Joe and I would like to give back to Three Little Birds and help spread their mission supporting loss families. We are doing this through a project we are calling Mira's Banners of Love. I will be making banners for palliative care families to use in their maternity shoots. These banners will have their child's name on them and be provide at no charge. I also am working with Three Little Birds to sell banners on their Etsy page, which will help raise money for the organization.
Read more about Mira's Legacy Project in Three Little Birds' blog here.
Why is the project called Mira's Banners of Love?
The name is inspired by Song of Solomon 2:4, "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Though this verse is talking about the love between Solomon and his wife, I don’t think it is too far of a stretch to consider the banqueting house a metaphor for God’s place in Heaven for Mira, and the banner a metaphor for God’s love over her. I like to think about Mira’s love being a banner over my own life as well.
Why have you chosen to do this project with Three Little Birds?
Three Little Birds provided much needed services to us, and though other organizations did as well,(CHOP, Sufficient Grace Ministries, our church, DOVE Westgate, and others) the work Three Little Birds is so important. The pictures Desiree at Three Little Birds took for our maternity shoot and from Mira’s birthday are the number one things that can pull me out of the darkness when it is at its worst. I can’t even put into words how valuable those pictures are. Most parents get a lifetime to take pictures of their child. One photo didn’t turn out well? Oh, well the next one will. Loss families do not have that option. The pictures you have are all you will ever have. There can never be enough. I look at Mira’s pictures constantly. I look at our maternity pictures and feel the joy of celebrating her that day with Desiree. I look at the pictures of my parents seeing Mira for the first time and marvel at their faces full of awe. I look at the pictures of her sweetly snugged in my belly cast (also made with Desiree!) and remember the beautiful peace of that day. Those pictures are the most important thing in the world. I want to see all families facing a stillbirth or fatal prenatal diagnosis to have this service.
Why does it matter for families to have a banner with their child's name?
Having your child's name on a banner for a maternity shoot or to display in your home is more than just something cute to do. The banners are important, because there is just something so special about seeing and hearing your child’s name. That is one of the first important decisions you make as parents, what will my child’s name be? A name can mean so much. We so carefully selected Mira’s name that I wanted to it be displayed proudly. It was another way to say to the world, “This is my daughter, Miriam, not ‘a fetus incompatible with life.’” The banner with Mira’s full first name, Miriam, is now laid out across the display cabinet where we have a memorial area set up for her. Her name is proudly displayed, as we will not have her name whispered and avoided because she was lost, we will have it shouted out and celebrated with joy because she was loved! I hope to give this same experience to other families.
How can I help?
If you are interested in helping, you are welcome to give a small donation to help cover the cost of supplies. You also can donate directly to Three Little Birds in memory of Mira, or another baby. Buying a banner from the Etsy page (linked above) also helps bring money to Three Little Birds.
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