Date	Name	On This Date	Mom/E-mail
May 1994	Jack Timothee	Was Born An Angel	Joanne C.
May 2001	Unknown Angel	Was Born An Angel	Jennifer N.
May 1, 1979	Cliff Mortimer	Was Born	Elaine
May 1, 1984	Chelsea Ann	Was Born	Theresa M.
May 2, 1973	Kristen Nichols	Was Born	Jo Ann
May 2, 1996	Brenden	Became An Angel	Traci W.
May 2, 2003	Elijh Soto	Became An Angel	Melissa S.
May 2, 2004	Stephanie	Became An Angel	Cheri B.
May 3, 1983	Lisa Marie Wawczak	Was Born	Sandy W.
May 3, 2002	Jordan Patrick	Became An Angel	Carlie F.
May 3, 2004	Jack	Was Born An Angel	Leonie.
May 3, 2005	Mark Groesser	Became An Angel	Cindi T.
May 4, 1996	Elijah	Became An Angel	Arlene D.
May 4, 1998	Nichole Boyd	Was Born	Anita B-D.
May 5, 2001	Kat	Became An Angel	Robin T.
May 5, 2003	Ryan	Became An Angel	Melanie H.
May 6, 1981	Sharlene Marie Orrvick	Was Born	Linda O.
May 6, 1994	Joanne	Was Born	Margaret
May 6, 2003	Michael John Donald Burrows	Became An Angel	Gail B.
May 6, 2004	Monquence Antonio Goodwin Jr.	Was Born An Angel	Tracy J.
May 6, 2005	Gabriel Harry Mordecia	Became An Angel	Sarah P.
May 7, 1970	Debra "Debbie" Smith	Was Born	Betty B.
May 7, 1990	Juan Miguel	Became An Angel	Madelyn R.
May 7, 2003	Jason Lee Miller	Became An Angel	Karen M.
May 8, 1977	Christina R. Ribucan	Was Born	Donna O.
May 8, 1996	Sammy	Was Born	Jenni P.
May 8, 2003	Michael Jason Evans	Became An Angel	Debby
May 8, 2004	Ryan W. Truman	Became An Angel	Trudy S.
May 9, 1977	Kenneth Shawn Phillips	Was Born	Deborah T.
May 9, 1985	Jared Evan	Was Born	Vanessa
May 9, 1995	Rachael	Was Born An Angel	Shelia
May 9, 2002	Rebecca	Became An Angel	Christina D.
May 10, 1993	Zachariah Howard Tierson	Was Born	Ann T.
May 10, 2000	Marla Rayanne Ellis	Became An Angel	Patricia E.
May 10, 2001	Kiersten "Kiki" Eline Fontenot	Was Born	Jeanne F.
May 10, 2002	Kayla Ann Carbone	Was Born	Tammy P.
May 10, 2003	Heidi S. Unruh	Became An Angel	Sandy U.
May 10, 2004	Matthew	Became An Angel	Kathy Z.
May 10, 2004	Christina Autumn Helton	Became An Angel	Carol H.
May 10, 2005	Samantha Lynn Wheeler	Became An Angel	Jennie B.
May 11, 1979	Sarada Hinton	Was Born	Cynthia H.
May, 2002	Koby Smith	Became An Angel	Sharron S.
May 11, 2005	Alex Gerard	Was Born An Angel	Catherine
May 11, 2005	Noah	Became An Angel	Nancy S.
May 12, 1969	James Ludwig	Was Born	Colleen H.
May 12, 1998	Jamie McCombs	Became An Angel	Karen
May 13, 1979	Bryan Esposito	Was Born	Irene E.
May 13, 1989	Andrew	Became An Angel	Tami B.
May 13, 1995	Shawn Michael Cook	Became An Angel	Linda
May 13, 1998	Christopher Proctor	Became An Angel	Brenda R.
March 14, 1984	Bryan Yasenosky	Was Born	Lorraine Y.
March 14, 1999	Jared Michael Gordon	Became An Angel	Gina G.
May 14, 2001	Mike Scarpati	Became An Angel	Lynn S.
May 14, 2005	Brianna Louise Judy	Was Born An Angel	Brandy J.
May 15, 1985	Anthony "Tony" Uzzo	Was Born	Terry B.
May 15, 1998	Kayla Marie Werner	Was Born	Debbie W.
May 15, 2002	Braden Hughes Patton	Became An Angel	Sherill P.
May 16, 1996	Clyde Hawes	Became An Angel	Shelly L.
May 16, 1998	Kailey Ann	Was Born An Angel	Heather
May 16, 2001	Diana Lynn	Became An Angel	Carol J.
May 16, 2002	Jesus Gutierrez Jr.	Became An Angel	Marilyn G.
May 16, 2004	Joshua	Became An Angel	Emma
May 17, 1997	John William Parker "J.W."	Became An Angel	Tina P.
May 17, 2003	Brittany Lynn Smith	Became An Angel	Christine S.
May 17, 2004	Corey Dylan Clark	Was Born	Deborah R.
May 17, 2005	Chad A. Huber	Became An Angel	Tammy H.
May 18, 1977	Richard Smith	Was Born	Ellie
May 18, 1977	Brandon Lee Hardesty	Was Born	Eliza H.
May 18, 1980	Daniel "Danny"	Was Born	Arlene D.
May 18, 1982	Paul Shane Brough	Was Born	Theresa B.
May 18, 1987	Brennan Cory Flook	Was Born	Sherri F.
May 18, 1988	Dale Lloyd Clark	Was Born	Rena C.
May 18, 1999	Jamie	Was Born An Angel	Jennifer S.
May 18, 1999	David G. Unzicker	Became An Angel	Pat
May 18, 2001	Shelly Huddleston	Became An Angel	Susan H.
May 18, 2001	Lori DiBello	Became An Angel	Lori C.
May 18, 2004	Stephen Wesley Jenkins	Became An Angel	Melinda J.
May 18, 2004	Anthony "Tony" Uzzo	Became An Angel	Terry B.
May 18, 2005	Katie Cassidy	Became An Angel	Diane J.
May 19, 1975	Brenda Shay Miller-Fair	Was Born	Sherri M.
May 19, 1984	Michael Wayne Griffith, Jr.	Was Born	Judy B.
May 19, 1985	Christopher Rueben	Was Born	Melissa F.
May 19, 1978	Eugene W. Ezzell III	Was Born	Cynthia E.
May 19, 2001	Matisse Aiyanna Chov	Was Born	Shelle C.
May 19, 2003	Joshua Michale Cox	Was Born	Alissa W.
May 19, 2005	Kaden	Became An Angel	Denette S.
May 19, 2005	Dalasia Damaria Johnson	Became An Angel	Shundrica B.
May 20, 1994	Johnny Glover, Jr.	Was Born	Kim G.
May 20, 1997	Colin Daniel Johnston	Was Born	Pamela J.
May 20, 2004	Diane Michele Wade Buonanduci	Became An Angel	Diane C.
May 20, 2005	Bree Cathrene	Was Born An Angel	Bobbie S.
May 21, 1975	Christopher James Welch	Was Born	Maryrose W.
May 21, 1987	Ashley	Was Born	Donna W.
May 21, 1998	Bailey Mayer	Was Born	Angela D.
May 21, 2001	Dylan Thomas Escareno	Was Born	Cynthia E.
May 21, 2002	Derek Alan Herman	Became An Angel	Kathy H.
May 21, 2002	Zackary Logan Witt	Became An Angel	Rainie
May 21, 2005	Fabio Mariano de Guadalupe Mejia	Became An Angel	Barbara M.
May 22, 1998	Keith Laurence Zeliger II	Became An Angel	Linda Z.
May 22, 2004	Ashton Nathaniel	Became An An Angel	Jenna
May 23, 1989	Andrew Wanhala	Was Born	Pamela W.
May 23, 1999	Sarah Jean Mika	Was Born	Mary Frances M.
May 23, 1999	Sarah Jean Mika	Became An Angel	Mary Frances M.
May 23, 2001	Marcus Melendez	Was Born	Angie M.
May 23, 2004	Ashton Nathaniel	Was Born An Angel	Jenna
May 23, 2005	Samira Joy Nukho	Became An Angel	Kathy N.
May 24, 1984	Austin Gains	Was Born	Pam F.
May 24, 2000	Brittney Cheyanne Laws	Was Born	Trish
May 25, 1995	Meaghan Nichole Wells	Was Born	Kerri W.
May 25, 2000	Joe	Became An Angel	Grace H.
May 25, 2003	Alex	Became An Angel	Jacki
May 25, 2004	Grace	Was Born	Sue L.
May 25, 2004	Alexander James Peter (Alex)	Became An Angel	Heather
May 26, 1974	Shane Stephens	Was Born	Sylvia S.
May 26, 1985	Devin Hutchison	Was Born	Jan H.
May 26, 2000	Raymond Dixon	Became An Angel	Teri D.
May 26, 2000	Travon Christopher Green	Became An Angel	Sheri H.
May 27, 1963	James Kenneth "Jimmy" Putman	Was Born	Ruby R.
May 27, 1976	Beth Carr	Was Born	Cindy C.
May 27, 1978	Trevor	Was Born	Cherylann T.
May 27, 1985	Matt Neal	Was Born	Erma W.
May 27, 1999	Adam Ayer	Became An Angel	Nancy
May 27, 2000	Jeremy Patrick	Was Born	Heidi
May 27, 2002	Hailey Elizabeth	Was Born An Angel	Malina F.
May 27, 2003	Jaylen Kai LaPeer	Was Born An Angel	Jessica L.
May 27, 2003	Kimlan Le	Became An Angel	Carolyn L.
May 27, 2004	Baby Boy	Was Born An Angel	Heather
May 27, 2004	Dakota MaeFaith Hyder	Was Born An Angel	Arianna H.
May 27, 2004	Ethan Paul Miller	Became An Angel	Mary M.
May 27, 2004	Alex	Was Born An Angel	Miranda
May 28, 1974	Shane Whalen	Was Born	Sandy W.
May 28, 1986	Ryan W. Truman	Was Born	Trudy S.
May 28, 1994	Ashley	Was Born An Angel	Michelle C.
May 28, 1995	Chucky	Became An Angel	Shelia
May 28, 1998	Kennedy Elizabeth	Was Born	Kristie W.
May 28, 2000	Damian A. De La Cruz	Became An Angel	Nellie A.
May 28, 2001	Kate Johnson	Became An Angel	Edie
March 28, 2003	Caleb Allen Smith	Became An Angel	Jessica S.
May 28, 2005	Rachel	Became An Angel	Lesley S.
May 29, 1985	Angela Marie	Became An Angel	Elizabeth
May 29, 1985	Michael Brent	Became An Angel	Elizabeth
May 29, 1985	Casey Ann	Became An Angel	Elizabeth
May 29, 1998	Jeanne Frances Jones	Became An Angel	Laura J.
May 29, 1999	Darnetta Abram	Became An Angel	Diann A.
May 29, 2000	Joshua Fugaro	Was Born	Tania F.
May 29, 2004	Gabrial	Became An Angel	Lnn
May 29, 2005	Julia Katherine	Became An Angel	Ann W.
May 30, 1980	Heather Nicole Runge	Became An Angel	Patricia B.
May 30, 1988	Amber Shadduck	Was Born	Debbie S.
May 31, 1979	Ralph De Jesus " Pito"	Was Born	Sandra L.
May 31, 1988	Joshua Johnson	Was Born	Vickie J.
May 31, 1996	Alex Morgan	Was Born	Jen
May 31, 1997	Corey	Was Born	Dawn G.
May 31, 1998	Larry Hughs	Became An Angel	Cheryl B.
May 31, 2004	Joseph William Black	Became An Angel	Nicola B.
May 31, 2003	RickHell Amos-Sparks	Became An Angel	Kassandra A.
May 31, 2003	Gregory	Became An Angel	Marie H.
May 31, 2005	Zachary Odle	Became An Angel	Cathy O.

Our Featured Mom for the month of March is Diane Craddock

Thank you for the honor of being chosen to be the featured Mom for the May newsletter. May is a special month for me, some reasons are blessings, while others are bittersweet. Family has always been and always will be one of the most important aspects in my life. Over the years, the good Lord blessed me with two bundles of joy. JJ Wade, a bouncing baby boy was born on September 22, 1972 and four years later on December 31, 1976 a beautiful baby girl, Michele Wade, completed our family. January 26, 2004 was the start of devastating changes in my world.....being suddenly drafted into a club a parent never expects to become a member of......overnight I became a bereaved parent.

My beloved JJ died suddenly on January 26, 2004 from carbon monoxide poisoning and Michele moved in to help me raise his traumatized sons, Brandon--11 and Jamie--10. She enjoyed doing things with them and her four children.... Jeremy–11, Trent–8, Morgan–6, & Michael–3. She took them to church, fishing, swimming, to the skating rink (even roller skating with them...LOL) and helped with homework too. Mother’s Day 2004 was difficult without JJ here but Michele lifted my spirits with love and caring.... unaware of the unimaginable tragedy to strike our grieving family within two weeks. On May 20, 2004 my beautiful Michele was killed instantly in a car crash when a woman crossed the centerline.

Coping with the emotional upheaval that comes with the losses is overwhelming in itself but I try to focus on the positive aspects in my life. I never imagined I would be raising children (grandchildren) at my age but I will always do my best to provide a safe, loving, Christian home for them. We have suffered tragedies in our lives and we must learn to live with the sadness. Even though my whole being (heart, mind, body, and soul) will always feel the ache of missing JJ and Michele, I will continue to follow where God and my heart leads me.

One person can't tell another how to handle their own grieving process because each parent and each child are unique.... which makes each and every loss unique. I pray by all of us sharing our different ways of working through our personal grief, we will be able to piece together parts to continue helping ourselves and each other with one of the most difficult things life will ever throw our way.....the death of our child/children. If we refuse to remember our beloved children because the memories hurt, then we would miss some of the wonderful moments we shared with them over the years they blessed our lives.

I share my children’s lives by starting several new traditions after they died...yearly scholarships in their memory at a local college they both attended; a Celebration of Life Ceremony for loved ones from around the world to be held each New Year’s Eve; and cleaning a section of road in their memory. Also, I started writing poetry to put some of my emotions onto paper and possibly help others when they are faced with the turmoil and pain of burying a child. I have written poems about the memories we shared, the painful heartache of missing them, and the unrealistic views from people that haven’t endured the loss of a child/children.

Mother’s Day is on May 14th this year and I continue to thank God for allowing JJ and Michele to bless my life for the years they were here, the hard part is not being able to spend time with them except through the cherished memories they left behind and spending time with their beloved children. I loved them so deeply and I will always deeply miss them but I have faith in the Lord to continuously provide the strength needed to survive this and anything else the world sends my way.

Michele's Page
J.J.'s Page




What Makes A Mother?

I thought of you and closed my eyes,
And prayed to God today,
I asked "What makes a Mother?"
And I know I heard Him say.

"A Mother has a baby"
This we know is true,
"But God can you be a Mother,
When your child's not with you?"

"Yes, you can, " He replied,
With confidence in His voice,
"I give many women babies,
When they leave is not their choice.

Some I send for a lifetime,
And others for the day.
And some I send to feel your womb,
But there's no need to stay."

"I just don't understand this God
I want my child to be here."
He took a deep breath and cleared His throat,
And then I saw the tear.

"I wish I could show you,
What your child is doing today.
If you could see your child's smile,
With all the other children and say...

'We go to Earth to learn our lessons,
Of love and life and fear.
My Mommy loved me oh so much,
I got to come straight here.

I feel so lucky to have a Mom,
Who had so much love for me.
I learned my lessons very quickly,
My Mommy set me free.

I miss my Mommy, oh so much,
And I visit her every day.
And when she goes to sleep,
On her pillow's where I lay.

I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek,
And whisper in her ear.
Mommy don't be sad today,
I'm your child and I'm here.'

"So you see my dear sweet ones,
Your children are okay.
Your child is here in My home,
And this is where they'll stay.

They'll wait for you with Me,
Until your lesson's through.
And on the day that you come home,
They'll be waiting at the gates for you.

So now you see what makes a Mother,
It's the feeling in your heart,
It's the love you had so much of,
Right from the very start."

Author Unknown





Mothers Day For Mothers Who Have Lost Children

Mothers Day for us is so much diffrent than for Mothers that have not lost children. It is a fun filled day for them getting kisses and hugs from their children and beautiful cards.Mothers day for us is wondering what our children would have been doing . We will be missing the hugs, Kisses and cards from our child in Heaven.

Happy Mother's Day
from our angels

I'm looking down from Heaven and i can see you cry
I know today is Mother's Day I didn't say goodbye
you see I'm still here with you I really didn't die.

I send you angel kisses from way up above
They are sent down to you with lots and lots of love.

Whenever you feel lonely you look into the sky
I'm an right there mom keeping a watchful eye.

I will forever be a part of you just feel your beating heart
and feel I am with you and we will never be apart.
So on this Mother's Day you are feeling blue
Just know i am there hugging and kissing you.

written by Holly Wilson
(Mom to angel Tiffany)





Mother's Day for those of us who have lost children, doesn't have the same meaning as it does for those who have not suffered a loss. Though some of us may have surviving children and we are very thankful for them, Mother's Day is another reminder of what we have lost, one of our children is not with us. In the beginning, the pain of our loss overshadows everything else.

It took several years for me to be able to enjoy Mother's Day, to find a new way to celebrate it. I have many gifts from Shane, he was a giver. Some of them are things he bought and some are things he made for me. One I display on Mother's Day by the candle I light for him, it is a piece of 2x4 that he drew on, it has a truck, a rainbow, a heart and a rose and he wrote "I Love You Mom." I wear a special angel pin all day for Shane.

On Mother's Day, my family and I spend the day together, we go out to eat and then do something together, there is no sadness, this is a time to enjoy being with my girls and letting them know they are important. Later, we go to the cemetery and visit Shane, sometimes I go alone because I need that time to just be by myself and let my tears flow. We then spend time working in Shane's garden, it is an area in my yard that is our special place for Shane. There is a magnolia tree that we planted in his memory, roses and other plants, a goldfish pond and some concrete benches. This is when they give me another gift they call my "Shane Gift," it is usually a plant, dragonfly item or anything to add to the garden. By doing this, for me, it is a time I feel I am spending with all three of my children, for Jennie and Laurie, it is their gift they give to me in memory of their brother. For Mike, it is a time to spend with all of us. We enjoy this time, we laugh, share memories and are making memories.

For some of you, this is your first Mother's Day without your child, for some your second, third or even more. If you have other children, they need to know they are still very important to you, but find a way to remember you child that is comforting to you and include them in your day. Because no matter where they are, they are still our children are one of the reasons we wear the title Mom.







This month I have complied a list of songs that I hope will bring all of you some comfort. When I am feeling like my emotions are bottled up inside and I need a release, most of the songs listed here are sure to start tears flowing. But tears are healing. So if you are able to download music and make your own cd’s, I hope this list will help you. Listening to music can be very therapeutic in dealing with our grief.

An Angel’s Lullaby/Richard Marx
Angel/Sarah McLachlan
Angel Too Soon/Paul Thorn
Angels Among Us/Alabama
Angel Standing By/Jewel
Baby Mine/Bette Midler
Close To You/The Carpenters
Everybody Hurts/REM
Fly/Celine Dion
Go Rest High On That Mountain/Vince Gill
Holdin On To You/Brad Paisley
Holes In the Floor Of Heaven/Steve Wariner
Homesick/Mercy Me
How Can I Help You Say Goodbye/Patty Lovelace
How Do I Live Without You/Trisha Yearwood
How Do You Get This Lonely/Blaine Larsen
I Believe/Diamond Rio
I Can Only Imagine/Mercy Me
If Heaven/Andy Griggs
If I Had Only Known/Reba McEntire
If Tomorrow Never Comes/Garth Brooks
If You Came Back From Heaven/Lorrie Morgan
I’ll Be Seeing You/Cyndi Thompson
In My Daughter’s Eyes/Martina McBride
I Will Always Love You/Whitney Houston
I Will Remember You/Sarah McLachlan
Life Without You/Stevie Ray Vaughn
My Heart Will Go On/Celine Dion
Never Say Goodbye/Kathleen Tarp
Not A Day Goes By/Lonestar
One More Day/Diamond Rio
One Sweet Day/Mariah Carey
Skin/Rascal Flatts
Silent World/Donna Lewis
Streets Of Heaven/Sherrie Austin
Sweet Child Of Mine/Guns & Roses
Tears In Heaven/Eric Clapton
The Dance/Garth Brooks
There You’ll Be/Faith Hill
To Where You Are/Josh Groban
You’ll Be In My Heart/Phil Collins
When I Get Where I’m Going/Brad Paisley
When You Come Back To Me Again/Garth Brooks
Wind Beneath My Wings/Bette Midler

I wish all of you a very peaceful Mother’s Day



Mother’s Day is May 14th!

I have been receiving emails, catalogs and circulars at home with this proclamation. When I walk into stores, banners are flying with the same message: “Mother’s Day is May 14th. Remember Mom”. I want to scream. Yes, Mother’s Day is May 14th and it will be Mike’s fifth anniversary. For me this is much more the focus of my attention. I cannot understand why the world does not realize that this is not a joyous occasion for me. Why aren’t banners flying with this message on it? I am not even sure my sister or brother realize how miserable I feel.

I seem to be drawing all of my inspiration from t-shirts these days. In a race this weekend, I noticed the back of a t-shirt, which read “Mary – 60 in 06”. It caused me to inhale so violently, I could not exhale fast enough. I was choking on air. Finally, I got control. Why did her t-shirt cause this reaction? Five years ago she was 55. Life is moving ahead for her and for me, but not for Mike. He is frozen in time. Twenty forever and I miss him so!

Mother’s Day in 2001 was the last time I saw Mike alive, the last time I talked to him, the last time I hugged and kissed him. I have three wonderful living sons that I am delighted to have. I love them all and yet if Mike could walk through the door, I would be so much happier. I have been thumbing through the memories of my mind, trying to remember other Mother’s Days with him. We spent every holiday with my mother-in-law, because she was a widow and only had two of her sons near by-one was my husband and the other called her only when he needed something. We would plan Mother’s Day at a restaurant, so that preparation was minimal. We only had to get dressed. One of our favorite places was the Bavarian Inn. They had many German dishes, which made Jim’s mom happy and they were very experienced at big crowds, so service was generally good. Mike always called it the Barbarian Inn. Even at 5, he could make us all laugh.

I know for all AngelMoms, Mother’s Day will be a bittersweet occasion. Enjoy your memories and the important people in your life. Try to maintain your perspective. I have planned to run a Half-Marathon on Mother’s Day. Hopefully, I will be too tired to worry about things I can’t change. Life IS moving ahead, whether I want it to or not. I’ll be thinking of all of you and hoping you have planned your coping strategy. Life is filled with changes in the terms of the contract. How we renegotiate determines our own life’s quality. This year will make it even more apparent that I am not the world’s best negotiator!

Mother’s Day is May 14th!





Bird Houses



DecoArt® Americana™ Acrylic Paint, Indian Turquoise
DecoArt® Americana™ Acrylic Paint, Limeade
DecoArt® Dazzling Metallics™ Acrylic Paint, Emperor’s Gold
Loew-Cornell® Brush Power Set No. 102
Don Mechanic® Wood Birdhouse Picks, 2

Paint one birdhouse Limeade with an Indian Turquoise roof.
Paint the perch, entry hole and dot the birdhouse with Indian Turquoise.
Paint the other birdhouse Indian Turquoise with a Limeade roof.
Paint the perch and dot the birdhouse with Limeade.
Paint the picks Emperor’s Gold.
Tip: Use the brush handle to make the dip dots.

Terra Cotta Bird Feeder



Click here for instructions: Terra Cotta Bird Feeder



Acts Of Kindness




The Act Of Kindness Award will be given to an AngelMom that was nominated for their kindness and thoughtfulness. It will not be a contest, it is "Thank You" kind of award. Anyone can be nominated. If someone has touched your heart by doing something special, please nominate them by emailing Loni. There is no exclusions, everyone is included. We will list each member that has received an Award.

Angel Mom's Acts of Kindness



SUGGESTIONS TO AID MARRIAGE AFTER LOSS OF A CHILD

1. Don't expect your spouse to be a tower of strength when he or she is also experiencing grief.
2. Be sensitive to your spouse's personality style. In general, he or she will approach grief with the same personality habits as they approach life. It may be very private, very open and sharing, or someplace in between.
3. Find a "sympathic ear" (not necessarily our mate) - someone who cares and will listen.
4. Do talk about your child with your spouse. If necessary set up a time period daily when you both know that it is time to talk about the child.
5. Seek the help of a counselor if depression, grief or problems in your marriage are getting out of hand.
6. Do not overlook or ignore anger-causing situations. It is like adding fuel to a fire. Eventually there is an explosion. Deal with things as they occur.
7. Remember, you loved your spouse enough to marry. Try to keep your marriage alive: go out for dinner; take a walk; go on vacation.
8. Be gentle to yourself and your mate.
9. Join a support group for bereaved parents. Attend as a couple, come by yourself, or with a friend. It is a good place to learn about grief and to feel understood. Do not pressure your spouse to attend with you if it is not his or her preference.
10. Join a mutually agreeable community betterment project.
11. Do not blame yourself or your mate for what you were powerless to prevent. If you blame your spouse or personally feel responsible for your child's death, seek immediate counseling for yourself and your marriage.
12. Realize that you are not alone. There are many bereaved parents, both locally and nationally.
13. Choose to believe again in the goodness of God and of life. Search for joy and laughter.
14. Recognize your extreme sensitivity and vulnerability and be alert to the tendency to take things personally.
15. Read about grief, especially the books written for bereaved parents.
16. Take your time with decisions about your child's things, change of residence, etc.
17. Be aware of unrealistic expectations for yourself or your mate.
18. Remember, there is no timetable. Everyone goes through grief differently, even parents of the same child.
19. Try to remember that your spouse is doing the best he or she can.
20. Marital friction is normal in any marriage. Don't blow it out of proportion.
21. Try not to let little everyday irritants become major issues. Talk about them and try to be patient.
22. Be sensitive to the needs and wishes of your spouse as well as yourself. Sometimes it is important to compromise.
23. It is very important to keep the lines of communication open.
24. Work on your grief instead of wishing that your spouse would handle his or her grief differently. You will find that you will have enough just handling your own grief. Remember, when you help yourself cope with grief it indirectly helps your spouse.
25. As Harriet Schiff states, "Value your marriage. You have lost enough."
26. Hold on to HOPE. With time, work, and support you will survive. It will never be the same, but you can learn again to appreciate life and the people in your life.



WHEN THE GOOD LORD CREATED MOTHERS

When the good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His 6th day of overtime when the angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling on this one."

And the Lord said, "Have you read the specification on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic...have 180 movable parts...all replaceable. She must also run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that disappears when she stands up, a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair, and 6 pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "6 pairs of hands....no way."

"It's not the hands that are causing me the problems," said the Lord, "It's the three pairs fo eyes that Mothers have to have."

"That's in the standard model?" asked the angel

The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks 'What are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows. Another eye in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't, but what she has to know, and of course the ones her in front so that she can look at a child when he goofs and say, 'I understand and I love you', without so much as uttering a word.

"Lord," said the angel touching his sleeve gently, "it's time for bed."

"No I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one that heals herself when she is sick...can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger...and can get a 9 yr. old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of a Mother very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.

"But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this Mother can do or endure."

"Can it think?"

"Not only think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator.

Finally the angel bent over and ran a finger across the cheek of the Mother. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you, you were trying to put too much into this moded."

"It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear."

"What's it for?"

"It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride."

"You are a genius," said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there."

by Erma Bombeck





Ziti with Ricotta and Spinach

Ingredients:
2 lb. fresh or 10 oz. frozen spinach, chopped and drained
1 lb. ricotta cheese
3 eggs, well beaten
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
3 cups tomato sauce
1 lb. ziti, cooked and drained

Preparation:
1. Cook the spinach with a small amount of water until it wilts or heats through. Drain and press out any excess moisture.
2. In a large bowl, combine spinach with the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 2 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce. With a fork, whip the mixture until it becomes fluffy, and then add the cooked ziti. Spread the remaining tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and cover with the pasta mixture. Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.



Yummy Pineapple Cake

Ingredients:
1 package (18-ounces) yellow cake mix
3/4 cup liquid egg substitute or 3 eggs
1 cup water
1 can (20-ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple
1 package (8-ounces) fat-free cream cheese
2 cups fat-free (skim) milk
1 package (1-ounce) instant sugar-free vanilla-flavored pudding and pie filling
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping (i.e., Cool Whip®)
1 can (15.5-ounces) mandarin oranges, drained (optional)

Preheat oven to 325°F or according to cake mix package directions. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions using egg substitute or eggs and water. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake according to package directions.

Remove from the oven, and cool in the pan on a rack. Poke holes all over cake with the handle of a small wooden spoon. Pour pineapple (with juice) over the cake. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add milk, pudding mix, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat 3 minutes. Pour over pineapple. Top with whipped topping. Decorate with orange segments, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Makes 12 generous Servings.







Some Links To Share

Mother's Day Gifts to Comfort Grieving Mothers
God Bless The Grieving Mother...A Mothers Day Tribute
CIGNABehavioral.com - Mother's Day: Celebration and Sadness
Dandelions From Heaven...A Mothers Day Poem For Those Who Have Lost A Child





No Person is Ever Truly Alone

No person is ever truly alone.
Those who live no more,
Whom we loved,
Echo still within our thoughts,
Our words, our hearts.
And what they did
And who they were
Becomes a part of all that we are,
Forever.

Richard Fife~




Memorial Donations



Lee and Billy by Mum (Jane Whittard), Siblings, Michael, Shelley and Jake
Travis Axley by Mom (Diana Stafford)


Angel Moms Newsletter-May Printable Version

If you have something you would like included in next months newsletter, please e-mail Judi

Editor: Judi,
Staff: Brenda,Krista, Lynn, Laurie, Mylene, Holly, Linda,

Angel Moms Web Site