I've never been big on remembering dates.
I like celebrating birthdays.
I remember our wedding anniversary.
That's been about it.
Until now.
Now we have a grief anniversary.
April 15, 2017 was Naomi Grace's due date.
April 17, 2017 was the day we found out we lost our baby girl.
April 18, 2017 was the day I delivered and we held her in our arms.
These dates will forever be etched in my mind.
We had nine months of anticipation waiting to meet her.
Then we got to hold her little body for about 18 hours.
I still can't believe how beautiful she was.
So perfect.
This week also marks a year of something special.
This time last year Craig and I got away for a week.
Just the two of us.
At the beach.
No plans or obligations.
It was refreshing for us in so many ways.
We set new family goals.
We started to discuss expanding our family.
As I look back at the photos I see two babies who had no clue what was coming.
It's been a crazy year and a brutal month.
But this memory gives me hope.
We won't always feel the way we do right now.
Times of refreshment will come again.
The grief anniversaries will be painful.
But they can also be beautiful.
We can look back and remember where we have been.
What we were given and lost.
How we have overcome.
