ok for Christians to ask God why. We talk about navigating feelings of guilt that come after a baby dies as we relive all the things we could have done differently that would have resulted in our baby living. We talk about what it means to lament, this word we see in the Bible but don’t hear very often -- what it means and what it looked like in Vaneetha’s life. We talk about what it feels like when God is blessing everyone around you -- does that mean you did something to deserve this or does God love those other people who have not experienced loss more? We discuss the question, where is God in all this, did He cause it? Is He still good? Could He have stopped it and chose not to? Does that make Him a cruel God?

We talk about all these spiritual faith questions and more -- if you have been wrestling with similar questions or wondering where God is in all of this, you are going to love this episode and you are going to love Vaneetha.

Remember the truths we are sharing here are not from a pious mountain top where everything has gone perfect -- no these truths, the answers and thoughts shared here are from two women who have experienced both pregnancy and infant loss. Vaneetha has endured an incredible amount of suffering and still says, God does not make mistakes.

Also, it’s ok if you aren’t there yet. If you aren’t able to say those words. God isn’t angry or disappointed with you -- He loves you. He will never leave you. No matter where you are on your faith journey amidst grief, I pray this episode would remind you of God’s great love for you, give you the freedom to lament, to sit in your grief, and to cry out to Him with your pain.

Vaneetha is the author of the book Walking through Fire which I reference throughout our time together -- in this memoir she tells her story in depth and I highly recommend picking up a copy. It was the first book I’ve read in a long time that I couldn’t put down. Her story-telling and honesty is powerful and hope filled.

Walking Through Fire, by Vaneetha Risner.

FREE DEVOTIONAL
Lastly, we have a free 7 day devotional that I would love to share with you. You can find that and a few other resources about navigating the christian faith after the loss of a baby over themorning.com/hope.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode129

Kelly Griffin joins me on the podcast to share the story of her son Reeves who was given a life-limiting diagnosis of trisomy 18. Kelly shares with me what it was like receiving a life-limiting diagnosis and what advice and wisdom she would give to a mom who has received a similar diagnosis. We cover a lot of topics about life after loss and even life amidst anticipatory grief in this episode as well. 

Kelly shares her experience and wisdom about parenting living children amidst a life-limiting diagnosis and after the loss of a baby -- Kelly shares how she explained to them her son’s diagnosis, what it was like to walk with them as they grieved the loss of a sibling, why she chose to invite them into the grief in the ways she did. Her wisdom on this is incredibly helpful and very honest. 

We also talk extensively about marriage amidst anticipatory grief and after the loss of a baby -- the wisdom she shares about this is insightful and challenging and wonderfully practical and of course full of so much hope. 

We also spend some time talking about a topic that we haven’t talked about very much on this podcast and something that is still very tender for Kelly and that is what if you do not go on to have a living baby after you have lost a baby -- Kelly talks honestly about what that has looked like for her and she addresses how our culture puts a lot of hope in the idea of a healthy living child after the loss of a baby, a rainbow baby; emphasis put on how a new baby will be our redemption, our healing --  she talks directly to that and to the woman who is experiencing that reality. The hope that Kelly shares here is invaluable and even if you go on to have living children after the loss of a baby, this hope, this truth is for you too.

FREE GIFT: ULTIMATE RESOURCE BUNDLE

Before we jump into the episode I wanted to tell you about something really amazing that we have been working on for months and months. We have pulled all of our best and most helpful resources together in one place so that you can easily and quickly access the things you need when you need them. The bundle includes:

• Links to our favorite episodes
• Understanding & Processing Your Grief
• Preparing for Labor & Delivery
• Memory Making checklist (for after your baby is born)
• Planning a Funeral or Memorial Service
• Resources for Marriage after Loss
• Resources for Faith after Loss
• Resources for Remembering & Honoring your Baby

All of our best and most helpful resources in one place. And the best part is, we created one for each type of loss so the resources are specific to your loss journey and it is FREE. This 25+ page Resource Bundle is totally free and you can download it today. Download the Ultimate Resource Bundle that is specific (there is one for Pregnancy Loss, Infant Loss & Life Limiting Diagnosis) at themorning.com/resourcebundle.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode128

Over the past few weeks we have been talking about navigating milestones after the loss of a baby. Milestones like birthdays or difficult anniversaries like a diagnosis day. Today my guest Alison Waldrop joins me to talk about her experience with pregnancy loss and how she navigated her due date and loss day and all the other milestones a grieving mother faces after the loss of a baby.

She shares details about the meaningful and intentional ways she chose to honor her baby, why she chose to honor her baby in those ways and what advice she would give to a mom who is anticipating a due date or other difficult milestone.  

This episode is going to be particularly helpful for the woman who has experienced miscarriage and may not feel like your loss is worth recognizing -- maybe you are comparing your loss to others who have a seemingly more significant loss or maybe you are feeling the pressure from others to just get over it or you are believing the lie that if you grieve or intentionally mark your milestone days that you are being dramatic or silly.

If you have wanted to celebrate your baby but have been hesitating for one reason or another -- this episode is for you. I am so grateful for Alison and her example. Above all, I pray this episode reminds you that a life has value no matter how long they lived. And that you are free to grieve in whatever way feels right and helpful and good to you. 

COMING SOON
 If you have found this series on navigating milestones helpful, we think you are going to really benefit from this exciting project we have been working on. While it won't only be about navigating milestones, it will give you the most helpful resources possible to navigate grief and life after the loss of a baby, including important topics like honoring and celebrating your baby.

Imagine getting to have this conversation, and many others that are relevant to you in your grief right now, in a more intimate setting with tangible and practical steps you can take at home and with the support of other grieving moms who are in a similar season, working through similar things. While we weren’t planning on spilling any of the details quite yet, we thought this was a great opportunity to give you a super sneak peek at what we’ve been working on -- head to themorning.com/comingsoon for more details and to sign up to be among the first to know when this special project is live.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode127

Meg Walker joins me to talk about navigating milestones and important dates after the loss of a baby due to a life-limiting diagnosis. She shares with us what those milestone and important or difficult dates are for her. Specifically we spend some time talking about her son’s diagnosis day and what that looks like for her every year -- as Meg says “that’s the before and after for me -- the day everything changed.”

Meg talks about what has surprised her about navigating those milestone days, how she plans for those days and how she cares for herself amidst the more difficult seasons in her calendar year and practically what those days look like for her. How she celebrates her son’s birthday, why she doesn’t sing happy birthday and how she grieves on the anniversary of his diagnosis.  She also shares helpful wisdom about knowing when to include others and inviting them into these days. 

And as you heard at the beginning of this episode, my favorite part of this episode is when Meg reminded all of that no matter what we as grieving moms do, whether we plan elaborate events or cry in our bed or do nothing out of the ordinary at all on those milestone or important days, what we do or don’t do doesn’t take away from how important and meaningful our babies are. 

This conversation is honest and candid and very tender to both of us as you will hear -- we both share what we have learned over the past few years and how our view of milestone days have changed, mistakes we have made, false pressures we have put on ourselves, what still feels hard but also the beautiful moments we have experienced. 

FREE GUIDE

Last week, in episode 125, Erica McAfee talked about how she writes her son a letter on his birthday as a tangible way to mother him and celebrate him and also to grieve on that day. This was such practically helpful and tangible advice that I wanted you to be able to incorporate it into your milestones and important dates too. I created a writing guide for you that you can download and use on days that feel particularly important -- this is not just for birthdays but for any date where you want to intentionally spend time reflecting on your baby or processing your grief or simply to spend time tangibly mothering your baby. Download the guide here: www.themorning.com/letter

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode126

JOIN THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

In this episode I am talking with Erica McAfee. Erica is a mom who has experienced considerable loss throughout her motherhood journey. In Episode 98 she shared her story with us and today she is back on the podcast to chat with me about navigating milestones like birthdays, due dates, anniversaries and all those important dates after the loss of a baby.

She shares with us what her important dates are, what they look like for her, how they have changed over the years, and how she and her husband navigate those days differently. Erica’s wisdom in this episode offers a ton of freedom as well as practical insight for navigating those important dates and milestones that we as grieving mothers have. 

At the beginning of the episode you heard a snippet of Erica talking about how she writes her son a letter on his birthday as a tangible way to mother him and celebrate him and grieve on that day. This was such practically helpful advice and I wanted you to be able to incorporate it into your milestones and important dates too. So, I created a letter writing guide with more than 10 journal prompt ideas that you can download and use on those days. (This is not just for birthdays but for any date where you want to intentionally spend time reflecting on your baby or processing your grief or simply to spend time tangibly mothering your baby.)You can download that letter writing guide at themorning.com/letter.

SHOW NOTES: www.themorning.com/blog/episode125

JOIN THE FREE COMMUNITY: www.themorning.com/community

DOWNLOAD THE FREE LETTER WRITING GUIDE: www.themorning.com/letter

Season 04 is here and I am so, so grateful to be back. In this special first episode of season 04 I am joined by my friend and Morning Team Member Meg Walker who takes the role as host. Today she is asking me all the questions and I am sharing my story in a way that I have never shared before.

I answer questions about how grief has changed in my nearly 13 year journey, what it’s like to share our son in heaven with our living children, what encouragement and words of wisdom would I give to a newly grieving mom. I also get to share why I started The Morning, some things you probably didn’t know about our organization and my hopes and prayers for us in this next season.

This episode is not without its tears, in fact we even had to take a tissue break, but even amidst the tears this episode is full of so much hope and I pray it is a reminder to you today that you are loved and not alone.

To commemorate this new season of the podcast we have a couple things for you today:

1. New T-shirts! Check out our newest t-shirts in the shop -- head to themorning.com/apparel, i think you are going to love them!
2. Free Art Print & Verse Card Set Download: I created an art print and verse card set for this new season that you can download absolutely free. Head to themorning.com/season4 to grab those!
3. A Giveaway: We have put together an amazing giveaway to celebrate this new season of the podcast that you are going to love. To enter that giveaway head to themorning.com/season4giveaway

SHOW NOTES: www.themorning.com/124

JOIN THE COMMUNITY: www.themorning.com/community

This is part 4 of our special 4 part series called: What is Motherhood. All month long we have been talking about what motherhood means to the woman who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. In this round table conversation I talk with five women, each with different types of loss from as recent as 6 months ago all the way to 35 years ago -- these women share honestly about their journey of loss, grief, and finding hope.

In this week’s episode, part 4 of our 4 part series, I ask my guests three questions:

1. What does being a mom teach you about yourself?
2. What does being a mom teach you about God? 
3. What encouragement do you have for other moms in the thick of motherhood and grief?

Their answers to those questions are incredibly insightful and challenging and hope-filled and honest.

If you missed any part of this series, make sure to listen go back and listen to those so you can get to know each of these women and their unique motherhood stories -- this series starts at episode 120 so just skip back a couple episodes to start from the beginning.

For more details about each of our guests and to get connected with them, visit themorning.com/motherhoodseries.

FREE WORKBOOK
We created a workbook that goes along with this podcast series to give you an opportunity to answer these questions for yourself as you consider your own motherhood journey. No matter where you are in your grief journey this workbook will be a tangible way to help you find healing in a new way. To download that workbook head to themorning.com/motherhood.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We wanted to give you an important update about the podcast. For the last 122 episodes we have shown up weekly, and in some seasons we have shown up daily, to meet you in your grief, to walk alongside you, to bring you comfort, hope and reminders of joy. To remind you that you are not alone.

In order to continue to do those things and to serve you best, to continue creating resources, not just here on the podcast but on our blog, in our community and in our shop we have decided to move to a seasonal format. That means, moving forward we will have two seasons a year, a spring season, likely February thru May and a fall season, August thru November, taking a short break through the summer months, June and July and potentially December and January as well.

We are hopeful this decision will enable us to continue to create the most helpful and hope-filled resources for you possible . Our last episode of this season will be episode 123 which will air on May 27 but go ahead and mark your calendar for August 5, when the first episode of next season will air.

We are already so excited about what we have planned for next season, so make sure you are subscribed to the podcast so you don’t miss a single one of those episodes!

GET CONNECTED / STAY CONNECTED
As a note we will still be around this summer, just not on the podcast. So come connect with us in our community, on the blog and social media. We listed out the 5 best ways to get connected or stay connected with us this summer -- head to themorning.com/getconnected for those details.

QUICK RECAP

• This is our last episode of the season (episode 123)
• We will be back on August 5 with brand new interviews and topics we have never discussed before in such depth.
• We are so thankful for each of you and incredibly honored to be on this journey with you.
• We want to stay connected with you throughout the summer, so head to themorning.com/getconnected for 5 simple ways you can get connected with us for the first time or stay connected with us while we take this short break from the podcast.  

This is part 3 of our special 4 part series called: What is Motherhood. All month long we are talking about what motherhood means to the woman who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. In this round table conversation I talk with five women, each with different types of loss from as recent as 6 months ago all the way to 35 years ago -- these women share honestly about their journey of loss, grief, and finding hope.

In this week’s episode, part 3 of our 4 part series, I ask my guests three questions:

1. How has your loss shaped your motherhood?
2. What challenges do you find in being a mom?
3. What are some joys you experience in motherhood?

Their answers to those questions are incredibly insightful and challenging and hope-filled and honest.

If you missed part 1 or part 2 of this series, make sure to listen to those episodes first so you can get to know each of these women and their unique motherhood stories -- this series starts at episode 120 so just skip back a couple episodes to start from the beginning.

For more details about each of our guests and to get connected with them, visit themorning.com/motherhoodseries.

FREE WORKBOOK
We created a workbook that goes along with this podcast series to give you an opportunity to answer these questions for yourself as you consider your own motherhood journey. No matter where you are in your grief journey this workbook will be a tangible way to help you find healing in a new way. To download that workbook head to themorning.com/motherhood.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We wanted to give you an important update about the podcast. For the last 122 episodes we have shown up weekly, and in some seasons we have shown up daily, to meet you in your grief, to walk alongside you, to bring you comfort, hope and reminders of joy. To remind you that you are not alone.

In order to continue to do those things and to serve you best, to continue creating resources, not just here on the podcast but on our blog, in our community and in our shop we have decided to move to a seasonal format. That means, moving forward we will have two seasons a year, a spring season, likely February thru May and a fall season, August thru November, taking a short break through the summer months, June and July and potentially December and January as well.

We are hopeful this decision will enable us to continue to create the most helpful and hope-filled resources for you possible . Our last episode of this season will be episode 123 which will air on May 27 but go ahead and mark your calendar for August 5, when the first episode of next season will air.

We are already so excited about what we have planned for next season. Some things you can look forward to when we are back August 5, a series on how to celebrate those special days such as birthdays, anniversaries, and due dates, a series about faith after loss -- we are bringing in experienced theologians for that series to ask all those faith based questions you may have been asking or have wanted to ask -- questions like did God cause this, could He have stopped it, Is God still good? Why does suffering exist? Is God powerful enough to heal my baby? Or did He just choose not to?. We will also bring back the series ‘What your grieving friend wants you to know’ as we continue to try and equip those who love someone who has experienced loss with the tools to love them best in this season.

As you can see we have a lot of really great content ahead so make sure you are subscribed to the podcast so you don’t miss a single one of those episodes!

GET CONNECTED / STAY CONNECTED
As a note we will still be around this summer, just not on the podcast. So come connect with us in our community, on the blog and social media. We listed out the 5 best ways to get connected or stay connected with us this summer -- head to themorning.com/getconnected for those details.

QUICK RECAP

• Next week is our last episode of the season (episode 123),
• We will be back on August 5 with brand new interviews and topics we have never discussed before in such depth.
• We are so thankful for each of you and incredibly honored to be on this journey with you.
• We want to stay connected with you throughout the summer, so head to themorning.com/getconnected for 5 simple ways you can get connected with us for the first time or stay connected with us while we take this short break from the podcast.  

This is part 2 of a special 4 part series called: What is Motherhood. A special series about what motherhood means to the mom who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Listen in to our first ever round table conversation with six women, each with different types of loss from 6 months to 35 years ago, as they share honestly about their journey of loss, grief and finding hope.  No matter what type of loss you have experienced and how long ago you experienced that loss, I hope this conversation would make you feel known and understood and less alone in this journey.  

In this week’s episode, part 2 of our 4 part series, I ask my guests two questions:

1. How has grief impacted your everyday life?
2. What does grief look like for you today? How is it different or how has it changed?

Their answers to those questions are incredibly insightful and challenging and hope-filled and honest. If you missed part 1 of this series, make sure to listen to that episode first so you can get to know each of these women and their unique motherhood stories, that’s episode 120. For more details about each of our guests and to get connected with them, visit themorning.com/motherhoodseries.

FREE WORKBOOK
We created a workbook that goes along with this podcast series to give you an opportunity to answer these questions for yourself as you consider your own motherhood journey. No matter where you are in your grief journey this workbook will be a tangible way to help you find healing in a new way. To download that workbook head to themorning.com/motherhood.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode121

In this episode I’m sharing with you what I want every grieving mom who has experienced a 1st trimester miscarriage or pregnancy loss to know about grief and life after loss. I pray the words I share with you today offer you hope. I pray they remind you that you are not alone.  

In this episode:

• Letter from a grieving mom to a grieving mom

• Words of hope and understanding from women have experienced a similar loss

• Answers to Questions you may be wondering about your loss and life now

• 5 Things to Know about Grief

• 10 Ways to Honor and Celebrate Your Baby

• 1 thing you can do today to find hope:

  • Journal Prompt: Write a note to your baby/babies telling them your favorite memory you have about your pregnancy and/or baby that makes you smile.
  • Prayer Prompt: Ask God to remind you of those sweet memories when you most need them. 

RESOURCES FOR YOU

FREE GRIEF RESOURCE BUNDLE
Our best and most helpful resources for navigating grief and life after loss all in one place. Plus a list of our favorite books for children about grief and loss. Download Here.

THE MORNING SHOP
For tangible tools to help navigate grief and to honor your baby and motherhood. Shop Here.

FREE DEVOTIONAL
A free 7 day devotional for those who have eperienced the loss of a baby. Download here: www.themorning.com/hope

RATE, REVIEW &  FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS
If you love The Joyful Mourning Podcast, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps moms who are grieving to find us a little easier and get that support they need. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know how this episode helped you.

Your motherhood is motherhood, too.

Your mothering may look different than those around you or what you ever imagined it would be. But this day is for you too. 

Today I acknowledge you who are hurting this year. “I see you. I have not forgotten. God has not forgotten. YOU are not forgotten.” 

To the woman looking at yet another negative pregnancy test; I see you.

To the woman holding only a memory of a heartbeat, I see you.

To the woman staring at a gravestone, I see you.

I see your bravery every time you smile and every time you get out of bed and every time you hold a baby that isn’t yours and every time you give the honest answer about how many children you have. I see your sacrifice when you show up to church or to work or to your best friend’s baby shower even though it hurts like hell. 

I see your selflessness when you put another’s needs above your own, even when your heart is breaking. 

I see your compassion when you weep over another’s story of loss and heartache. 

I see your faith when you praise the God who could have stopped this pain.

I see you. And I am so grateful for your example.

Your example has changed me.

--

http://www.themorning.com/mothersday

This week we start a special 4 part series called What is Motherhood: A special series about what motherhood means to the mom who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss.

Listen in to our first ever round table conversation with six women, each with different types of loss from 6 month to 35 years ago, share honestly about their journey of loss, grief and finding hope.  My hope is that no matter what type of loss you have experienced and how long ago you experienced that loss that this conversation would make you feel known and understood and less alone in this journey.  

In part 1 of this conversation I ask my guests two questions: what does motherhood mean to you and what has surprised you about this journey. Their answers to those questions are incredibly insightful and challenging and hope-filled and honest. I am so grateful for each of these women and can’t wait for you to get to know them over the next 4 weeks -- I know you are going to love them too. 

FREE WORKBOOK
We created a workbook that goes along with this podcast series to give you an opportunity to answer these questions for yourself as you consider your own motherhood journey. No matter where you are in your grief journey this workbook will be a tangible way to help you find healing in a new way. To download that workbook head to themorning.com/motherhood.

Join me in listening to Meg Walker as she reads a letter she wrote entitled, 3 Truths When You Don’t Feel Like a Mom This Mother’s Day. In this bonus episode Meg says these words:

“We can’t make promises on whether or not every person you’ve ever met will remember your child’s name or the special anniversaries that are etched into your memory - even your own spouse might forget from time to time. What we can promise is this: you will never forget your baby. But you aren’t the only one. On this Mother’s Day, take heart in that even if no one else remembers your baby, God remembers with you - and he sees you. He collects your tears in a bottle. And your baby is not forgotten.”

She goes on to offer so much hope as she directly speaks to the woman who doesn’t feel like a mom this Mother’s Day. We pray this special bonus episode brings you hope as you are reminded that you are loved and not alone.

READ FULL PIECE HERE: 
www.themorning.com/blog/when-dont-feel-like-a-mom-mothers-day

MOTHER'S DAY RESOURCES FOR THE GRIEVING MOTHER
www.themorning.com/mothersday

Join me in listening to Meg Walker as she reads a letter she wrote entitled, To the Invisible Mother this Mother’s Day. In this bonus episode Meg says these words: “Your motherhood may be invisible to the outside world, but it’s there.” and she goes on to offer so much hope as she directly speaks to the woman with empty arms this Mother’s Day. We pray this special bonus episode brings you hope as you are reminded that you are seen, that you are loved and you are not alone. 

Read the full letter, To The Invisible Mother on Mother’s Day, at themorning.com/invisiblemother

MOTHER'S DAY RESOURCES FOR THE BEREAVED MOTHER
www.themorning.com/mothersday

As we approach Mother’s Day, maybe you are wondering will anyone recognize my motherhood? Will anyone remember? Will anyone see me as a mother? 

Today I am talking about what it looks like to prepare for Mother’s Day as a bereaved mother. I am sharing my best advice about how to tangibly prepare for this day, and the days leading up to it, as well as simple ideas for how you, as a bereaved mother, can celebrate your motherhood this Mother’s Day.

Listen in as I share 8 ways to prepare for Mother's Day and 10 ways to celebrate Mother's Day as a bereaved mother. This episode is tangibly helpful so make sure to give it a listen. 

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/episode119

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

Join me in listening to Mary Margaret Powitz as she reads a letter she wrote to you as we anticipate Mother's Day. In this bonus episode Mary says these words: “your motherhood, no matter how it looks, is worth celebrating... However long you had with your child, they still lived, and you still loved them, and you are still a mother. Whether anyone else claims it to be true. And that means, Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be about what others do or don’t do, but about how you choose to celebrate your own story and value as a mom.” 

We want to invite you to celebrate your motherhood. This Thursday, April 29 we are hosting a simple free event to give you a safe space to do that very thing -- to celebrate your motherhood. To join us for this free event, head to themorning.com/celebratingmotherhood. I hope to see you there. 

Mother’s Day is Coming, written and read by Mary Margaret Powitz. 

Mother's Day Resources for a Bereaved Mother
www.themorning.com/mothersday

Celebrating Motherhood (a free event)
www.themorning.com/celebratingmotherhood

If you know and love a mama who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss. This episode is for you. 

Whether you are a friend or a family member, if you know a mama who is grieving this episode is really important. Because while she may not tell you, the reality is she is hurting right now. 

In just a matter of weeks we will celebrate mothers on mothers day. And if you have never experienced the loss of a baby, it is impossible to fully understand the weight of what this day carries for the mom who has. And how difficult the weeks leading up to it really are.

In this episode I want to talk about why Mother’s Day feels so incredibly hard for a grieving mom and 5 simple ways that you, as her friend or as her family member can remind her that she’s loved, she’s remembered, and her motherhood is seen and celebrated.

And if you are listening and you are the bereaved mama, there’s a few things I want you to know today too and I’ll share those later in the episode. But for now, I wanted to tell you we are working on a really special project to help share your story of motherhood this Mother’s Day -- for all the details about how you can participate head to themorning.com/mymotherhood. Your motherhood story is a story worth sharing.

Also would you consider sharing this episode in whatever way feels most natural, whether it's by texting it to a friend or sharing on your social media accounts? Doing so will help raise awareness about the realities of life after baby loss and it will help educate those who love hurting mamas about how to best love them on and around Mother’s Day. The link to this episode is themorning.com/episode118 -- share it with a friend or family member or just a general social media post.

One more thing, if you head to themorning.com/shop you can find our Mother’s Day Cards that are perfect for a bereaved mother. They are currently on sale and come in packs of 5 or as a single card. If you know and love a mom who has experienced the loss of a baby, these cards are a perfect way to tell her she is loved and not forgotten this Mother’s Day. Use coupon code: MOTHERSDAY2021 for a special discount this week only.

Whether you are a grieving mama or you love a grieving mama, I am so glad you are here

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode118

JOIN THE FREE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

SHOP MOTHER'S DAY CARDS
www.themorning.com/shop

Today we finish up our series on marriage after loss with a special interview with Libby Marler about intimacy after pregnancy or infant loss. Libby joins us as a trained and experienced counselor who specializes in the perinatal period, the time of pregnancy and the year following a pregnancy. She also specializes in grief and loss and joins not only as an expert but also as a mom who has walked through a life-limiting diagnosis and infant loss. What Libby shares in this episode is going to be incredibly helpful as it relates to intimacy after baby loss and marriage in general when grieving. 

This is an aspect of baby loss that is often not talked about and often considered a taboo topic in culture in general. But it is really important and vital to the health of your marriage so I am incredibly grateful for Libby taking the time to share with us. 

She shares this idea about how there are two basic styles of grieving and that in and of itself would be worth listening to -- it was that helpful. Libby talks about why intimacy after the loss of a baby can feel so hard, she addresses the woman who might feel like she is dishonoring her baby by being intimate with her spouse, she addresses the woman who feels guilty for not being able to connect with her spouse in that way, and she also addresses the woman who is finding comfort in intimacy. She gives so much freedom to all of us when she says: 

“not all couples, not all women experience things in the exact same way. So there's nuance to each and every experience and just like grief, how you and your husband relate to each other sexually after you experienced the loss of the baby is going to fall on a spectrum at any given time.

And we really run into trouble in marriage, when we misunderstand and misinterpret our partners different grieving styles and how they use different strategies to adapt and cope with the feelings of grief that they have. And that can especially happen in terms of our intimate relationship.”

During our time together we also talked about how intimacy is more than just a purely physical act and what it might look like to reconnect in other ways. I loved when Libby said this:

"Other things that I think of is laughing together. And that's really hard in grief, but finding ways to laugh is important, it connects you and reduces your feelings of stress and actually helps release some endorphins for you to feel happier, more connected. The stress level goes down and gives you more of a sense of wellbeing.”

If you want a few ideas for how to reconnect with your spouse and create opportunities for laughter, head to www.themorning.com/datenight to download 29 Date Night Ideas. We created those with the purpose of reconnecting in mind, trying new things and even laughing.

Last thing before we jump in, when I asked Libby what resources she recommended on this topic and for marriage in general she said, get in community -- find other women who are navigating this grief journey and marriage after loss journey so you will be reminded that you aren’t the only one and that you aren’t alone.

If you have not already joined us I want to invite you to come join our free online community by heading to www.themorning.com/community - I hope to see you there!

You’re listening to The Joyful Mourning Podcast episode 116. My guest this week is Justice Kreider, a mom to three girls, one here on earth, one in heaven and one growing in her belly. During our time together Justice shares the story of her daughter Selah, She heard the words, we’re seeing some abnormalities at her 20 week anatomy scan but were given no clear answers as to what was wrong or what the prognosis would be. 7 weeks later at 27 weeks Justice would give birth to Selah who would live for 9 days. It would be another month before Justice was given any answers as to what had happened to her precious baby.

Justice shares honestly and tenderly and with the heart of a newly grieving mom having just lost her daughter within the year. We talk about what she would tell a mom who has been given news that something isn’t quite right, the mom in the waiting and the uncertainty. She talks about what surprised her about this journey, what helped her in this journey and what she would do differently if she was giving advice to another mom in a season of loss and grief.

We also talk about marriage after loss and what it’s been like to parent her living daughter Amara after loss and what pregnancy after loss has been like as well.  Lastly we talk about her faith amidst this journey and it is my favorite part of this episode. When I asked her to tell me about her faith she answered with this: “I didn’t have anything to say to Him. I would sit in his presence though because I knew He was who I needed. He was the only one who would be able to help me through this.” and then in closing Justice says this: “i would never ever say I wish this never happened... because we got her.” 

Justice shares in a way that is incredibly relatable and honest. Her words are truly full of hope and I am sure that you will be encouraged by her story and what she has learned along the way.

FREE GRIEF GUIDE
If you are new to the grief journey I want to share a free resource with you that I think will be really helpful. Navigating the complexities of grief can be feel overwhelming and confusing, if you could use a bit of help understanding what you are experiencing right now, head to themorning.com/griefguide to download a free Grief Guide. This is a simple resource written in collaboration with a counselor that will help you understand the grief you are experiencing, learn what is normal in grief, learn healthy ways to process and begin healing. The guide includes an explanation of bereavement trauma, the different aspects of trauma, what normal feelings of grief are, our bodies physical response to grief, when to seek professional help and journal prompts to help you process all of this in a healthy, helpful way that will lead to healing. To download this free guide head to themorning.com/griefguide.

FREE 7 DAY DEVOTIONAL
One more thing, if you are looking for hope and encouragement in your faith journey, I wrote a very, very simple 7 day devotional that I think you will really love and find really helpful. To download that free devotional head to themorning.com/devotional.

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode116

Today I have the privilege of interviewing Rachel Ramirez about her story of motherhood. Rachel has experienced 3 miscarriages and walked through the subsequent journey of grief and in this episode she is sharing all that she’s learned along the way. 

We spend time talking about what miscarriage was like for her and what she wishes others understood about pregnancy loss and what encouragement she would give to a woman who has just experienced a miscarriage.

We talk about marriage after loss and how to navigate the inevitable differences in the ways partners grieve. Her wisdom about marriage and how to love your spouse while grieving is incredibly encouraging and practically helpful.

We also talk about pregnancy after loss and how she made the decision to try again even after multiple losses.

We spend a significant amount of time talking about Rachel’s faith journey. Her answers to my questions about how to navigate faith after loss might surprise you and I am certain they will encourage you.

If Christianity and the Bible and God is something you have never thought about much or are exploring for the first time we have words of hope for you too in this episode.

Whether you are searching for answers about God, angry at God, confused by Him, disappointed in Him or running to Him, or some combination of those, make sure you listen all the way to the end of this episode to hear Rachel’s analogy of God amidst grief -- it’s incredibly hope-filled and encouraging.

If you are unsure about this faith that Rachel and I are talking about, check out www.themorning.com/hope for a few resources that might be helpful to you in your faith journey.

FREE DEVOTIONAL
We also have a free 7 day devotional called Hope for the Hurting that might be really helpful to you, to download that free devotional head to www.themorning.com/devotional

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode115

Listen into today’s special episode about: why raising awareness about pregnancy and infant loss is valuable and important, why it matters.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness month and over the next few weeks you will hear 3 short mini bonus episodes in honor of this special month. In these short episodes I will be highlighting specific topics surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in order to give you a voice, to acknowledge your loss and to help others who have not experienced this kind of loss understand a little better what it is to be a baby loss mom. If you love a grieving mom this bonus series on the podcast is going to be incredibly helpful. 

IF YOU ARE A GRIEVING MOM

For an abundance of resources about navigating life after the loss of a baby head to www.themorning.com/resourcebundle

IF YOU LOVE A GRIEVING MOM

And if you love a grieving mom, we have something for you too, a free guide with simple tips for how to love a grieving friend, head to themorning.com/friendsandfamily.

This week I am talking with Sarah Westfall about her son Carter and her experience with grief over the past 10 years. Carter was diagnosed with a prenatal life-limiting condition and during our time together she talks about what it was like to make the decision to continue carrying a baby that would not live long outside the womb, what she would tell a mom who has recently received a life-limiting diagnosis for her baby and what she wishes she had known about carrying and delivering a baby with a life-limiting diagnosis.

Sarah also talks about navigating marriage over the past 10 years of life after loss and the two specific things that her and husband did to navigate the challenges that exist in a marriage after the loss of a baby.

Sarah also shares candidly about her faith amidst her journey of loss and she talks about what it was like to be at a different place spiritually than her husband in the years following their son’s death. Sarah is really open in this interview about her faith journey and if you have ever asked questions like “Could God have healed my baby? If so, why didn’t he? Did he plan this? Could He have stopped it? Why didn’t He?” Sarah’s words are going to bring you a lot of comfort and hope. And if you are curious or interested about God, Sarah gives her thoughts on a good place to start on learning more.

We cover so much in this episode about loss and grief and marriage and spirituality, I love that Sarah shares from a perspective of having walked this journey for many years now. She brings encouragement and reminders of hope as someone who has been there and knows. I think her words and insights are going to really be a blessing to you.

EPISODE 114 SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode114

MARRIAGE RESOURCES
www.themorning.com/marriage

FAITH RESOURCES
www.themorning.com/hope

SUBMIT YOUR MOTHERHOOD STORY
www.themorning.com/mymotherhoodstory

I’m chatting with Lindsey Dennis about how the loss of her two daughters shaped her very young marriage. We talk about the patterns that developed as a result of experiencing such devastating loss so early in a marriage and what advice she would give to a couple new in their marriage and navigating grief.

We talk about how to navigate the reality of grieving differently than your spouse and she gives tangible advice about that that I think will really encourage you. She shares very transparently and honestly about what she would do differently in regards to her relationship with her husband.

Lindsey talks about what it looked like for her and her husband to pursue one another amidst grief; she shares honestly about how difficult that was for her and if you are feeling similarly the practical advice about this will be tangibly helpful and encouraging to you.

We talk about how important communication is but not just how important it is, which feels really obvious - but Lindsey gives some really helpful advice when I ask her what it looked like practically to communicate amidst grief -- especially when you are grieving differently than your spouse. 

Lindsey shares the one question her counselor encouraged her and her husband to ask one another on a consistent basis. And please please make sure to listen all the way to the end because Lindsey’s final words offer such incredible hope. 

LINDSEY'S FULL STORY: EPISODE 41
www.themorning.com/blog/episode041

EPISODE 113 SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode113

LIVE Q&A / HOPE HANGOUT
Once a month we host a live Q&A and Lindsey will be joining us for this month’s q&a as we discuss marriage after loss. For details about how to join our March Hope Hangout, or to rsvp head to:  themorning.com/hopehangout 

MARRIAGE RESOURCES
29 Date Night Ideas:  themorning.com/datenight
Build your marriage and reconnect with your spouse, even when you are in the depths of grief, with these date night Ideas.

Check out all the resources we have on marriage by heading to themorning.com/marriage.

Today I am talking with Allison Schaaf, founder of Miscarriage Hopedesk -- a resource for women who are experiencing recurring pregnancy loss. Allison walked through many miscarriages with no real clear answers as to why this was happening and today we are talking about that journey. We talk about adoption and IVF and pregnancy after so much loss -- I ask her “how did you not give up hope?” Her answers to that question were really helpful and I think her daily mantra will be helpful to you if you are considering pregnancy after loss or are currently pregnant after loss.

We talk about marriage amidst loss and after loss and I agreed wholeheartedly when she said “It isn’t talked about enough how difficult the fertility journey is on a marriage.” That’s why we’re here and we are talking about; because your marriage matters and we know how difficult it can be to navigate such an important relationship amidst pregnancy or infant loss. That’s why we created a free Date Night Idea Guide just for you. A resource to help you reconnect and give your hearts a break from the heavy and hard and intense moments of grief.  Head to themorning.com/marriage, to download 29 date night ideas that will help you connect with your spouse or partner even in the midst of grief.

During our time together Allison shares about what it looked like for her to advocate for herself and to find answers about why she was experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. She gives a really practical tip for how to do that, to advocate for yourself, and even if you have not experienced recurrent pregnancy loss I think this tip will be really helpful for you and the way you interact with your doctors moving forward. And lastly as a registered dietician and chef Allison talks about the role food plays in our maternal health; her thoughts on this might surprise you and I think will offer you freedom in this area. 

I loved getting to talk with Allison about her journey and I am so grateful for the practical wisdom she offers in this interview -- to check out all the resources we chat about in this episode make sure to check out the show notes at themorning.com/episode112. I think it’s going to be really helpful to you.

QUESTIONS WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE

1. With each of your losses, there were different things that helped you in the grief that followed -- tell me about some of those things.
2. What would you say to a woman who has experienced or is experiencing recurrent loss?
3. Tell me about your decision to try to conceive again and again; how did you not give up hope? 
4. What did it look like for you to advocate for yourself? What steps did you take, medically speaking before you began trying to conceive again? What about throughout your pregnancies?  
   1. What about our mental health amidst grief?
   2. What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in learning more about how nutrition affects this journey?  
5. You are a registered dietician -- what role does food play in our maternal health? Did you make any changes to your diet amidst your motherhood journey?
6. Tell me about Miscarriage Hope Desk -- What is it? Why did you start it? What was your inspiration?
7. What encouragement would you give to another mom who has experienced recurrent miscarriage?

--

SHOW NOTES
www.themorning.com/blog/episode112

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
www.themorning.com/community

29 DATE NIGHT IDEAS
www.themorning.com/marriage