Introducing.... Restoring Aching Arms

Last year, after Rachel's birthday, I wrote This post.

It was called "When Hallmark Fails" and was about the fact that they just don't make cards for people like me.... people who celebrate babies that are going to die, or have died... and especially not people who celebrate birthdays for babies who died the same day.

In the last line of that post, I wrote this: "And I might just have to start my own line of cards.  Lookout Hallmark, you're going down!"

And I'm cracking up right now as I read that because a year later, here I am.... starting my own card line!

This is what I've been working on secretly for the past couple of months.  And I'm announcing it on her birthday at 10:27am, the time she was born, because she LIVED.  And that's what this card line is all about.... they may be gone, but that doesn't mean they didn't exist or they didn't matter.  And our babies dying will never mean they aren't a part of our family or that they won't matter for the rest of our lives. 

It is called Restoring Aching Arms - initials matching Rachel's initials ♥ and written and designed for mamas who have lost babies - to miscarriage, baby loss, or failed adoptions/Foster loss - as well as people who are grieving infertility. 

Some of the photos you may recognize from my blog :o)

Thank you to my dear friend Lisa for all your help with this and also to Mike for helping me with the site.  I'd have lost my mind without you guys!

And so it is my great honor to introduce to you Restoring Aching Arms...

Please visit the website at www.raahope.com.  There is an "About" tab that will tell you more about the babies behind these cards.  And there is a "Shop Cards" tab where you will find the entire selection.  The home page just has a couple of the most recent additions.   Please take a few minutes to browse and let me know what you think!

I also plan to address each holiday - especially Christmas & Mother's Day - with a few different options to encourage the mamas going through those times without their babies. To help them to know they are not forgotten and that someone understands that it still hurts - and often hurts MORE at those special times of year.  Our Christmas cards are on the site now... check them out!

Please also let me know if there is a specific kind of card you would like to see - as well as if any of them offend or don't say something right.  I'm doing this for all of you, so I want to know if they don't help. 

It's been my deepest desire from the beginning of this journey to be able to help people in ways that I have hurt - and cards have been one of them (as you'll see when you read the When Hallmark Fails post.)  I pray that this will help you to feel more supported as a baby loss mama - or to be able to better support the baby loss mamas in your life.  We are everywhere just aching to have our babies remembered, no matter how long it has been.

Happy Birthday Rachel Alice Aube.... you continue to inspire me to do greater things.  Thank you for all that you were and are.  You are my greatest blessing.