In April 1999, I became a mom with the birth of my oldest son.  Just over two years later, in 2001, we welcomed our second son into our family.  In 2002, my husband accepted a job in the Houston area, and we moved from Dallas to a small town just south of the city.  About three years later, we relocated again into the city of Houston where we've lived ever since. 

 

Parenting brought both joy and challenge, particularly with my oldest son, who struggled with a variety of issues.  As a family, we walked alongside him as best we could.  He was deeply loved and continuously prayed for.  However, in 2020, when he was just 21, he chose to end his life.  That choice devastated our family and threw us into a chaotic nightmare that felt unsurvivable.

 

In the aftermath of his death, I found a lifeline in a group called Sisters in Support,  which is a class for moms who have lost a child, and is offered through my church, Houston's First Baptist.  The women who led and participated in that group supported me in very profound ways.  I was so grateful for the "safe place" created by the class that I went through it three times. (The group is still active today if you are interested.)

 

I realized that I needed a community of moms who truly understood the depth of my grief -- and it needed to be more than a class.  The loss of a child is unlike any other and there simply aren't words to capture the pain and heartbreak.  While attending SIS, I began working one on one with Certified Life Coach Tricia Zody who helped me to process my grief and make sense of some of the chaos in my head.  And in the fall of 2022, I enrolled in a 12-week Grief Educator Class led by David Kessler.  I learned how to make peace with all of my emotions and how to hold space for others walking through the grief of losing a child.  With the help of these two and the support of my family and friends, I became a Certified Grief Educator.  I continue to work with Tricia and attend regular alumni refresher classes with David Kessler. 

 

In February 2023, I started my own grief support group for bereaved moms called Broken Hearts; Beautiful Moms.  The name is inspired by the verse Isaiah 61:3.  The Lord gave me a platform and connection to several bereaved moms, not only in the Houston area but some even outside the city.  They, like me, wanted to find a safe, supportive community where they could share their heartbreak, feel understood, and find hope for survival.

 

This group is open to any grieving mom.  While most of the children represented range in age from 8 to the mid-30's, there is no age limit for participation.  Some moms come for encouragement during low moments, others come to speak their feelings aloud and to be heard and understood.  We discuss things that have helped us along the way- whether they are spiritual, emotional, or practical.  There is no religious requirement, however, it is my own faith in God (that was seriously tested) and my belief in His Son Jesus that has been my anchor even through the darkest days. 

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* Attached is a link to my video that I recorded for my church if you are interested in knowing more about me.