Memorial jewelry

For Lilly's first birthday, we bought her a special bracelet that had red white and blue on it. (Celebrating her special day on July 4th!) I ordered it from Six Sisters Beadworks and it was called "Americana." Instead of a flag charm, I had Michelle, the woman that makes the jewelry, put on a little silver "L." The bracelet was so pretty on Lilly's chubby little arm. We buried Lilly with her bracelet. (And a necklace that Michelle also made that I had bought Lilly for a Christmas present.)

This past Saturday, I received a package from Michelle. Inside I was delighted to find two bracelets - one for me and one for my daughter T. They looked just like Lilly's special bracelet. Except instead of the "L" charm, they have "Lilly" in little silver blocks. And mine has a heart charm with two baby footprints inside. T's has a heart clasp. The bracelets are so beautiful and so Lilly! Definitely something to wear often and treasure.

I've never really been a "jewelry person" other than loving my wedding and engagement rings. (They're copied from designs from the 1920s.) But I've really been comforted by having some Lilly memorial jewelry. The day after Lilly died, I got out a little baby shoe charm that has Lilly's birthstone on it, and put it on a chain to wear. (My aunt had bought it for Lilly for her birthday.) Then for Christmas I received a charm to add to it "from Lilly" (my mom) that has a little heart, and a little silver circle with an "L." I love these charms and what they represent in my mind.


Michelle is planning to design some special memorial jewelry to sell on her website and Etsy site. She lost her own little boy, who had Trisomy 18, in December, shortly after Lilly died. She said she wears an angel's wing with an "H" for his name (Henry). I look forward to posting the link for the memorial line once it's available. I think there are other mothers and sisters out there that would like something special like that.


T. likes special necklaces - she has several and I'll post pictures soon of what she wears to remember Lilly.

In the Trisomy 18 world, four babies died in the past two days. And another (in Israel) went to heaven last week. I know those parents cherished every second with their children. And I know that their lives will always have a void in them now. But Lord willing, as the days pass, they'll be able to focus on all the happy memories and take comfort in them.

I miss Lilly's smile so much! Yet it makes me so happy to remember her smiling and knowing that she was such a happy little girl!

For me it really helps to focus on the happy Lilly thoughts and to do memorial projects and for our family to talk about Lilly every day at home.

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones." - Proverbs 17:22