Healing of the Heart 2017

Once again words escape me as I try so hard to find a way to describe the intensity of the impact this retreat has on the women who have the opportunity to attend. It seems each year is better than the last and the connections that grow in just four short days together is unconceivable.

This year we coined the mantra 'Intent. Inspire. Ignite. Finding Purpose Amidst Tragedy.'

The idea behind this was to have our mamas grow throughout the weekend as their hearts began to heal and their bonds began to form. Words do not do justice to the feeling in our hearts as we literally witness through our very own eyes the forever lasting impact and life changing experience these mamas have.

The roller coaster of emotions we all go through together is INTENSE -  because we all experience every. single. emotion. possible.

We cry. Oh do we cry. Raw, real, and passionate tears for our babies- no matter how old they were when they died - or how long ago they died- we cry our faces off. The pain is real. But we believe to experience healing, these moments are essential.

We smile. We laugh. We dance. We cry again. It is all the feels. All weekend long. We share our deepest saddest moments and our most joyous ones too. We share the ways we are putting one foot infront of the other since our tragedy. We share our tragedies. We tell our love story - the one that was cut off way too short- the one we ache to have back but can never be. We say their names over and over and over again. We talk about them. All weekend long. We relate to each other in ways no one else can. We bring them back to life for four days. And we feel them all around us and with us through it all.

This space and this time together quickly becomes sacred to these women and every single mama leaves a different person. Most get a piece of their old selves back and gift that to their families when they return home. All of them leave with a feeling of sisterhood where they are loved no matter what and are accepted with outstretched arms.

It truly is such a gift and honor to have these women trust in us year after year with the most intimate and sacred parts of their lives. As draining and emotional as this experience is for me, I am already looking forward to next year and the lives that will be impacted by this truly unique experience.

THANK YOU to all of the organizations and families who sponsored a mama this year and to all of the small businesses (some pictured below) who help us spoil these mamas with so much love!