Today is Rainbow Baby Day

C/w: miscarriageAs to be expected, this is a bit of a long post, so settle in.We went through two miscarriages in one year. The first one occurred fairly early on, and although it hurt a lot, it was something we dealt with privately and, all things considered, quickly.The second one, however, was significantly worse. It happened much further into the pregnancy, and long after we'd already set concrete plans in motion. The circumstances surrounding it were brutal, and it was something we suffered through publicly. Support from family and friends was absolutely essential this time, as we were both devastated far beyond what could adequately be described by something as limiting as words. Still, despite the torment endured, we made it through to the other side, got back on the horse, and, terrified, had another go at it.(I wrote honestly and painfully about our experience a few days after it happened right here: https://ift.tt/2ZlSW3e what seemed like an eternity, our rainbow completed her journey into our lives, and she was everything we could've possibly hoped for. Fully formed, healthy, and ready for anything. In the nearly two years since she arrived on our plane of existence, she has upended everything in the best possible way. It's almost as if she knows on some ethereal level that she's here at the behest of her wandering siblings, and she's trying to live the lives of all three of them.I often wonder who the other two may have been, had they managed to emerge from whatever existential black hole unclaimed souls reside in. I'll never know, but one thing I know for sure: had they not turned back, we wouldn't have Lily. For that, I'm eternally grateful to them; I like to think she's the culmination of everything and everyone they may have become.I wouldn't wish our experiences on my worst enemy, but awful as they were, they were necessary for Lily to walk her path. So, on this Rainbow Baby Day, I want to celebrate everything she has been, everything she is, and everything she will be. Rest in peace, little ones. You're both in every goofy grin, every maniacal squeak, and every determined footstep your rainbow sister makes. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2TTCnLf