The garden is a tribute to our daughter, Artemis. In the days after our loss, I found myself initiated into a sisterhood of brave women who have also lived this sorrow. Some women I barely knew, some I'd known for years and never knew about the secret names they still carried in their hearts.

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I realized quickly that grieving the loss of a pregnancy or infant can be lonely. Depending on the circumstances, there may have not been a burial. Some parents feel unsure about expressing their grief and whether they even have the right to feel so much. With neonatal loss, there is no voice, no favorite things, no years of memories to make the grief tangible. Often loved ones do not know what to do to support a grieving family. 

 

I created this as a special place to honor the lives of our babies, to remember they were real, to say their names out loud. My hope is these flowers help to process the grief and provide some comfort and healing.

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– Kristen Vandivier

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