Memories of an Angel

This Father's Day, we acknowledge the strength and love of all dads, especially those who carry their children in their hearts.

Need support? Connect with our counselling team.
www.bearsofhope.org.au/seek-support/counsellor-support

🌈 NATIONAL RAINBOW BABY DAY 🌈

A Rainbow Baby is a baby born following miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or infant loss. The term has been given to these special babies as a rainbow typically follows a storm giving us hope for whats to come.

Today is National Rainbow Baby Day and offers families a chance to share their experiences, grieve, reflect, hope, heal and celebrate.

We love Rainbow Babies and the hope that they bring. We also know that the journey to a Rainbow Baby isn't all sunshine and roses. What do you wish people knew and understood about Rainbow Babies?

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

🔴🔴🔴TODAY IS RED NOSE DAY!🔴🔴🔴

This important day for the Red Nose community recognises 36 years of getting silly for a serious cause, and raising much-needed funds to support families and help save little lives.

The incredible Red Nose community (that's you guys!) are the reason Red Nose Day has lasted this long.

Because of you we can support families in need, fund vital-research to find answers and continue to save little lives.

Let us know what you are up to this Red Nose Day, whether it's honouring the life of a special baby or child, hosting a fundraiser, volunteering or wearing a red nose.

We'd love to hear from you.

And don't forget that our DOLLAR MATCH DAY is running until midnight tonight, all donations will be DOUBLED until the matching funds run out.

To donate, visit: https://www.rednoseday.org.au/donate

Calling our Sydney Dad’s! 💙

Sydney and surrounds - Dads, we are seeking your input!

If a casual catch-up in the lead up to Father's Day is something you would find beneficial and would like to attend, please let us know if the form below!

https://bearsofhope.wufoo.com/forms/eoi-fathers-day-catch-up/

Today is Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day and is dedicated to highlighting the 1 in 80 pregnancies that are ectopic and the experiences of those affected by the condition.

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that grows outside your uterus (womb), usually in one of your fallopian tubes.

Ectopic pregnancy is a type of early pregnancy loss.

An ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening if it causes heavy bleeding.

There are some things that can increase your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment can involve taking medicine or having surgery.


Image by ectopicawareness

An opportunity for IBFD for those local to Ballarat.

See below link for details or to book:
https://rb.gy/g93vpn

I lived every word of this.

Thank you for putting my feelings to words LEAVE HER WILD

~Beautiful Ramblings

Pop the date in your calendar! ❤️

Our Choosing Hope a walk of honour and remembrance in support of bereaved families is back for 2024!

In October there will be 7 locations, and our virtual walk!

Keep an eye on our page for updates!



Keen to sponsor one of our locations? More info on this link https://www.bearsofhope.org.au/ways-to-give/corporate-support/ or DM us to connect.

A beautiful thought from we.grieve.together ❤️

ECHUCA/MOAMA - July 2024
What an absolutely amazing trip!
It was jam packed full of fun times & memory making.
I was so nervous that we mightn’t make it given how sick Oliver was immediately after his 12 month vax. But as soon as we got to the accommodation and he saw the incredible space he had to explore, he came alive!!
He was absolutely living his best life as he had his first ride on a Paddlesteamer, we visited and so much more!
It was really special to see him so happy and loving all of the new sights & experiences.
I’ve already booked another trip, it was THAT good!
I’ll be counting down the days until we go back!!

All outstanding orders have been packed this evening. They will be delivered to the Post Office tomorrow morning! Thank you so much for your patience, understanding & your support.
Sx

About two weeks ago, my Dad’s Sister (Auntie Leeanne) called me to talk about my Dad’s Father who served in the military. I was aware of this as my parents had spoken about it when I was young.

Many of the family’s children have my Grandfather’s service medals and Auntie Leeanne was reaching out to see if I would like some for Oliver. Without any hesitation, I said yes please!

The medals have just arrived today! They are full size and quite heavy. They are really shiny and definitely something special to see.

John Francis Rowe (my Grandfather) was in the Australian Army during WW2 and served in the 2/14 Infantry Battalion from 1940-1945.

I have already started googling so that I can learn all about where the battalion went, what they did, and what each of his medals are for.

The Rowe family has quite a strong link to the Australian Defence Forces.
In addition to the above, my Dad’s Brother, Uncle John, his wife Auntie Kate and their son John Junior have all served significant amounts of time in the Australian Navy.

I am so excited to learn all about the family history and share it with Oliver Makis. This truly is such a special gift for him.

💜💛💙
Who is a Grieving Mother?
She is one who ignores a baby shower or birthday invitation one day, because the pain is still too raw.
And the next, celebrates the small milestones, for she knows how precious they are.
She's the one who boxes up a life time of mementos in an afternoon to spare her husband the pain.
Yet years later can't dredge up the courage to go through them again.
Who is a grieving mother?
She is one who holds it together in the big things and falls apart over spilt milk.
Who loves deeply those closest to her, but keeps her heart guarded for protection from others.
She's one who grimaces at the first laugh after loss, but later laughs louder than most.
Who finds joy in the simple things and relishes everyday moments.
Who is a grieving mother?
She's one held hostage by dates on the calendar and unexpected triggers.
And one who will always pause for sunsets, butterflies and sweet signs from above.
She's one who lets go of friends unable to support her. And one who treasures those who didn't walk away.
Who is a grieving mother?
She's one who can experience an array of emotions on any given day.
And one who wishes tears would come when numbness covers her.
She's one who screams at God one moment and clings to him the next.
Who didn't expect her faith to grow so much from the most important unanswered prayer she ever spoke.
Who is a grieving mother?
She is one as complicated as the grief she carries.
"Do not judge the grieving mother. She comes in many forms. She is breathing, but she is dying. She may look young, but inside she has become ancient. She smiles but her heart sobs. She walks, she talks, she cooks, she cleans, she works, she IS but she IS NOT, all at once. She is here, but part of her is somewhere else, for eternity"
- Unknown

Artist Credit : Carla Kurt via Pinterest

Double Rainbow Ornaments 🌈🌈

And these beauties! 🤍

I forgot just how beautiful these “Angel Mum”
Earrings actually are!!
I’m packing orders today, hopefully I can get completely caught up! x

~ 1 year today ~
Jess Ray & I had taken Ollie back to the accommodation and I was learning just how sleep deprived one can be!
Gosh little Ollie was soooo tiny!
💙🇬🇷🌈

Ollie is down so I’m trying to play catch-up on orders! There’s quite a few to get through atm. Thank you all so very much! x

Tonight we went to for the first time!
I brought the tickets months ago.
I was petrified about the weather, but we persisted & attended anyway.
We got drenched several times but it didn’t stop Ollie from having a wonderful time.
As you can see in some of the pics, his face lights up at certain points!
I’m so glad we went, it’s definitely worth a visit!!

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this post.

Unfortunately, after significant deliberation, I am having to put a pause on MOAAs online store.

I have tried very hard over the past few months to keep things afloat, but I just don’t have the time.

Being a single mum who works full time is such a juggle, let alone adding in all of the sickness that comes with daycare. Oliver and/or I seem constantly sick!

Every single day, there is never enough hours in the day, no matter what I do.

I honestly have tried to manage it all, but just can’t.

Additionally, the previous plans made to relocate stock (from the 2nd bedroom in my house) and outsource the packing and shipping of orders have unfortunately fallen through.

As I live in a small 2bdrm unit, and given Oliver is now 12 months old, I need to move the MOAA stock out of that room and give Oliver his own space.

Unfortunately MOAA doesn’t generate enough income to warrant renting its own space, I truly wish that it did.

Please know that this decision hasn’t come lightly & if I thought there was an alternative way forward, I would be taking it!

MOAA is and always will be, the legacy of my much loved and missed babies and as such, it makes me really sad to make this very hard decision.

I will aim to pack and ship all outstanding orders by the close of the weekend. The website will cease a week from today, so on 4th July.

I’m truly so sorry.

Sx

𝕆𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝟙 🎉

Today we celebrated Oliver Makis first birthday!

Huge thanks to everyone who came today, I’m so incredibly grateful.

I love Oliver every single day. Today I wanted him to feel loved & celebrated by many and I have no doubt that we definitely achieved that.

As tumultuous as this past year has been (and some times have been VERY hard), it’s not lost on me that I’m living out something today/tomorrow that I have wished for for many years. It’s a privilege that sadly not everyone gets to experience.

This is really a full circle moment for me. I waited such a long time for Oliver and I’m so proud to say that we made it. He’s here, he’s healthy & happy and he’s amazing! I am truly so blessed and can’t wait to see what my little man becomes.

Thank you all so much for being with me every step of the way of this crazy journey!!

💙🇬🇷🌈

Exactly a year ago today, Jess & I were boarding a plane to head over to Greece ahead of Oliver’s birth! I can’t believe this was a whole year ago, because I remember it like it was yesterday!

This morning when heading to work, I looked up and saw the biggest Rainbow! There was no rain in sight, so it was quite odd.

With Oliver’s birthday celebrations fast approaching, Baby Grace has been ever present in my mind of late. I honestly felt like this sight was so symbolic this morning.

🌈🇬🇷❤️

Earlier this year, our childcare centre had professional photographers come in to take photos of the kids. This was Oliver Makis first time ever having professional photos.

As it was around Easter, I decided to pop him in his Peter Rabbit pyjamas from Target because they were sooo cute & he hadnt had an opportunity to wear them (given we were away for Easter in Yarrawonga and it was far too hot!!).

I dropped Oliver off in the morning at daycare and told them to gently sweep his hair to the side when it came time for the photos, because it tended to fall flat on his head after a bit of time running around.

This is the hilarious result! 😂

The official hard copy photos were delivered yesterday!!

I swear these photos will be great for his 21st!

Beautiful 9mo Ollie with the craziest Donald Trump combover known to man!!!

I have not stopped laughing so hard at these pics. What a hilarious memory to treasure. He is just going to love these images when he’s all grown up, I’m sure of it!!!! 🤣

It just never is, so please don’t!
Infertile Millennial

FIRST HAIRCUT ✂️

Oh my heart!!!! We went out for lunch with the neighbours and got Oliver Makis his first ever haircut. I nearly cried. He now looks so grown up!!! What a beautiful boy I have! 💙

The first 3 pics are AFTER and the last 2 are BEFORE.

🌈 💙🇬🇷

A reminder that EOFY is fast approaching & all donations greater than $2 to AGA are tax deductible! 🤍

Angel Gowns Australia creates baby burial gowns from donated materials using customised patterns. We gift them to Australian families to allow precious time to create lasting memories at a tragic time.

Would you like to take advantage of our Deductible Gift Recipient status before the end of the June 2024 ? All monetary donations over $2 are tax deductible.
The easiest way to do this is via our Give Now tab on our website here https://www.givenow.com.au/angelgownsaustralia You’ll automatically receive a receipt once your donation is processed.

Alternatively you can donate via online banking or over the counter at Westpac bank, using BSB 032721 and Account 306786 Please email us at [email protected] with your details so we can arrange a receipt if you use this method.

Your support allows us to continue providing our angel gown garments at no cost to the recipients, thankyou so much for your generosity.

The reason why Robyn created Rebecca Jane Foundation, and the story of her daughter, Rebecca Jane. ❤️

Reflections from our founder:

Today is just a normal day for many, yet for me personally June 3rd is a day that takes me back 45 years ago – to the day Rebecca Jane died. I had no idea my life would change so dramatically, in fact it would never be the same again.

The loss of a child, even after 45 years, leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of those who loved them. Sadly though, there are less alive who did get the chance to know and love Becky. Apart from her father of course, my mum, sister and best friend were the closest to her and of those three, only my best friend is still alive.

Despite the years that have passed, significant dates like anniversaries still sometimes catch me unaware. This day, 45 years ago, feels both distant and like it was yesterday — a day etched in my memory, carrying the weight of what could have been. I admit, there are times when I feel cheated when I see mothers and their close relationships with their daughters. I do have a son but you know that old adage about a daughter being your daughter for the rest of your life!

Grieving isn't linear. It's not something that you simply "get over" with time. Instead, it's a process of learning to navigate life with the absence of someone who was deeply cherished. While the intensity of grief may soften over time, the love and longing for them remains unchanged.

RJF was launched on what would have been Becky’s 40th birthday, so my own personal focus has changed about that date, because we are able to celebrate the amount of families we have helped (currently at over 200). Now, June 3rd, the day Becky left this world is the day when I feel her loss more keenly because it is just about her.

This morning as I lay in bed, actually not wanting to get up because it was cold lol, I remembered it all as if it was only yesterday. I remember the doctor coming in to tell us she was going to die and asking if we wanted to see her before she did, not knowing at that time they had already taken her off life support.

Becky died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and normally we would have gone in and found her in her cot, but she had been unwell so we had her with us and were immediately able to intervene with CPR. Sadly it only delayed the inevitable, but we were able to live with knowing we had done everything in our power to save her.

When I did grief support for the then Sudden Infant Death Research Foundation (now Red Nose) the one thing I was able to do was to share my story so that parents who ‘wished they had of heard something’ before going in to find their child lifeless, were able to hear that we did and it didn’t make any difference.

Anniversaries serve as poignant reminders of a life that was cut short, it prompts us to reflect on the memories we have and the dreams that were never realised. It's a day to honour the significance of our baby’s brief existence, to acknowledge the impact they had on our lives, no matter how fleeting. From the moment of conception they are our child, regardless of how long we were blessed with their presence.

I have found over the years that it's essential to find comfort in the memories we cherish, to celebrate the precious moments we shared with our babies, no matter how brief. It's also important to allow ourselves the space to mourn — to feel the broad range of emotions (because everyone experiences grief differently) and that there is no right or wrong.

While the pain of Becky dying 45 years ago may never fully dissipate, there's comfort in knowing that her memory lives on, especially now with RJF.

So today as I honour her life in sharing this story with you, I know one thing will never change, my love for her transcends time and space.

１１ ＭＯＮＴＨＳ ＯＬＤ

This weekend, Oliver Makis turned 11 months old.

He’s just shy of 10kgs, has 2 teeth, a very full head of hair & a huge personality.
He’s such a happy & smiley boy.
He’s very social and gravitates towards any babies or children that are nearby.
He’s walking with assistance, can crawl at an incredibly rapid pace and is super chatty/vocal.
He constantly leads with his head so seems to bang into things a lot! He has no fear and just plows forward all the time!!! People keep telling me that this is

I still can’t quite believe that he’s 11 months old. Some days it feels so long ago and other times it feels like only a few short months ago that I was back in Greece.

Nana is doing well and has reached out to me on numerous occasions to see how Oliver Makis is going. I send her photos and we chat about all of his new developments. During our last conversation, she advised that she is considering helping another family & doing surrogacy again, this time however in her home country (not Greece), which is completely understandable as she does have young children of her own.

Weve just spent the last week in sleep school as the wheels really fell off a few months ago when Oliver decided that he didn’t want to sleep past 3am. That lasted for over 2 months & was super tough. It caused quite a strain on my work and made life really hard. We’re now back home, trying to utilise some of the skills that we learnt. (I’ll do a separate post about SS as I have received quite a few messages/questions).

I’m so happy that Oliver now LOVES food!! We’re still living in the land of puree but he’s also really enjoying fruits, veges, meats, breads, basically all the things! Meal times are probably one of my favourite times now. We sit down together, take our time and I let him really enjoy all the different parts of his meal.

I am excitedly preparing for Oliver Makis 1st birthday next month, even saying that still seems so surreal.

I haven’t got a photo of him with his milestone card this month but instead have attached some of my favourite photos of Ollie from this month. He’s definitely still a cutie patootie! 💙

🌈 💙🇬🇷

It’s definitely a case of quality over quantity for your village.
Sometimes we can be surprised about who rallies around us and/or who is absent during our loss/grief.
Who was or wasn’t there for you?!

Maybe this will help.
~Beautiful Ramblings

The final tally of the Rebecca Jane Foundation Mother’s Day lunch which I attended recently. It’s such a great outcome which will fund funerals for many families in need who experience the loss of their child. ❤️