Yesterday I stumbled upon this blog. I started reading it at 10am and did not finish until many hours later at about 4pm (on and off reading). Words fail me when it comes to describing my feelings while reading through it. I cried, I sobbed, I laughed and I sobbed all over again. But mostly, my heart broke little by little as I read further along.
Many of my blog readers are photographers. Many of you may be associated with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org) which offers bereavement photography to grieving parents. This blog, about sweet Audrey Caroline Smith, is a testament to many things – the loss of a child and the importance of this type of photography, and a testament to true and complete faith.
As a disclaimer, the story discusses the troubles the family faces during the ultrasound discovery of Audrey’s fatal anomalies, and also includes some beautifully moving maternity and bereavement photography by Tom Uchida. (Angie’s maternity session can be seen on his site under “Audrey Caroline maternity”.) Angie’s husband, Todd Smith, is also in the contemporary christian band Selah.
As a mom of four, I cannot fathom the pain this family endured while they went through such things. My heart was completely shattered – but in the same instance I was overtaken by Angie’s faith, and by her what seems like wiser-than-her-years mentality. What did I take away from the blog? More than I could ever write in words.
I know I gained so much from reading the blog in its entirety. And I can assuredly say that, undoubtedly, you will as well.
http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/
Compelling.
- Wow. Thanks for sharing this. My heart is breaking.
- I was a pediatric intensive care nurse in my previous life, I'm very familiar with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep's organization. I'm not a professional photographer yet, and I'm working on that- but as soon as I can, this is one of the things that I will commit to. It's the only thing I can do. Thanks for sharing with your community of photographers...
- Earlier every year!
- Oh my gosh...I have been reading the blog off and on for a couple days now and I am just in the same place and feelings that you described. I can't thank you enough for sharing that with us. I have passed it on to others and I feel like my soul has changed. My heart aches for that family. Thanks again for sharing. p.s. I hope your surgery went well and I will pray for a fast healing.
Stacey
by Jodi Bell
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