Happy Birthday Big Brother.

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019 / stephhuff / 1 Comment

Finleigh knew this was a day for her brother from the moment she woke up this morning. She has a musical seahorse just like Lincoln’s (he loved it so much he was buried with it) that she sleeps with every night. It stays in her bed during the day, but today she wanted to play the music and carry it around all morning which she has never done before.

There are a few high shelves in Finleigh’s room that have some of Lincoln’s belongings as well as the angel bear that Riley gave me to hold right after Lincoln passed. I carried it all that day and slept with it for awhile. When Finleigh got up from her nap she specifically pointed to it, said “bear?” and wanted Daddy to get it down. We’ve not let her play with that bear because we don’t want anything to happen to it and the shelf is high enough she doesn’t really pay attention to what’s up there. She was adamant to have that bear and proceeded to hug it, carry it around, feed it and have it go potty.

She wanted to bring it with us when we headed to the cemetery and we just couldn’t say no so off we went. Finleigh was so sweet helping decorate for her brother’s birthday placing flowers and setting up the pin wheel.

She has a special connection with her brother ❤️

We finished off the night with a beautiful lantern for our birthday boy.

Our day is finally at an end, 6 birthdays celebrated.

I’m so jealous of Grandpa Freddie who made it just in time for your heavenly party baby. I know he gave you all the updates on your little sister and how much we all love and miss you. I know he was so excited to see you. Mommy, Daddy and Sissy can’t wait to celebrate with you in person for the first time someday Bubby! We love you forever!

💚HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY LINCOLN 💚

The Hope of Christmas

December 21, 2014 / stephhuff / 1 Comment

It’s been completely exhausting grieving though the holidays. We both have been coming home from work and pretty much eating dinner, and falling asleep on the couch. It always surprises me how grief presents itself. I thought I was doing pretty good and then I realized it is taking at least 10-12 hours of sleep a night just to function at work. It takes so much energy to keep it together. I always try to give myself opportunities to have a “break down” and express my grief, but sometimes I’m just so sick of crying that I need a few moments of reprieve. We are so thankful for our co-workers and the wonderful support they have been for us through everything. I don’t know how we could be more blessed in this area.

We’re doing everything we can to include our sweet boy as we near Christmas Day. We have a special “angel tree” that is Lincoln’s tree. A dear lady from our church wrote us a letter after Lincoln passed away and shared with us that they had lost a baby around 20 years ago. They have a tree dedicated to their own little boy that they buy an angel ornament for every year. They bought us a willow tree angel ornament so that we could start the tradition as well… Her letter touched me so much and we are absolutely beginning this tradition for Lincoln this year.

I was keeping my eye out for an additional angel ornament for Lincoln’s tree and hadn’t found one yet when I was walking around Kohl’s a few weeks ago. I was feeling really depressed and missing Lincoln sooo much… I was becoming overwhelmed wondering how in the world we are going to get through this Christmas without our little boy. I stopped as I neared the Christmas decorations and said out loud “I can’t do this Jesus, please help me!” A few seconds later I looked over to my right and saw it. The perfect angel ornament for Bubby’s tree. It was an angel holding a seahorse. For those who don’t know, Lincoln’s favorite toy was a seahorse that played classical music . Jeremy’s Papaw gave it to him for Christmas last year. No matter what, that thing always calmed him down; he absolutely loved it. We actually buried him with it because we didn’t want to part him from it. It’s because of this we always associate seahorses with Lincoln’s memory. I knew that God was sending me a message that night.

We’re just trying to take one day at a time. If I look too far ahead, it just gets too overwhelming. Like “how can we go through an entire lifetime of birthdays and Christmas’ without Lincoln?” We try to be as gentle with ourselves as we can. It’s hard feeling like the Debbie downer party pooper, when the rest of the world is so excited and joyful. I hope that family and friends understand that we love talking about Lincoln… We need to talk about Lincoln. Ask us questions. Say his name. A lot of people have said to others that they are afraid to bring him up to us because they think they will upset us. I promise you I’m already thinking about him. I think about him constantly. There is no way its bringing up a “touchy” subject. We are living this 24/7. We are going to be child loss parents until the day we join Lincoln again, however near or far that day will be.

I like to imagine Lincoln watching us from heaven. It’s a way that I still feel him connected to us. I’m so thankful that we can lean on hope and press forward. We still have a race that we are running, and at the end we will receive the BEST prize we could ever imagine.

Thank you father for the gift of your precious son, so that I can one day be reunited with my own precious son. Fill our hearts with hope and peace that only you can give. Please give Lincoln a kiss from his mommy and let him know how much we love and miss him. I can’t wait to join all of you someday. In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen

Riley Memorial Service August 17, 2014

September 14, 2014 / stephhuff / Leave a comment

We were recently invited to attend a memorial service in Indianapolis hosted by Riley Children’s Hospital to honor all of the children who had recently passed away under their care. I was nervous as we made the familiar trek to downtown Indy accompanied by my mother, sister, and brother. I did not know what to expect; of the event or my emotional state when the service would begin.

When we walked into the service there was a harpist playing beautiful music. We were instructed to write Lincoln’s name on a little felt square and add it to a Memorial Quilt that was set up down in the front of the room. Jeremy and I walked hand in hand over to the quilt and found a spot for our little sweetie’s name just as the service was about to begin.

They began with a prayer and then began to read the names of the children who had passed. There were so many names… I couldn’t believe it. All of us sharing the same pain of losing our children was overwhelming. We collectively held our breath as the chaplain read – Lincoln Huff. Jeremy and I stood as a very nice nurse brought us each a flower and a little memory pebble to carry with us where ever we go. My family cried more than I did, but I seem to go a little numb during these type of events. I honestly think it is my body’s way of protecting itself from the extreme pain and grief. If I let myself go, I know I will completely lose it and I usually only do that in the privacy of my home. I don’t think it’s unhealthy, just a way that I’ve learned to cope.

For each one of the children whose parents weren’t able to make it they placed a flower in a vase that began empty but slowly filled up until it was over flowing with carnations. They also placed little pebbles around the vase for each baby that never made it out of the NICU before it passed.

The parents were then directed to come down and surround the table that the flowers were on and we lit candles that surrounded a single rose that symbolized hope, strength, and courage. The chaplains also read Psalms 23. It really was lovely.

After the service we were directed into the lobby for refreshments, and we ran into one of the dear ladies who had been in Lincoln’s room the day that he died. She and a nurse had helped us make molds of his little hands and feet. I just had to let her know that those are now our most treasured possessions! And she remembered us. I was a little surprised, but relieved we didn’t have to try to explain who we were. The work that they do is just tremendous for parents who are losing everything… they provide something tangible to remember your child by.

It was hard being at Riley again, looking down those long hallways that I had walked so many times only 6 months earlier… just more reminders of the constant ache in my heart for my son. Still, I am glad we went. I don’t want to have any regrets when it comes to honoring him and keeping his memory alive. Thank you Riley for speaking his name.

Memorial Quilt

Lincoln’s little quilt square

Flowers and pebbles representing the recently deceased children

Jeremy and Stephanie surrounding flower table with other parents

Hope, courage, and strentgh

Photo of Lincoln we shared with other parents

I Am Not Alone

June 17, 2014 / stephhuff / 5 Comments

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart) I am never without it. ~ E.E. Cummings

I see Lincoln constantly. Things that I never would have thought would remind me of him pop up everywhere. As I sit here outside writing, the fireflies are beginning to come out, floating over the grass. There is a soft wind blowing the humidity and heat of the day away. And I feel him. I don’t think a mother’s heart can ever fully be separated from her children. Where ever they are, young, old, near, far, earth or in heaven, she is always connected to them. From the moment your little baby begins to grow inside you, there is an unspeakable, unexplainable love.

I remember the first time I ever felt Lincoln kick. I was around 21 weeks and had been having ALOT of serious back pain. My belly was really starting to grow! I was soaking in the tub (Jeremy’s orders), reading a magazine, singing along to some Adele music on my iPod when I felt I little nudge. I stopped singing and thought, “was that what I think it was??” I sat there silently waiting and when nothing else happened, I went back to singing away. And then it happened again… and again!! I knew without a doubt that I felt my little baby kicking me! I was so excited!! My eyes welling up with tears, I hurry and grabbed my phone and texted Jeremy the awesome news. I will never forget his response, “Aww that is so sweet, he loves his mommy’s singing.” I treasure that memory and the excitement we shared together.

Everything is so different now. Life now consists of before Lincoln’s death and after. I wish I could visit the before again, but I know that for the rest of my life on this earth, I will sadly be in the after. My heart longs for my son in a away I didn’t even know was possible. Our whole lives were devoted to his care. It’s so hard for everything to just… stop. No more changing diapers, no more baby laundry, no more baths, no more anything. I still feel like I should be taking care of him somehow.

I guess that is why I am OCD about his grave. I tend to his spot like no other. I visit often, and always after it rains; just to make sure everything is still perfectly arranged. I was there recently, cleaning off the dirt that had washed onto his head stone, and as I was crouching down, I heard a noise. When I looked up there was a squirrel just a few feet away, just standing straight up staring at me. After a few moments he slowly pranced away. I looked back down at Lincoln’s head stone and said “I love you… you’re here aren’t you?” and just then the wind picked up out of nowhere and his little pinwheel decorations twirled like crazy. I felt comforted in that moment. I knew that God was letting me know that He sees my pain and I haven’t been been forgotten. I am thankful for all of His subtle reminders that I am not alone, and that my heart can never truly be separated from Lincoln, even though we can no longer be together physically.

Lincoln is always with me. He is forever on my mind and forever in my heart. XOXO