Late December 2014

A recap of recent days:

A week ago Friday I had a 2-hour interview with three sweet ladies from my hospital's publicity group, an hour of that on film with two big light and two cameras just a couple feet away from my face. That night I went out to hubby work Christmas party. I love playing dress up, though it does take a lot out of me.

Last Monday, two of those ladies met me at my new gym to film my water exercise class (had been on a two week trial membership there, with last Monday being the first day of the official new membership my in laws blessed me with for Christmas - what a way to make an entry, showing up with a film crew on my first day as a member! LOL). That afternoon my parents took us across town for an emergency orthodontic repair for our daughter.

Sunday was our 15-year-old's birthday. After dinner that night, I went out into the cold and learned about muscle "spasticity" on a whole new level. My hubby steadied me and helped me hobble to the car, thankfully avoiding the piggy-back-ride we actually considered.

The weekend through Wednesday morning found me madly cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, wrapping gifts (quite a trick with clumsy hands that can only master gift bagging but not tape scissors or wrap, or a long-enough term memory to even know what is in the bag I just packed before I get it half way from our bedroom to the tree - I only made one major blunder in forgetting my brother-in-laws gift at all, but I got to be as surprised as our kids were on Christmas morning as they unwrapped their gifts) and packing.

Tuesday night we attended a Christmas Eve-Eve service and I wore ear plugs (to help me be able to tolerate the neuro stimulation of the music. Even though I already have much hearing loss, what I do hear, I do not process correctly, thus cannot tolerate loud sounds without nausea and confusion and physical pain.) and Signed (because I could not hear myself sing) all the Christmas carols.

Early Wednesday afternoon (24th) we were all loaded in the car and headed to my in-laws' farm about an hour away.

Thursday, we spent with 11 family members and two bathrooms, later in the day, joined by an adopted sister and her friend as well. I was in bed around 8pm, both Wednesday and Thursday nights!

Friday was a rest and family games day. The 27th marked exactly 20 years since I learned my body not only disliked the idea of GETTING pregnant but that CARRYING a baby was to be equally as challenging. I'm still trying to unwrap all the emotions of miscarriage when mixed with a mother's earthly grief, longing and loneliness and the wonder my own near death experience and transformed understanding of Noel's Heavenly reality.

Saturday, we came home to piles and PILES of clean laundry to be sorted then all those Christmas blessings to get put into new homes. I also took my first shower since Wednesday one I had access to a shower chair and hand rails again.

Sunday was church, then roast left overs with in-laws and more games. About 4 more hours working on that clean laundry yesterday afternoon!

Today has been water therapy, my parents went and adopted a cat. And now to get dinner started.

Tomorrow night we are getting together with some dear friends, visiting back here from out of state. Their son was our 15-year-old's best buddy when they were 4 years old! Kathy is coming to help me un-decorate my tree tomorrow!

Insurance and some family medical testing feel like a yo-yo ride too. Not even planning to work on my book anymore until kids go back to school Jan. 8. I still haven't finished all that laundry putting away yet.

This past week, we did confirm my decision that I am going to cut a few inches off my hair. Not that I don't love the length it has finally reached, but because I cannot manage this length alone now. I want it to still brush my shoulders or come a little bit past, but I've got to be able to get a brush through it myself, something that I haven't been able to do in at least 6 or 8 weeks now since the length has become unmanageable.

Please Help Name My Domain?

I am looking to purchase a domain name. I need something people can remember, spell, is "catchy" and/or speaks to the topics of my books (infertility, loss, fruit of the Spirit, hope, motherhood, illness, heartache, grace, various Biblical heroes like Hannah, Job, Paul). Any suggestions or ideas? I like jennifer.saake but wonder if the spelling of our last name will become an issue? Most domains of my actual book titles are already taken (like the StrokeOfGrace domain, though I could still use these words with hyphenation between them or adding on the word "book" at the end like I did with HannahsHopeBook.com), plus you need a new one for each project and I'm looking for something I could list all books, blogs and any future affiliated projects and ministries under. Maybe something with my used-around-the-internet handle of InfertilityMom, but will that be confusing for people that don't know my background? I've used Jenni's Journal for several projects over the years, so something along those lines might work. I was thinking maybe something alone the lines of ChronicallyTrustingChrist but that is LONG for a domain name. I also love roses, and themes of harvest, gardening and growth. Someone suggested something butterfly related (cocoon, chrysalis (<---- already="" and="" anything="" but="" can="" etc="" find="" flight="" give="" go.="" hard="" i="" ideas="" like="" me="" not="" ready.="" really="" short="" simple="" soaring="" span="" spell="" t="" taken="" takes="" that="" to="" transformation="" wing="" wings="" word="" your="">

Please SHARE!!!

I am a chiropractic stroke survivor. They tell me I should not be alive today. My doctor knew what happened. He didn't carry any insurance (common in the industry) and left the country, leaving us and our personal medical insurance (thankful for that!) to deal with my $1.5 million in anticipated medical expenses.

Medicine will tell you chiropractic stroke is a "rare" event. I submit to you that it is only considered rare because there are no accurate statistical reporting mechanisms in place! I think if anyone realized how often this happens, they would be shocked. Instead, individual records get buried under privacy laws and no one has access to the real numbers. 

Please help us pass a mandatory reporting law, where individual information stays private but a hospital is simply asked to report if they see a stroke patient who has recently received a cervical neck manipulation. That's it, just raw numbers! Chiropractic stroke - not rare, just dreadfully UNDER-REPORTED! Please help us prove that! 

Please sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/jim-davis-bill-proposal-mandatory-reporting-of-chiropractic-stroke-vad-cad and share this with 5 friends!

December 10,2014

Our first daughter (now in Heaven) was conceived exactly 20 years ago. (When you are facing infertility, with all the cycle charting and medical invasion into your private life, you tend to know these things!) December 10 cannot pass without me thinking of this date as a "Noel Day". (Her name is Noel Alexis, our "Christmas Minister of Needs," who finally blessed us to become parents.)

We have also lived in this house exactly 10 years today!

My husband and I went and had our wills drawn up today. Hopefully it will be another 10 or 20 (or more) years before they are ever put into action, but it seemed fitting that the lawyer offered us this date to take our next big "grown up" step in life.

Just feeling reflective tonight...

To Parents With Genetic Special Needs

I found this article today. Knowing that I have MANY special needs Mommy friends, I wanted to pass it along. A Letter to The "Before Me" (for those new to diagnosis or still in the investigation stage).

"I know about the day when you open your computer and first Google a condition you’ve never heard of. I know that you’ll sit there for hours upon hours, reading, making notes, crying, watching videos, not believing that those moments are really happening.

Not yet realizing that the before is no longer. This is the nether-time. Time suspended. Over the next few days, you will live through the most trying days of your life – days that will forever split your life into two parts.

So before you enter the after, I’d like to offer some advice..."

The Song GIVE-A-WAY!

I was recently asked to review a couple's devotional book. I'll be honest and say I wasn't too enthused about the prospect, seeing as the title, Awaken Love, and focus passage, Song of Solomon, left me to figure the book would basically just be focusing on how to "spice up your sex life". When the book got here and I saw chapter titles like, "Deepening Desire" and "Increasing Intimacy," I literally rolled my eyes and thought "here we go."

I was pleasantly surprised that 86-page, softcover book is truly a Christ-centered activity guide to drawing closer and learning to more closely cherish AND EXPRESS this, to your spouse, in so many different ways. Much of the interaction between Solomon and his bride-to-be are used to expound upon the love Jesus has for us His Bride, that in turn should lead us to desire to communicate deeper care to the person we share our lives with. As the subtitle indicates, this book is about the "journey to Awaken Love in marriage" and I so appreciate how the entire relationship is considered and focused on, rather than many marriage books that seem to focus primarily on the physical (and the emotional in order to better set up the physical).

Daily readings are really only a couple minutes long and suggested activities could often be accomplished in 5 minutes or less, but could help re-set thought patterns for a very long time to come. Not a bad time investment in the one you love! They are often the kinds of activities that could have much more time and thought poured into them over the course of the day, or week, or month, if you so desire. 

For example one suggestion is to take your spouse's name and create an acrostic of character traits about this person that are meaningful to you. Yes, there is great value if you fill in the blanks during a sliver of time, then share it with your husband/wife on your way out the door. And taking a few days to really contemplate and ask the Lord to help you remember and recognize meaningful characteristics in the one you married is great too. Maybe even do both, 2 different list with both the immediate thoughts and long-term meditations? (That "do both" idea is mine, not from the book, but you can see how the simple thoughts and suggestions there can feed your own creativity!)

I am pleased to share that I will be able to request a free copy of Awaken Love to be sent to one of my blog readers (US & Canada only). If you would like to be entered for a chance to win your own copy of Awaken Love, please leave your name and email address (so I may contact you if you win, to request your mailing address) in the comments here. For a second entry, please visit another one of my blogs, StrokeOfGrace.blogspot, and join that page through the Google Friend Connect (right hand sidebar) then come back to this post and leave a second comment, telling me that you did. Oh, and for every place (Twitter, Facebook, your own blog) you share this post, you can earn additional entries for each of those as well, just leave separate comments linking to where you did!

Drawing open until noon (Pacific) on Friday, December 5, 2014. Winner notified on Saturday, December 6. Winner must respond by noon on Monday, December 8, or alternate winner will be selected. 

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

The Song Couple’s Devotional is a 6-week book for couples that can help awaken love in their marriage. With daily relationship insights and prayer points drawn from the Song of Solomon, this devotional will help couples grow in their relationship with God and one another. 

Inspired by the Song of Solomon, The Song is both a full-length movie and resource for churches to explore God’s plan for relationships, love and marriage.

About the author:

Kyle Idleman is the Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the fourth-largest church in America. Author of the award-winning and bestselling book, not a fan., and presenter of eight of City on a Hill’s curriculum series, he regularly speaks at conferences and events around the world. Kyle and his wife DesiRae have four children.

Scrambled

A little snippet from my rough draft of Harvesting Hope from Heartache: 

I've always struggled with how what the devil intends for our harm, God not only USES, but the Bible says, in Joseph's story, God actually INTENDS for our good. Then yesterday my 8-year-old was recounting when we had taken him out to a fancy, grill-at-your-table Japanese place earlier in the year. The chef asked him to "juggle" raw eggs, knowing full well what would happen. Had he tried to juggle them over my floor, he would have gotten in trouble. But when the chef instructed him to juggle them over his grill, the inevitable crash of scrambled eggs was clearly part of his skillful recipe for our meal. Yes, it is easy to question when all we can see is the midst of the mess! So glad God not only sees, but designs, the bigger picture! - (c) Jennifer Saake, 2014

Give Away!

I would like to share one of the most exciting ways to discover the evidence for the Biblical Account of Creation – the Jonathan Park Creation Adventure Audio Series! My family and I have not only enjoyed this entertaining and educational resource, we have been equipped to defend the truth of creation! If you haven’t heard Jonathan Park, let me encourage you to experience one of these exciting audio adventures firsthand! Go to http://jonathanpark.com/try-it-free/ to listen to a free episode. Most importantly, the creators of Jonathan Park are giving away three sets of the entire Master Collection of ten (4-CD) albums – over 3,000 minutes of creation adventure! Good news – if you simply sign up using the link below, you will automatically be entered into this giveaway.

Use my special link to enter the giveaway - http://jonathanpark.com/giveaways/christmas-giveaway/?lucky=1836

I hope Jonathan Park Creation Adventures is as much of a blessing to your family as it has been to ours!

Blessings,

Update

I actually started this post yesterday with the intent to share memories of my Heaven children. Then the school called about one of my blessings still on earth...

So what's been happening in my world? Well our living kid have all been in and out of school, taken turns with viruses and assorted bacterial infections. Our 6th grader was sent home twice within a week and has a virus AND Step right now!

If only that were the worst of it, but my mom was recently hospitalized with some sort of stroke-like event. She was just moved to a rehabilitation hospital last night so I'm heading out to spend a few hours with her this morning and coming home before our 3rd grader gets home so his sick sister doesn't have to be in charge!

Interestingly enough, my mom is now admitted to the very facility where I am hosting an open house on Saturday, in celebration that this month marks 3 years of my own stroke survival. (I was ready to cancel my part on Monday, but my parents encouraged me to keep it in the plans and a few friends are now stepping in for Mom to help me pull it off.) She will be able to attend as an in-house resident now.

I know I had two amazing products to tell you about last month, both the (in)Courage line of new letter blocks and a Bible storybook by David C. Cook. My apologies to both of these companies for telling them I would tell you how much I love their products (And I do! I won't endorse any product I don't personally love!) by certain deadlines, but failing to do so. I've decided that, other than the product reviews I do for stroke recovery and adaptation, my life is just too crazy for me to follow through on other commitments of this kind right now. (Received free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.)

http://www.christianbook.com/treasury-of-bible-stories/kelly-pulley/9780781409179/pd/409174

Treasury of Bible Stories is, as it's name indicates, a true treasure. When I first saw the book I though it was just another colorful read-aloud for toddlers and preschoolers. Then my action-packed 3rd grader picked it up and is using as his after school reading practice. (He's half way through the 350+ pages for his second time already.) He loves the humor, rhyming patterns of words, and creative expression of the stories and bright pictures. It is so exciting to see him engaging with Bible stories and asking thought-provoking questions like I have never witnessed with any other of our many Bible story books. Maybe it was just a timing thing, that he discovered this collection of Bible stories at just the right time for his mind to embrace them in a new way, but the telling is quite clever and inviting, even to a nearly-9-year-old who has been in Sunday School nearly every week of his life. No, Kelly Pulley hasn't changed anything about the Story, just presented the details quite cleverly. I highly recommend this one to add to your collection!



With the LetterPress block I have a second opportunity to tell you about, since I really want to do my best to honor my commitment (and it is a really cool system): DaySpring and (in)courage are thrilled with the response to our new Letterpress Blocks Collection! You can “build your word” by dragging letters of different sizes to create the word or phrase of your choice. Then, easily add your word to cart and checkout at DaySpring.com. Pre-packaged kit words are also available for sale at DaySpring. Words Matter Letterpress Blocks- Build your Word! (affiliate link)

Hop To It

My friend Gay Idle (Captive Heart), invited me to be a part of the fun "blog hop" going around my greater circle of blogging friends these past several months. I've actually already recently done this hop (I think of it sort of like a "chain letter" for bloggers, but rather than exchanging dish towels or post cards, we are exchanging blog introductions, new friendships) once over on my stroke blog but had so much fun I'm doing it again, updated answers, new friends to introduce. :) Gay and I met through (in)Courage (OK, technically, we still haven't "met" yet as in face-to-face) and become friends through Facebook. She is a sweet pastor's wife (interestingly, of a church launch project we helped sponsor several years ago!) who only lives about half an hour away from me. Her son is a stroke survivor.

So the 4 brief questions I've been asked to answer (and that I'm now asking my friends to answer within the next week, if possible are:
1) What am I writing or working on?
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
3) Why do I write what I do?
4) How does my writing process look?

1) What am I writing or working on?
I believe most visitors here already know that my one "claim to fame" is the book Hannah's Hope: Seeking  God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage and Adoption Loss (book published by NavPress, 2005, ISBN-10: 1576836541; ISBN-13: 978-1576836545) . Hannah's Hope blog and Pintrest pages on infertility, miscarriage / loss, adoption. Facbook athttps://www.facebook.com/HannahsHopeBook

What you may not know is that I'm the registered owner of over 30 blogs, but some I don't keep current anymore, some I per-registered for names of probable future book projects, some are titles I know people to search for me by and just redirect to other active blogs, etc

You have already found your way here to InfertilityMom where I sporadically blog about daily life, motherhood after infertility and loss. My motherhood pin board probably best fits this audience. Homemaking too. :)

My current book project, closest to being ready to submit for publication, is a harvest-themed devotional study on the fruit of the Holy Spirit, especially in the face of trying times, working title Harvesting Hope from Heartache and the accompanyingHarvesting Hope blog and Harvesting Hope, fruit of the Spirit , gardening, roses, and spiritual warfarePintrest pages. Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HarvestingHope

Stroke Of Grace, my unfolding stroke recovery journey blog, is my primary writing project these days. I hope to write an accompanying book if future years, next in the cue after Harvesting Hope. On Pintrest, there are several specifically related pages: stroke-related pictures and thoughts, why I'm homesick for Heaven, therapy and exercise, my struggle to find purpose, thoughts on grace and glory and a great collection of brain images. Facbook athttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Stroke-of-Grace-by-Jennifer-Saake/339888582731687

A future book project, currently titled Given Me a Thorn,a study on the life of the Apostle Paul as comfort, encouragement and resources for living with chronic pain and/or illness, was originally the "next book" I had planned to work on after Hannah's Hope, but God has backburrner this project for several years, slipping more books into more urgent priority in my heart. I actually already have several large chunks of this mauscript already researched and written, so I st Pintrest pages at Natural Health and Chronic Illness, Gluten Free, Latex Free, and Given Me a Thorn. Facbook athttps://www.facebook.com/GivenMeaThorn

A page I have let fall fallow since the strokes, I hope to revive again, InnerBeautyGirlz, tips and tricks (and even some give-aways) for outward beauty, but with an intentioaln focus on the heart and soul.  I have, however, really been building my Pintest page on this beauty this year, a reflection of my own struggles both physically and emotionally/mentally, to accept God's perspective on me in my brokenness. Facbook at https://www.facebook.com/innerbeautygirlz

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My manuscript for Hannah's Hope was due to the publisher 10 years ago today! I had no idea then that I would even write another book at all, and once I realized that was God's call, never dreamed I would not have a second manuscript to a publisher yet. God's timing...

When I think of my current (pre-stroke) manuscripts in terms of the writing profession, it is taking SO LONG and I get really sad and discouraged. When I think of all I have accomplished in the past 2 1/2 years from the perspective of a brain stem stroke survivor who should not even be alive and what I do type is through very slow thought processing and single-handed typing, I'm honestly rather blown away by what God is working through me THIS FAST!

3) Why do I write what I do?

These are the issues, lessons, survival tools God has put in my own life. The circumstances could be totally different, but the God is faithful and unchanging. I "write what I know" but whatever the topic, the goal is to offer comfort and encouragement to others living through hard seasons of life, pointing them to the hope and help Christ has offered me!

4) How does my writing process look?
You will usually find me writing with a cup of tea (warm if it is chilly, otherwise, iced, no sugar, yes lemon) on the side table next to me. Here are several pictures from around my home to mentally picture the process.

Please allow me to introduce you to some friends now!

I have know Ruth J Leamy the longest. We have only met in person once (thanks to God allowing her car to break down near my hometown, so we had opportunity to meet for dinner), but have known each other online for well over ten years. My oldest is 14 1/2 and I actually think maybe we met before I ever got pregnant with him, but I know for sure it was at least by the time our 11 1/2 year old was a baby! She's a huge life and especially writing encouragement buddy and I'm so blessed God put this woman, who writes beautiful Bible studies every year, into my life. Please check her out at Read, Hear, See, Feel.

Amanda Francis Holland has only come into my life within the past few months through a precious sisterhood on Facebook, and already is such a blessing! When I asked her if she was interested in being featured for this blog hop, I learned she was about to post her own answers to these same four questions over at Grace In Our Moments and was still looking for her own third introduction, so we both decided to introduce each other this week. :) How fun. How perfect!

Looking for other bloggers interested in participating (this hop has been going for a while and most of my friends have already participated), I just was delighted to meet Debbie Templin Williams this week and discover her beautiful blog over at Blogger Loves The King, When I asked her to tell me about tell me a bit about herself, she shared, " I am retired from the government after 43 years and 11 months. I started online Bible studies with Proverbs 31 shortly after retirement and am a team leader for small groups. I will celebrate my 45th wedding anniversary this Saturday to my high-school sweetheart. I have two grown children and one grandson with another grandchild on the way. Our grandson turned one this week. He was born last August with a horrible disease called EB, but is doing well thanks to prayers all over the world and seems to have a lighter case. His mom and dad carry a gene so can't have more children and our daughter was experiencing infertility so we had given up hope of more grandchildren - God did a mighty work and that grandbaby is due in January 2015."

These are my three "official" blog hoppers that will be sharing their own writing thoughts with you soon, but just like my first time around, I have a few "honorable mentions" that I would like to share with you! Joesette Morris Huffman will delight you with her posts at both S.A.H.M. I Am! and Learning Curve. And two strokie friends who have no idea they will even be mentioned here (and are free to join the hop, or not, whatever they find least stressful) are Joanne Heim of The Simple Wife and Denise of The Lighthouse of Prayer and Just Me, Being Me. These ladies have no idea how much I love them!

Birds of a Feather

I'm super honored and excited to have an article featured (on the front page even!) over at The Laundry Moms today. Please check it out and read a little more about Our Flock!

I'm super honored and excited to have an article featured (on the front page even!) over at The Laundry Moms today. Please check it out and read a little more about Our Flock!

I'm super honored and excited to have an article featured (on the front page even!) over at The Laundry Moms today. Please check it out and read a little more about Our Flock!

http://www.thelaundrymoms.com/gods-lessons-to-me/

Please, Won't You Join Us?



My sweet friend, Shelly, and I are co-hosting another season of the (in)Courager email / Facebook group for women with chronic illnesses. If this describes you, we would so love to have you join us this semester at (in)Hope. But if you are not looking for a small chronic illness community, please check out any of the 70 other, free, safe, amazing, women-only communities over at (in)Courage, only accepting new member this week, and asking for a participation commitment just until July 4. It is so wonderful to exchange messages and ideas and love with a small group of ladies who really "get it" about the unique challenges of your life. there is a special group just quivering with joy to welcome you into their "family" this week. Won't you please, join us! #incouragers #inHope #inCourage

I talk about my week and our daughter more at http://strokeofgrace.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-week.html :)

Movie Review - Heaven is For Real

We went to see Heaven is for Real yesterday. We rarely ever go to a theater, but I really wanted to see this one and not wait. I wasn't sure how I would handle it due to my own near-death experience - http://strokeofgrace.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html , but the movie really left me kind of deflated, thinking, "This little boy experienced the greatest thing ever and that's all they have to say about it!"

Personally, I thought the book was better. The movie was pretty good, in as far as it went, but left me feeling really sad that anyone who goes to it seeking real answers will leave with an "I'm OK, you are OK" type message without any true hope. Praying that God might use this topic as a springboard to open doors so we can share true Hope, but the movie itself doesn't give real answers AT ALL. :( As a friend said, "Hollywood had it grip on it in a few sections and one could leave there thinking the gates to Heaven are not narrow - that everyone gets through..which is very sad." As the little boy said of Heaven, my favorite line of the movie and oh so true, "It is just MORE!"

 

As one reviewer wrote on their Facebook page, "It was a great movie!! Loved every bit of it! Although they left out the most important thing...how to get to Heaven! Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." With that being said it is by faith we get to heaven not by good works...think they could have went into more detail of how to get to Heaven because that is the most important! Accepting Jesus Christ into your life is the only way to get to Heaven!"

The reason I am putting my review on this page is because the theme of miscarriage is woven throughout the whole movie. As you may know, I no longer really miss my miscarried babies very often at all now (something I never thought I would dream of saying!) but actually am rather jealous of them now. (http://strokeofgrace.blogspot.com/2013/10/impressions.html offers  more of my personal thoughts on Heaven including input from a few of our HP sisters, and the topic of miscarriage is addressed.) Still, while I am really peaceful now about Noel, Joel and Hannah, it was hard to relive the raw emotions of actual loss experiences through this movie.

 

--- Specific plotline spoilers below ----

One of the early scenes of the movie involves the mom pulling a pink and blue box out of her bottom drawer of her dresser, opening it and sadly, lovingly looking at a little pink dress and little blue knit outfit. There are no words to tell you what's happening, but it is fairly clear she is grieving.

Later, there is a new baby girl born into their church and she gives that little girl her daughter's dress. The other mother does not know the backstory, but the evident of the emotional cost to Mrs. Burpe is evident.

There are at least two more scenes that specifically refer back to the dress later in the movie.

During one scene from Heaven, a little girl who looks remarkable like his living sister, only a little younger, walks up and embraces our main character.

A few scenes later, the little boy (it is driving me crazy that I can't remember his name right now!) is folding socks with his mom and tells her, in great detail, all about his second sister who died in her tummy (they had never known sex nor told the children about her miscarriage which had happened even before his conception).

He made a statement that she didn't have a name because they had never given her one, a fact that his parents confirmed as they had not known the sex of the child she lost. This disturbed me a bit as I believe that God will give us each a new name in Heaven anyway, so not naming a child here on earth wouldn't leave our children nameless. Then I thought about the fact that God was communicating to this 4-year-old in terms he could comprehend and his parents would grasp, so from the earthly perspective, yes it is true that she had no name.

It was at this point in the movie where the mother, who had been skeptical and thought it all a thinking her son's imagination is just over-active, is rendered to tears and really starts taking her son's account seriously.

In true Hollywood form, the closing seen of the movie is a sickly sweet pregnancy announcement where the wife takes the miscarriage memorial blue outfit and gives it to her husband, telling him they will be needing it in a few months. *gag* And yes, they did have another living son who is now a pre-teen. Very happy for them with the joy of their rainbow baby in real life, just could have done without the Hollywood spin!