This past weekend, Neil and I drove down to Phoenix to accept the Best of Heritage award for the company that I am a consultant for- Heritage Makers. I signed up as a consultant after working on Tristan’s baby book through Heritage Makers. My first big project ended up being a 12×12 album of Tristan’s professional photographs. The album was very healing, because after writing down his story and our families experience and emotions, and having his perfect little image preserved in the art of Julie William’s NILMDTS photography, I felt like I could let my mind and heart wander and heal from the pain of this. Yet anytime I wanted to go back to the beauty and love of having Tristan in our lives, it would all be right there. So I made this book and really thought it was too personal, in the sense that no one else would want to read such a sad story. But My friend saw the potential in this book and submitted it to Heritage Makers for the Best of Heritage awards. It is a great honor to have won this, but it’s even more than that.

Tristan’s Visit photography book

Thoughts for Tristan baby book

When I started with Heritage Makers as a consultant, one of my goals was to be able to donate a story book to as many Angel families as possible. This weekend saw the fruition of that dream on a level I didn’t even think of. Tristan’s book has inspired the company to team up with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep to offer a storybook to every family served by NILMDTS.  It was a dream come true to spend time with Julie and to meet with consultants around the country who are so excited about this partnership. So many came up to meet with Neil and I and to tell their own stories of loss. I am always so humbled to have strangers who hear of Tristan and our story and let me into the personal heartbreak they have experienced.

Anyway, I am thrilled with the good that has come out of all of this!

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