And the Winner is...

For those of you who have been following along these last couple of weeks, we have been spending our time counting down to Christmas (which I hope was blessed for each of you!), all the while honoring our precious babies by unwrapping the "gifts" that they have left us! It has been a bittersweet time for me, personally. It is always a treasure to think about the impact of each of my babies in heaven.

Without further ado, I am super excited to share the "special gift" I've been talking about for the last two weeks! It is a beautiful, hand-made piece of jewelry, made by Lisa Leonard! I have LOVED her jewelry every since I first came across it and just had to bless someone with her amazing work. So, one of you (I promise I'll cut to the chase soon!) is receiving this necklace, which is called "marked by love" necklace, pictured below!

Yay!! The winner is: java diva! Email me at teske@mommieswithhope.com, girlfriend! You are the lucky winner of this beautiful necklace, which will be complete with personalization on the back (a name, date, initials...whatever you want!)!

And finally, you have to read the story behind this necklace, referred to as "audrey's necklace"...it's just precious, and one that many of you may be familiar with...

"some lives, though short, profoundly change the world and leave a mark on our hearts. for moms who have lost a child, their hearts are forever marked by love. this beautiful necklace was created in collaboration with angie smith {bring the rain} who lost her baby girl, audrey caroline.

a 1" hand-cast sterling pendant is hand-stamped with love on the front. customize the back with a name, date or short phrase. a beautiful reminder of life and love."

To visit Lisa Leonard's site, click here. To read Angie Smith's blog, click here!

Be blessed!

12 Days...Many Gifts

I pray you each had a wonderful, hope-filled Christmas! I enjoyed a day with family. Today, I was happy to just relax. This Christmas Countdown has admittedly been quite a challenge!

In awe at the wonder of the season, I sing...

On the twelfth day of Christmas my babies left for me...

Twelve precious cousins

Eleven, Ten, Nine = Three days closer to eternity

Eight comforting song lyrics

Seven stockings hanging

Six words from Scripture

Fiiiiive precious children

Four changed lives

Three burning candles

Two tiny foot prints

And a super snuggly, striped blankie!

Twelve precious cousins...

When I was pregnant with Chloe, I remember being so excited by the fact that she would have two cousins about her same age. Turns out, both of those babies were little girls too and I now have two precious 5-year-old nieces. The family has continued to grow since then, and to date, Chloe has twelve cousins ranging in age from newborn to almost 16! One of her cousins is already in heaven with her and that is such a precious thought to me. Matthew went to be with Jesus just over a year before Chloe did. While we don't get together as an extended family as often as we'd like, it is always hard to see my young nieces playing together when we do. It always hits me that Chloe is missing. She should be with them, but instead, she's gone. She's gone. As quickly as I let those two words flow from my fingertips, I must stand corrected. She's not gone. She's with her baby siblings and her cousin. She's with Jesus. She's home.

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Thanks to each one of you who have shared your "gifts!" I have truly been blessed by reading each and every one of your comments. Continue to share and be entered into the drawing for a special gift. The gift and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, so stay tuned!

Fiiiive Precious Children!

I have to admit...I struggled with thinking of something clever for the fifth day of this countdown (click here to go back to the beginning). As the day has gone by, I now sit down to write this post, reluctantly, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm just trying to avoid the topic today, or maybe it's because I'm feeling a bit under the weather. I honestly don't know. What I do know is that the number 5 represents the total number of children I have been blessed with, and for that, I am so very thankful and feel led to share more about that today.

With a thankful heart, I sing...

On the fifth day of Christmas, my babies gave to me...

Fiiiiiive precious children

Four changed lives

Three burning candles

Two tiny foot prints

And a super snuggly, striped blankie!

Five Precious Children...

We've all gotten the questions, "Do you have children?" or "How many children do you have?" To all of us, these innocent questions can sting at times. I imagine these questions may be especially painful for those who do not have any living children as of yet. By all outward appearances, we are a typical family of four, comprised of my husband and I and our two living children, a boy and a girl, ages 8 and 2 [nevermind the age gap]. What people fail to see is that we truly have been blessed with five, yes five, precious children. Three of them, however, are already home in heaven.

The reason I chose, after much debate, to share this as my day 5 "gift" for the countdown is because I felt the need to truly acknowledge my children, all of them. So often, we go about our lives as though they never existed, putting on a facade to the world, conforming to their expectations of us to "move on" or "try again," minimizing the significance of these little ones' lives. Today, I choose to share. I choose to proudly proclaim that I am a mother to five precious children; Gabriel, Chloe, Aiyana, Jesse, and Riyah and I love each one of them.

"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:13-14

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What's your Day 5 "Gift?"

Remember, all commenters are entered into a drawing

for a special gift at the end off the countdown!

Giveaway Winners!

As promised, here are the winners from Monday's giveaway...

Book (And Then You Were Gone by Becky Avella...thanks Becky!) - Java Diva
Starbucks - Rachel
Hope Magnet - Mom (I promise this wasn't rigged!) :)

Congratulations, ladies! Please email me at teske@mommieswithhope and give me your address so I can send you your prize!!

(in)couraged by an Eternal Hope (and free stuff!)

To all my fellow "mommies!" I have a guest post running on the (in)courage site about Chloe, titled, She Made me a Mommy with Hope. Be sure to check it out and browse around the (in)courage site! You will certainly be encouraged by this amazing community of Jesus-lovin' women!

Welcome (in)courage friends! Thanks for visiting...get comfy, get some tissues, and read more about what it means to possess an eternal hope. Also, what kind of host would I be if I weren't offering up some free stuff?? Be sure to leave comments to enter into the drawing for one of three prizes! Details below!

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Hope. A word we use so very flippantly. We hope for many things in life. Something as mundane as the ability to get all the laundry done to more serious things like a job promotion or the health of our children. Hope. We toss this word around in our daily repertoire of conversation and discussion, often referring to things or outcomes. Hope. A word that, by definition, means: "to desire with expectation of obtainment" (thank you very much, Mr. Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Hope. What have you hoped for, just today?

I have to admit, when I entered that ultrasound room nearly 5 years ago, I hoped to go home with some good pictures. I hoped to get to record a video. I hoped to find out the sex. I hoped many, many things. Then, all of my hopes came crashing down when I heard the harsh words of my doctor: "Your baby is going to die." All I could feel in that moment were the hopes and dreams I had for my baby unraveling right before my eyes.

Hope. It took on an entirely new definition. Hope. It was my pregnancy with her, anticipating her death, that drove me to my knees. Hope. Found in the promises of His Word. Hope. Discovered as I weeped and wailed at His feet. Hope. Revealed so boldly when her daddy gave his heart to Jesus in the aftermath of her death. Hope. In the big brown eyes of her brother who proudly declares her heavenly dwelling. Hope. In the innocence of a baby sister who never knew her, yet clings to Chloe's blankie as if she knows it's something special.

Hope. A confidence in knowing what lies ahead. Hope. Trusting in God's grace, which ushered my precious Chloe into heaven. Hope. A promise to be fulfilled for those who are (in)Christ. Hope. For that unimaginable reunion. Hope. To press on, trudging through the deepest darkest valley, to then climb to the top of the Mountain where God's glory is revealed. Hope. In the miracle of His creation of this tiny baby girl. Hope. God used her life to transform me into a Mommy with Hope.

The one true source of my hope eternal...Jesus. Where is your hope?

"...we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf."

Hebrews 6:18-20

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I "hope" you enjoyed your visit, (in)courage friends! Everyone is invited to leave a comment below pertaining to today's post on the topic of "Hope." If you have also experienced loss, I'd be honored to pray for you and to remember your precious child by name, just leave that in the comments as well. Or, feel free to ask questions of me if you have them....pretty much just say something and you'll be entered into the drawing! :) Each comment will be entered for a chance to win one of the following three (yes three!) prizes:

1) A copy of Becky Avella's book, And Then You Were Gone: Restoring a Broken Heart After Pregnancy Loss. Ladies, you will certainly be blessed by this book!! It is a great read for anyone who has experienced loss and also for women who are coming alongside a friend in her grief. We are currently reading through this book for a bible study and each week, on Wednesdays, there is a post pertaining the book! Thank you, Becky, for donating your book for the giveaway!!

2) Starbucks ($10 gift card)!! Yeah, that never gets old....And, they are now serving their pumpkin spice lattes! Woohoo!

3) A super cute "Hope" magnet, pictured below (thank you to my husband for your keen eye at Hallmark)! It says, "Have hope God will guide you through." Yes, He will...can I get an "Amen?!"

So...comment away, fellow "mommies," friends, and (in)courage gals! Winners will be posted on the blog on Wednesday morning, so stay tuned!