Tonight I was winding down by going through my craft blogs as usual and after following a few links I somehow stumbled upon this…
http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/
It is a woman’s blog who in February lost her 11mth old baby girl to cancer. I don’t even know how to begin to comprehend what she has gone through, and is still going through, my heart just breaks for her. As soon as I realized what the blog was about my first reaction was to close it because I knew it would be hard to read, but then I saw the picture of this BEAUTIFUL baby girl, Cora, and I felt like I needed to honor her by reading her story. Reading this mom’s words.
As I went back in the archives of the blog to Christmas of last year, celebrating baby’s first Christmas just as we did with Sam, I could totally relate. But then to read her entries just a month later in January of 2009 when they first learned Cora had cancer is heart-wrenching but also inspiring because throughout such unbelievable hardships she and her family are still able to find things to be grateful for. Every entry has a scripture verse to lean on or that they related to. I’m sad to say I haven’t picked up my Bible in several years, in fact I’ve read more scripture on her blog tonight than I have in a VERY long time. I forgot how comforting it can be. So many times lately I’ll pray that God will heal my heart, heal my body and just help me to get through the hard times but I had forgotten that I have his Word to read right here…her blog really is inspiring.
I encourage all of you to read it. Be warned, it’s not easy, I’ve been sitting in bed crying for the last two hours while reading all of her entries. I just had to go into Sam’s room, scoop her up and just hold her. I held her so close and was so grateful that I could. Lately she’s been really clingy, always crying to be picked up and wanting to be attached to my side all day, but after reading a mom say how much she yearned to just hold her little girl again made me realize how I need to cherish this time.
I’d like to reach out to this woman but I don’t know what to say. Her loss is something I can’t even imagine. She has however inspired me to grow spiritually as a mother and to really live in the moment now so I thought I would pass it along to all the other wonderful moms I know. (that would be you guys) Throughout all the chaos of mommyhood maybe we’ll all remember to hold our babies a little longer and a little tighter.
Please pray for this family, I don’t know when or how things will get easier for her but I’m going to remember her when Sam and I say our prayers.
Goodnight,
The power of the Word is quite powerful. Have you thought about a chronological Bible?
Natasha,
This is such a sad story, and was not expecting this first thing on a Monday morning. I cannot even imagine losing my little man. I cried fr hours at work and decided it was best to take the rest of the day off and spend time with my son. You are lucky to be a stay at home mom and see Samy grow into a big girl. Just thinking of the limited time that we get to spend with Kristian really bothers me and we try to make the best of it.
I was raised very Catholic, and haven't gone to church in ages. I believe that everyone finds there own way to practice religion.
Even though we do nightly prayers it is hard for us to go to church.
i came across your blog from the craft website one pretty thing, featuring your tuxedo shirt (which is way cool, by the way!). Your humor, wittiness and your love for your beautiful daughter has kept me on reading through your blog. And then i came across your post about Cora… this blog world is small, isn't it. I too have been deeply and forever changed by Cora Paige and her family… Why she had to go, I will never understand… but the way her mom and dad held strong in their faith has been such an inspiation to me… i cried and cried for days, still do… and i never forget to cherish my time with my children…
I love your blog, been looking through it over the past few days! i just had to comment, because when i found the mac's blog awhile back, and it touched me profoundly. i can't imagine what she's going through, and it scares me to my core to think of that happening to my daughter. life is so precious!