Minutes after finding out that James and Jake had died, I feared losing another pregnancy. I grew up with five brothers and sisters and beside the occasional (everyday) brawl, it was a wonderful experience.
To this day we still get together and laugh and cry and reminisce about the wonderful life and childhood that we had. Despite the occasional (everyday) brawl.
My point is? I want more children.
I know having a pregnancy loss is annoyingly common. My Mother suffered multiple losses of her own, as did my grandmother and most recently, my oldest sister.
Logically, I understand that most early miscarriages are simply because the pieces of the puzzle just did not fit together. It makes total sense. The entire process is so incredibly intricate, how could it not go wrong some of the time? The night I was admitted to the hospital, I can remember talking to Brian and my parents about how amazing it is that Ariel and Racecar are here with us in their most perfect forms.
I still can’t over it.
Honestly, I get annoyed that people don’t know how amazing it is that they can have multiple children and not have any idea how fortunate they are to have carried and birthed without complications. It annoys me, but I also envy that a little bit.
I know there are many people out there that are aware of their gifts or their “luck,” but not everyone is.
Awhile ago, I sat in the waiting room at my OB’s office, only briefly enough to see the ultrasound tech walk up to a very, very young patient. (maybe sixteen years old.) The tech informed the patient that she was incorrectly scheduled for an ultrasound, that she would need to schedule it three weeks later when they could better take measurements of the babies body parts, this it was simply too early to get the best view.
This girl looked up at this tech and started to cry. Why? Because she had to wait three weeks to find out the sex of the baby. Not wait three weeks to make sure everything was okay.
The bitter (and probably jealous) person inside of me wanted to yell at her “have you know idea how lucky you are? In the grand scheme of things you’ll never even remember this teeny tiny little wait.”
I realized then how wrong that was of me to think this way. I did understand her disappointment, but I was still frustrated at what I was seeing.
I guess that’s one of the reasons why I chose to write so candidly about losing James and Jake. I wanted people to understand and I wanted people who have experienced a loss similar to mine to know they are not alone.
Also? There are woman who at the time of my loss had not experienced a loss but have since then and have come to me seeking advice and comfort.
One year ago, I thought my blog would be a great place to share my life with identical twin boys and two kids who were born less than a year apart. I never dreamed my blog would actually turn into a blog that is sometimes described as helpful, inspiring, resourceful and sometimes too difficult to read. {ouch.}
I’ve stated before that I’m not okay with losing James and Jake. I’m not okay with the fear I have when thinking about future pregnancies.
But I am okay with being something bigger than I was a year ago today. I am okay with the fact that I know how sacred each breath we take is, I’m okay with sharing with all of you my hopes and fears and my shortcomings because I know that not everybody is perfect.
Not you. Not me. Not science.
I am fearful, but I guess all we can do is HOPE for the best and let life head in the direction that it’s supposed to, no matter how incredibly difficult that actually is. Any tips on how to do this?




























Your words encourage so many people. I just hope that you realize and take comfort in that fact. You are lifted up in prayer more than you know. Hugs and love go out to you sweetie!
Your words encourage so many people. I just hope that you realize and take comfort in that fact. You are lifted up in prayer more than you know. Hugs and love go out to you sweetie!
I love that you’ve been so open. I have only experienced the loss of a baby through others .. but they have opened my eyes to what a remarkable blessing my girls are.
A dear friend of mine has lost two babies, and it surprised me how many times I heard her say someone had told her or implied that she should be moving on or getting over it.
Instead, she bought ornaments for their Christmas tree to remember. And she wears a necklace as a lovely tribute.
I love that you’ve been so open. I have only experienced the loss of a baby through others .. but they have opened my eyes to what a remarkable blessing my girls are.
A dear friend of mine has lost two babies, and it surprised me how many times I heard her say someone had told her or implied that she should be moving on or getting over it.
Instead, she bought ornaments for their Christmas tree to remember. And she wears a necklace as a lovely tribute.
This is so honest and true. Thank you for that. As the title you chose and the other commenters attest to – I think all that fear just has to land in hope. I think it’s about deciding that you want another chance at bringing life into this world more than you want to live in the shackles of fear over what might happen.
I see that lived out in the life of my mother-in-law. She had one perfectly easy, perfectly textbook pregnancy that resulted in my sister-in-law. She then had a miscarriage, a stillborn baby girl, and another miscarriage. They were so hopeful if they could just try one more time . . . and they created my wonderful, amazing husband. I’m so glad she didn’t run from her fear. I’m sure it was with her every step of the way, but hope won out.
Maybe you could focus on that . . . what life is waiting to be created if you are willing to acknowledge the fear but choose the hope?
This is so honest and true. Thank you for that. As the title you chose and the other commenters attest to – I think all that fear just has to land in hope. I think it’s about deciding that you want another chance at bringing life into this world more than you want to live in the shackles of fear over what might happen.
I see that lived out in the life of my mother-in-law. She had one perfectly easy, perfectly textbook pregnancy that resulted in my sister-in-law. She then had a miscarriage, a stillborn baby girl, and another miscarriage. They were so hopeful if they could just try one more time . . . and they created my wonderful, amazing husband. I’m so glad she didn’t run from her fear. I’m sure it was with her every step of the way, but hope won out.
Maybe you could focus on that . . . what life is waiting to be created if you are willing to acknowledge the fear but choose the hope?
Hello, Beth. I’m a recent addition to the Sisterhood, and until now, I’ve been reading your blog and not commenting. But tonight, I just had to. I am not a mother. I have never been pregnant, so I can never know how you feel, or the loss you feel. Having said that, I am a surviving twin. I do not talk about this with a lot of people, but I want to share it with you(and there is so many more details, but I’m trying to keep this short). For a long time, I never knew I was a twin, but I knew always knew something was different. I was never whole. Now, I know I will never be completely whole. But through the years, I have learned that she is with me still. And while I think about her everyday, I know that if she were here, she would want me to live life to it’s fullest. She would want me to remember her, to keep her with me, but to live life, no matter what it may bring. And since I realized that, even though I still deal with never having really known her, I am at peace. Whatever life throws at you, you just take life day by day. God will give you the strength to get through it.
)
Hello, Beth. I’m a recent addition to the Sisterhood, and until now, I’ve been reading your blog and not commenting. But tonight, I just had to. I am not a mother. I have never been pregnant, so I can never know how you feel, or the loss you feel. Having said that, I am a surviving twin. I do not talk about this with a lot of people, but I want to share it with you(and there is so many more details, but I’m trying to keep this short). For a long time, I never knew I was a twin, but I knew always knew something was different. I was never whole. Now, I know I will never be completely whole. But through the years, I have learned that she is with me still. And while I think about her everyday, I know that if she were here, she would want me to live life to it’s fullest. She would want me to remember her, to keep her with me, but to live life, no matter what it may bring. And since I realized that, even though I still deal with never having really known her, I am at peace. Whatever life throws at you, you just take life day by day. God will give you the strength to get through it.
)
I’m a new commenter, I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog and felt like it was time to say something. Thank you for sharing about your loss. I know that is hard to lose a child and then even harder to talk about or write about it. When I miscarried at 14 weeks I felt like I joined a club…. a club that I didn’t want to be a part of …nobody really wanted to be a part of but one where we finally understood what the other mom’s pain felt like.
Thank you for sharing with me and the rest of the blog world.
I’m a new commenter, I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog and felt like it was time to say something. Thank you for sharing about your loss. I know that is hard to lose a child and then even harder to talk about or write about it. When I miscarried at 14 weeks I felt like I joined a club…. a club that I didn’t want to be a part of …nobody really wanted to be a part of but one where we finally understood what the other mom’s pain felt like.
Thank you for sharing with me and the rest of the blog world.
Hope is a great thing to have. Faith goes along with it. You have 2 beautiful miracles and I would not give up Hope or Faith that God will bless you with more. You open your heart up so wide to everyone and it’s great that people can relate to you and feel comforted by their own losses…Love ya!
Hope is a great thing to have. Faith goes along with it. You have 2 beautiful miracles and I would not give up Hope or Faith that God will bless you with more. You open your heart up so wide to everyone and it’s great that people can relate to you and feel comforted by their own losses…Love ya!
When going through my divorce 10 years ago, I was so fearful of getting hurt again….but I also knew I couldn’t live my life being scared all the time of “what if”….I decided that every time that I got hurt, or something happened that was painful (losing my dad a year ago yesterday is one good example), I either learned a really valuable lesson, or it taught me to appreciate what I DO have more, or I just became a better person because of the situation I had gone through….for some reason, a line in a really bad movie (“Bounce” with Ben Afflek and Gwenyth Paltrow) hit me….one of them says “It isn’t brave if you aren’t scared”….I have NO idea, but that line is something I think of often….and my faith and hope get me through a lot as I know it does you too….
When going through my divorce 10 years ago, I was so fearful of getting hurt again….but I also knew I couldn’t live my life being scared all the time of “what if”….I decided that every time that I got hurt, or something happened that was painful (losing my dad a year ago yesterday is one good example), I either learned a really valuable lesson, or it taught me to appreciate what I DO have more, or I just became a better person because of the situation I had gone through….for some reason, a line in a really bad movie (“Bounce” with Ben Afflek and Gwenyth Paltrow) hit me….one of them says “It isn’t brave if you aren’t scared”….I have NO idea, but that line is something I think of often….and my faith and hope get me through a lot as I know it does you too….
My firstborn daughter Anna was stillborn at fullterm due to a 4X Nuchal Cord Accident. She was Perfect and Beautiful in every way. She taught me more in the nine months she was with me than I could ever write here. She changed me, my spirit, my core being. I am very grateful for the time I had with her and could never deny her exsistence. I am now a mother of 4. Anna would be 9 years old. I have 2 handsome sons and 1 gorgeous baby girl named after her big sister in heaven. There is hope after such horrible loss of precious babies. I have 3 hope babies. Although the pregnancies were tough, I knew they had a very special angel to watch over them. The pain never goes away, but it does ease with time. You’ll just learn a new way to live. Hope is a wonderful feeling, my heart goes out to you. I am So Sorry for you Loss of your precious boys. I wish you all the Best Sweetie :0)
My firstborn daughter Anna was stillborn at fullterm due to a 4X Nuchal Cord Accident. She was Perfect and Beautiful in every way. She taught me more in the nine months she was with me than I could ever write here. She changed me, my spirit, my core being. I am very grateful for the time I had with her and could never deny her exsistence. I am now a mother of 4. Anna would be 9 years old. I have 2 handsome sons and 1 gorgeous baby girl named after her big sister in heaven. There is hope after such horrible loss of precious babies. I have 3 hope babies. Although the pregnancies were tough, I knew they had a very special angel to watch over them. The pain never goes away, but it does ease with time. You’ll just learn a new way to live. Hope is a wonderful feeling, my heart goes out to you. I am So Sorry for you Loss of your precious boys. I wish you all the Best Sweetie :0)
Please keep sharing. All of it.
Please keep sharing. All of it.
No advice, but I would like to say that I think this is one of the most well written and most sincere post I’ve ever read about loss.
As another poster commented, all you can do is have faith.
I wish you the best of luck.
No advice, but I would like to say that I think this is one of the most well written and most sincere post I’ve ever read about loss.
As another poster commented, all you can do is have faith.
I wish you the best of luck.
I lost my very first pregnancy, so each one after that was a long-held breath. I checked for blood every single time I went pee, through every single pregnancy after that. I find myself still checking even though I had my last baby over three years ago. You move into a different kind of normal life after a miscarriage, I think. I have three lovely redheads that I thank God for every day. I have two angel babies that I wonder about at different times in the year. You just never know what will happen, but you hope, and you love, and you take one day at a time.
I lost my very first pregnancy, so each one after that was a long-held breath. I checked for blood every single time I went pee, through every single pregnancy after that. I find myself still checking even though I had my last baby over three years ago. You move into a different kind of normal life after a miscarriage, I think. I have three lovely redheads that I thank God for every day. I have two angel babies that I wonder about at different times in the year. You just never know what will happen, but you hope, and you love, and you take one day at a time.
Beautiful post, Beth. Many of us belong to that club, too. It sucks. You’re right, there is fear in trying again. With my own experience I knew 100% that God was in control and I knew He had a plan. It was at that point in my life that I needed to let go and let God. I had the desire for more children. Why did I have that? Some people don’t.Then it dawned on me! My desire was actually a GIFT! If I didn’t have this strong of a desire, I would have GIVEN UP! Fear would have won! I thanked God for giving me this desire, I knew He gave this desire to me for a REASON! I finally “GOT IT!” It was because of the gift of desire that I was able to put my fears aside and GO FOR IT! Yes, I still had times during my pregnancies that I felt unsure and scared(let’s face it, I’m only human!) but I was also at peace knowing that God was ultimately in control and had plans for this “new” little one. God carried the load.
Beth, I will continue to pray for you. I know that the desire that lived in me, lives also in you. I see it! I knew from the first moment I started reading your blog. I KNOW who has blessed your heart with this desire. God is preparing you. You are becoming stronger each and every day. I’ve watched you grow through your pain. You’re boys would be so proud! There’s so much more to life and I thank you for making us all realize how important each and every moment is. DIVE IN, Beth!
Beautiful post, Beth. Many of us belong to that club, too. It sucks. You’re right, there is fear in trying again. With my own experience I knew 100% that God was in control and I knew He had a plan. It was at that point in my life that I needed to let go and let God. I had the desire for more children. Why did I have that? Some people don’t.Then it dawned on me! My desire was actually a GIFT! If I didn’t have this strong of a desire, I would have GIVEN UP! Fear would have won! I thanked God for giving me this desire, I knew He gave this desire to me for a REASON! I finally “GOT IT!” It was because of the gift of desire that I was able to put my fears aside and GO FOR IT! Yes, I still had times during my pregnancies that I felt unsure and scared(let’s face it, I’m only human!) but I was also at peace knowing that God was ultimately in control and had plans for this “new” little one. God carried the load.
Beth, I will continue to pray for you. I know that the desire that lived in me, lives also in you. I see it! I knew from the first moment I started reading your blog. I KNOW who has blessed your heart with this desire. God is preparing you. You are becoming stronger each and every day. I’ve watched you grow through your pain. You’re boys would be so proud! There’s so much more to life and I thank you for making us all realize how important each and every moment is. DIVE IN, Beth!
Beth, as usual, I don’t really know what to say, but that I love you and I know that there are wonderful things in store for you.
Jen
Beth, as usual, I don’t really know what to say, but that I love you and I know that there are wonderful things in store for you.
Jen
We do take it for granted sometimes, I know I do. Thank you for a little reminder that it is all so precious and miraculous. Of course none of us knows what the future holds but my prayer for you is that it is only more blessings…
We do take it for granted sometimes, I know I do. Thank you for a little reminder that it is all so precious and miraculous. Of course none of us knows what the future holds but my prayer for you is that it is only more blessings…
hey beth…
first…i LOVE LOVE LOVE the redesign. it is so beautiful and inspiring…my job taps a lot into my creative juices so seeing beautiful things always make me all happy and inspired. thank you.
for the most part, miscarriage is such a private pain and it is an honor to be told a story. reading yours has taught me how to treat the mothers that come to the store with dignity and respect. thank you for sharing.
as always, here when you need me.
hugs.
hey beth…
first…i LOVE LOVE LOVE the redesign. it is so beautiful and inspiring…my job taps a lot into my creative juices so seeing beautiful things always make me all happy and inspired. thank you.
for the most part, miscarriage is such a private pain and it is an honor to be told a story. reading yours has taught me how to treat the mothers that come to the store with dignity and respect. thank you for sharing.
as always, here when you need me.
hugs.