Louis John

With sorrow, we announce the birth and death of our youngest child, who was born too soon this past Monday, August 25th.  I felt that he was a boy, so we have named him Louis John.  Louis is for St. Louis IX of France, upon whose feast day he was born.  John is for the feast day of the death of St. John the Baptist, which was this past Friday.  We look forward to the day when we will get to meet him in heaven. 

A New Baby Saint

On February 4th, 2014, a new baby saint was born into heaven.  We have named her Agatha Rose and, though we are sad, we look forward to the day when we can see her again. 

St. Agatha was a third century Christian martyr from Sicily.  Her feast day is February 5th.

St. Rose of Lima is the patroness of the Americas.  Her feast day is August 23rd. 

Our newest little intercessor is likely already praying for us.

Agatha Rose, pray for us.


(By the way, this is our 1000th post!)

Teresa Marie Day

Two years ago today, we lost our little Teresa Marie.  My heart is sorrowful, thinking of her, but we are celebrating her life today. 

About a year and a half ago, I posted about a book, called After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope,by Karen Edmisten.  At the time, I had not yet read it, as it had not been officially released.  I just knew it would be good, and I am long overdue talking about it after reading it.  It contains much helpful talk about the different aspects of miscarriages, all from a Catholic perspective.  A lot of the book contains memories and reflections based on the author's personal experience with multiple miscarriages, as well as many beautiful quotes and poems.  There are resources, both for women going through a miscarriage and those who want to know what to do to help a woman in that situation.  Then there are writings from many other women scattered throughout the book.  One of which is yours truly!  A portion of a blog post I wrote a few years ago is on p. 61.  I had forgotten that Mrs. Edmisten had asked my permission to use any of my writings in her book, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to give a woman something after she has a miscarriage, or who wants to learn about what to say or not say, do or not do.  Or if you yourself have suffered a miscarriage, this book will help you to know that you are not alone.

Thanksgiving 2012

We found out on the day before Thanksgiving that our little Benedict Joseph had died in utero, so we had kind of a quiet Thanksgiving at home.  Well, not really quiet, with 5 little squirts running around, all excited.  Subdued might be a better word, at least on my part.

One turkey was already in the oven, but this turkey was slated for a different fate.

Dan lowered the turkey into the fryer.

The captive audience.

How long is that turkey going to take?

A little baseball action while the turkey fried.

All done!

Much to be thankful for.

Mommy and the kids.

Pumpkin pie made from a pumpkin out of our garden!

Yummy!

Enjoying the pumpkin pie.

Benedict Joseph Brungardt

Yes, there has been an addition to our family.  Unfortunately, he did not survive the first trimester of pregnancy.   We have decided to call him Benedict Joseph.  Although he had a short life, he was a precious gift from God, and we look forward with hope to the day that we can meet him and hold him in heaven.  We will be celebrating his life every year on November 24. 


"A person is a person no matter how small."

Celebrating A Life and A Recommendation

Today we are celebrating and remembering the life of our sweet little Mary Joseph, who was miscarried 3 years ago this very day.  Though her life was very short, we keep her memory alive by asking her for prayers every day, and talking about her, and looking forward to the time when we will get to see her again.   

I also have a book recommendation.  It is titled After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope. The author is Karen Edmisten, a talented writer whose blog I follow.  She has herself suffered multiple miscarriages and has written about the subject on her blog.  Although I have not yet read the book (due to be released Feb. 13), I just know it will be great.  There has been a definite lack of Catholic reading material concerning miscarriage.  Here is the description from Amazon:

After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope is a book about grief, healing, and hope after miscarriage. Not afraid to examine the raw emotions that accompany such an experience, the author tells women that they are not alone in reacting strongly, even frighteningly, to their loss and reassures them that hope and healing will come. Having experienced multiple miscarriages herself, Karen shares excerpts from her personal journals, as well as other women's stories, rich quotes about grieving and the healing process, and practical advice. A helpful resource section includes a wide variety of information from both Catholic and secular sources.

Show More

Show Less

Mary Joseph, pray for us!

Show More

Show Less

A Busy Day!

One day last week, we had quite the busy day.  I had four errands to run, all in the same area of town.  This all took place after we did our morning schoolwork.

1) I went to get some blood work done to follow hcg levels after the miscarriage.  When the lab called my name to come in, all the kids trooped in with me.  The two ladies in there didn't bat an eye and didn't seem annoyed or anything!  If you are ever nervous about getting blood drawn, here's what you should do:  have a bunch of kids with you and make sure one of them is a squirmy toddler whom you have to hold on your lap and keep contained with one arm while they poke your other arm.  I barely even registered that the needle was going in my arm! 

2) I dropped off some 2 pocket folders at Kansans for Life.  They collect them to make information packets, which they hand out to all sorts of groups.  When there are good sales on folders, I always pick up a few extra, and then save them for KFL.  This was my first time dropping them off, though, so I had a lot of them.  I did not want to have to unbuckle Anthony when we got there, so I called them and one of the staff came out and got the folders. 

3) We dropped off some electronics at A Better Choice, the crisis pregnancy center for whom I look at sonograms.  There we did go inside, because I wanted the kids to see their really neat fetal models, The Touch of Life 1st Trimester Set.  After we lost Teresa Marie (this happened when Mary Joseph died, as well), the girls begged to see her.  Well, when the baby dies and then is miscarried weeks later, you can't really distinguish much.  So letting the girls see was out of the question.  It bothered me a little, though, until they got to see the Touch of Life models.  They are detailed, with a life-like feel, and accurate in size.  They have 7, 8, 9, and 10 week babies in a velvet-lined display box.  The kids all got to hold the babies who were Teresa Marie's and Mary Joseph's sizes.  They were enthralled, to say the least.  Anthony kept saying, "Baby!"   I think it really helped the girls, too, and they have quit asking why they couldn't see the baby.  I'm telling you this because the ladies at ABC are so very nice and they would be more than happy to show these or any of their materials to your children. 

4)I took all the kids to the doctor.  Yup, I saved "the best" for last. Three of the kids (Dominic, Anne, and Anthony) got checkups, which I've now decided is the maximum I want to schedule for one trip.  All five of the kids got flu vaccines, luckily 3 of them could get the squirt in the nose, but still 3 of the kids had to get shots.  Unfortunately, Anthony was one of them, and he had to get 5 shots!  He did okay for about the first 15 minutes in the exam room, then he was just mad the rest of the time, because he wanted out of that room!  Everyone checked out fine, except it was something to see all of Anthony's scrapes and scratches, bumps and bruises all at once in the bright light of that room.  He is quite the little boy. 

Dominic got two shots and didn't make a peep, but poor Anne was crying and resisting, and I had to pick her up and put her on the table.  Then she settled down so she could get her one shot in her arm instead of her leg.  (I'm not sure why that is better, but I'll take it!)  Then it was Anthony's turn.  The nurse went out to get another nurse to help, and he just got even more mad waiting in the room.  Then the nurses came in, and in that split second, when I looked away, Anthony head-butted me so hard in my face that it left a mark on his forehead, and I had a spot on my face that was sore for a couple of days.  He was getting in his payback before he got his shots! 

I'm sure the doctor's office was rather glad to see us leave.  We made quite the commotion. 

5) Then we were all very happy to go back home! 

A Vigil Kept

On September 11, 2001, I was on an airplane for the first leg of my journey to Washington D.C.  I had a layover in Atlanta, and as we neared, we began circling and circling endlessly.  We started to wonder what was going on, especially when the pilot came on and merely said there was a delay before we could land.  Then people started getting calls on their cell phones and around me I could hear snatches of one-sided conversations.  "The World Trade Center has been hit!?!"  "A plane crashed into the World Trade Center?!!"  And so on.  We finally landed and everyone got off the plane.  I collected my luggage and was lucky enough to get a voucher for a hotel room.  I took a shuttle to the hotel and got to my room and flipped on the TV.  There I kept vigil all day long, watching the coverage of those horrible, nation-changing events.

Fast forward 10 years and what was I doing on September 11, 2011?  Keeping vigil yet again, only this time for a very different reason.  I was watching and waiting for the birth of my little Teresa Marie, who had died in the womb.   All day long I waited and suffered, not able to leave the house, not able to go to Mass.  Through the night it continued and into the next day.

On Monday, September 12, 2011, the feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Teresa Marie Brungardt was born.  Though her soul was already in heaven, we will celebrate September 12 as her birthday. 

Teresa Marie, pray for us!

Celebrating And Mourning A New Little Saint

Yesterday we found out that our newest little baby has died in utero.  I was supposed to be 13 weeks along tomorrow.  The baby measured almost 10 week size.  I have had the feeling for weeks that the baby was a girl, so we have named her Teresa Marie.  Teresa for Blessed Mother Teresa, whose feast day was Monday, and Marie for Mary, Queen of Heaven, whose birthday is tomorrow. 

Mother Teresa is the one who said, "Saying there are too many children is like saying there are too many flowers."  She was a champion for the unborn and for the helpless ones among us, so it seemed very appropriate to use her name. 

When I think of our (now two) little ones in Heaven, I always envision them in the care of Mary, our Mother in Heaven.  Both of our lost babies now carry her name. 

Please pray for our family in this time of sorrow.

Happy Birthday, Mary Joseph!

Two years ago yesterday we lost our little baby, Mary Joseph.  So the kids and I made a cake with white frosting to celebrate her life. 

Mary Joseph, pray for us.

Another New Baby!

Last Sunday, baby Anthony and I drove up to a town near Kansas City for the baptism of my new little niece, Clara. My sister and I had miscarriages within a week of each other, and now our new babies are exactly 2 weeks apart. We each have five children here on earth and one in heaven. It was a joyful occasion.



Here I am with little Clara:



Grandpa is holding Clara and Anthony:

My brother, the priest, got to meet Anthony:

We also got to see my other brother's family, and my sister and her family from Dallas.

Here are the two babies again. Doesn't Anthony look huge next to that petite little Clara? It is hard to believe he is only 2 weeks older than she is!

We are truly blessed!

A Year Already?

Yesterday we celebrated Mary Joseph's birthday. January 19th was the day she delivered, though she was no longer alive. She would be 5 months old now had she lived. But, then we would not have the blessing of this little one who is now growing in my womb. So we baked a cake, decorated it, and celebrated the blessing of her short life. And asked for her intercession. It was a joyful day with tinges of sadness.

Mary Joseph, pray for us.

Today Should Have Been The Day

Today, August 15th, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was also supposed to have been my due date. This week especially I have been missing our little baby, realizing anew that I will never get to hold her here on this earth. But, the reunion in Heaven will be so sweet. I just have to make sure that I get there!

Here is what Dan's brother has been building for us this summer, with Dan's help. It is not finished yet, but I wanted you all to see it because it is in memory of Mary Joseph. Dan will do some landscaping around the grotto when it is finished.

Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us.

Mary Joseph, pray for us.

One Year Ago

One year ago from this past Saturday, we moved into this house on 8 acres. It's hard to believe it's already been one year! We asked the kids if they wanted to move back to the old house and we got a resounding, "NO!!" I think they like it here. What little kid wouldn't? They've got a huge backyard to play in, crazy paths and a clubhouse out in the big field, a bigger front yard they can actually play in without me worrying about all of the city suburb traffic whizzing by, and lots of sticks and dirt to play with (toys, too, of course :) ). We've seen lots of rabbits, turtles, deer, and all kinds of birds and bugs. Of course, some of the wildlife adventures weren't quite so grand (skunks), but still exciting.

Dan really enjoys getting outside to do work on our land, whether it be mowing, working in the garden, or building a clubhouse(to be blogged about soon, hopefully). Speaking of the garden, we are having a bountiful harvest, which is one reason why I haven't been blogging much lately.

I enjoy being able to walk outside with the kids, going for walks on our own land or just watching the kids play. It is peaceful and relaxing, and I like being able to see so much of the surrounding countryside from every direction. We still get to see our friends from town and I have long ago gotten used to driving a little farther to get groceries and other things. The sad spot of our year here was the loss of our little Mary Joseph to miscarriage, but we have the room on our land to create a memorial spot for her, which Dan and his brother have been working on this summer (to be blogged about soon, as well).

So, are we glad we moved out here?

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

More Thoughts on Miscarriage

As many of you know, I used to have a medical practice before Catherine was born. Part of my time as a doctor was spent at a local crisis pregnancy center providing sonograms and/or medical consultations for the women who came in. I did this until the twins were about 4 months old. Since that time I have provided my services to look over the sonograms that the sonographers do there. They send me the pictures on a flash drive and I review them.

Well, since the miscarriage I had been reluctant to look at the sonograms on the flash drive, but finally last week, I couldn't put it off any longer. I plugged it in and pulled up the pictures and began to look. There was a baby at 10 weeks, the number of weeks at which I miscarried, the size of baby I should have seen when I went for my sonogram. The woman's due date was only a couple of days different from mine. Then, I saw a baby at about 16-17 weeks, the size my baby would have been if I was still pregnant. It was a bit difficult to look at the pictures, and I cried a little, but it was good too, because I almost felt like I was looking at pictures of her.

Then, early this week, I got a little package in the mail. I've mentioned the Morning Light Ministry before, but I have to talk about them again. In this package, which they sent free of charge, were some blessed mementos for our Mary Joseph. Included was a pretty little white crocheted cross, a white baby rosary, some prayer cards, a tiny miraculous medal, and a divine mercy medal. On the back of the divine mercy medal it says, Jesus I Trust in You, which is the prayer I kept saying the week I was waiting to find out what was happening. They also put in a little handmade plush heart, which I plan to turn into a Christmas ornament for our baby. Then there was this bifold card in there from HLI which had a picture on the front of a real baby at 6 weeks along (it was from an ectopic pregnancy), the same age at which Mary had quit growing. So now I feel like I have a picture of her. All of these things are going into my pretty memory box. I am so grateful to have these things in memory of her. I won't ever forget her, and I don't want to forget. In fact, I think I will wear the divine mercy medal to remind me to ask her for prayers.

Mary Joseph, Pray for Us.

Miscarriage Resources, Part 2

I am doing pretty well these days, getting back into the swing of things, at least for the most part. I'm finding that I keep forgetting things I need to do, so I am trying to write everything down. As long as my list doesn't disappear...

It is mostly things out of the blue now that seem to trigger the sadness. Like the day I got a prayer request email about a woman with 3 little kids who was planning to abort her twin pregnancy. Or the day I called in to the local Catholic radio station phone-a-thon to make a pledge in honor of Mary Joseph. Or the other day when I held a little baby for the first time since the miscarriage. But, that felt good, too. Sad and good at the same time. Or when an acquaintance asked how we were doing, you know in that trivial way that doesn't invite a real response, and I didn't say anything about the miscarriage.

The first time we went to Mass after the miscarriage, I was startled to find myself trying not to cry. I suppose it was because I felt closer to her there, which makes sense, since the Mass is celebrated by all the angels and saints in heaven. That of course also brings me much comfort.
I think about our little baby every day and I frequently ask her for prayers. Her memory brings me joy as well as sadness. I do wish I at least had a sono picture of her.

Which brings me to my reason for this post. I wanted to share some of the links that I have found helpful. The first one is called the Morning Light Ministry. It is a "Catholic ministry for bereaved mothers and bereaved fathers who have experienced the death of their baby through ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death up to one year old." They offer email and phone support run by bereaved parents. They also offer free of charge to bereaved parents, prayer cards and blessed religious mementos of your baby, which can include a rosary, medals, and a crocheted cross. They have a special email just for bereaved parents where you can request these things, which I have done. I have a pretty little box started where I plan to keep all the things relating to Mary Joseph. They also offer a book called Morning Light: Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Early Infant Death From a Catholic Perspective by Bernadette Zambri, as well as various brochures. You can download an order form from the website. I haven't seen the book yet, but I'm planning to order it. Maybe I'll have to do a review later.

Next is Elizabeth Ministry International. "Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement designed to support women and their families during the joys, trials and sorrows of the childbearing years. Elizabeth Ministry’s mission is to cherish children, encourage families and build community. There are nearly 700 chapters in churches around the world. Elizabeth Ministry chapters connect women for prayer, affirmation and encouragement." I don't know of any chapters in my area but this could be a great resource for others. The website says they will soon have an online database of all the chapters. They have an online store with many items, including a miscarriage delivery package, burial vessels, baby afghans, prayer cards, figurine of an angel holding a baby, necklace of little baby held in God's hands, etc.

Then there is Share - Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, which is not specifically Catholic. You can request an info packet, which they will email or snail mail you. This contains a lot of good information (nothing contrary to Catholic teaching that I could find). They also offer multiple online message boards and two chat rooms, none of which I have investigated. Also, included in the info packet is a list of pregnancy loss support groups in your state.

I found a yahoo group which is specifically for Catholic women who have lost a baby from conception to 3 years of age. It is called Babies With God.

I also found a email discussion group at CatholicMothers.com for traditional, orthodox Roman Catholic mothers. While not specific to miscarriage, as soon as I mentioned our miscarriage, I got many messages of support and condolence. It seems like a neat group. Here is the link to sign up.

Okay, I think that is all for now. I'll probably remember some more later.

Miscarriage Resources, Part 1

I have been looking for information/material/writings/consolation on the topic of miscarriage from the Catholic perspective. There are many, many websites about miscarriage out there, but nearly all of them are from a secular viewpoint or a nondenominational spiritual outlook. I have gradually been finding things here and there, and I plan on sharing them here as I find them.

First I just googled "Catholics and Miscarriage" and I found a website called Catholics and Miscarriage. It talks about the value of the unborn and how you may have heard comments after your miscarriage that are a bit negative, even though well-intentioned. Such as, oh, at least it was early, or you can always try again. It also talks about the grieving process and how you need to take time for that and that it may take a while. It talks about the comfort of prayer and that you may even feel angry at God. Then it talks about things you can do to remember the baby you lost. There are a couple of links to memorial sites and a few prayers and then at the bottom it lists the patron saints against miscarriage:

St. Catherine of Sweden
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Eulalia

I hadn't heard of those saints in that contex before. When I looked through our saintbooks, the only one I could find mentioned is St. Catherine of Sweden, who was the daughter of St. Bridget of Sweden. I'm not sure why she is a patron saint against miscarriage. I'll have to look on the internet some more.

Then somewhere online I saw mentioned Kimberly Hahn's book, Life-Giving Love, and I immediately went and found my copy, and oh, there is a whole chapter devoted to Miscarriage and Stillbirth (chapter 10). After the kids went to bed that night I read it and cried most of the way through, but it was just what I needed to read.

First she talks about miscarriage in the eternal context and that yes, this miscarriage fits into God's plan somehow and that somehow good will come out of it. Then she goes through a list of what you can say to a friend who has lost a child and explains each one. Next she has a list of what you can do for a friend who has lost a baby and a section on coping during the holidays. Then there is a section on what not to say, a few of which I heard, but the majority not. And finally a few pages on risking another loss by being open to life again. Through the chapter she talks about her own personal experiences with multiple miscarriages and she shares stories, thoughts, and prayers from other women who have also experienced pregnancy loss.

In this chapter on miscarriage there was a poem/prayer written by Karen Edmisten, whose blog I follow. She has several posts on her blog about miscarriage. Here is the prayer, which I can now fully understand:


Fiat

You said that we
would have a child
So I, with love, welcomed new life
and smiled with each wave and sea
of morning sickness,
caught up in this miracle-to-be.
"For You, Lord," I said,
and offered each tiny suffering
as a gift to Thee,
incomparable to the gift of life
You were giving to me.
And so I reeled,
stunned and shaken,
at my baby's death.
I was forsaken.
Anger rose and built a case
against misinterpreted signs of Grace.

I was so wrong –
"Here is a child," You said,
or so I thought.
But my arms are empty, bereft.
There is nothing left
of my trust
when I listen for Your Voice.
How can I trust when I was so wrong?
How will I again be strong?
I quiet myself and turn to You,
O Ancient Beauty ever new...
I ask You, my truest and deepest Love,
for an answer, some comfort,
a sign from above.
There is silence,
and my tears...
tears of a mother's grieving love.

Then, in Your Kindness,
Your encompassing Love,
You embrace me and speak:
the words from above
flow through an earthen vessel.
A man of God
who listens to me,
and tells me I can --I must --
dare trust, for all is as it should be.
The mystery that is my child
is in Your Hands,
Your Sacred Heart.
The part I play
is to surrender and be free.

When next I quiet myself
to pray,
"My Grace is sufficient for you,"
You say,
"For My power
is made perfect in weakness."
The words play again and again
in my mind,
like a record left to skip...
they rip
into the core of my grief
and leave me no choice
but to drop to my knees
and offer You my child.

Oh, heal my heart, Lord,
bitter and spent,
Be perfect in my weakness,
my Pearl of great price.
Though I offer it, Lord,
imperfectly and poorly,
my life is Yours.
Let Your Grace suffice.

Trying To Adjust

I have been trying to adjust to the fact that I am not pregnant anymore. While pregnancy has its unpleasant parts (morning sickness, back pain, etc.), it is still a joyful time, full of anticipation and dreams. There are dreams of what the baby looks like, how he or she will fit into the family, the joys of the baptism, then thinking of how the other kids will dote on him or her, making plans for room arrangements, and a thousand other things. Then there are the things you do for your little baby in the womb: cut back on caffeine, avoid alcohol, avoid most over-the-counter drugs, watch what you eat, avoid hot baths, and others. Every time now that I have a little extra caffeine or take ibuprofen for a headache, I am reminded that I am no longer pregnant. Last night I relaxed in the bathtub, and it was hot, and I turned on the jets, and I mourned the fact that I could do those things because I was no longer pregnant.

At times I have this feeling of emptiness and sometimes I am surprised when I realize that I feel lonely, even in the midst of my children. I miss my little baby and I miss that bonding I always feel in pregnancy. This time I had started praying for her even before I knew that I was pregnant, because I knew it was a good possibility (due to NFP). Since she was conceived I prayed for her and bonded with her, and gradually began to notice the changes in my body because of her. And I rejoiced in her. And I especially rejoiced that I was pregnant during Advent. That always makes Advent even more special, as I can meditate even better on Mary's pregnancy and anticipation, and really feel a special kinship to her, and then rejoice with her on Christmas Day at the birth of Jesus, all the while anticipating the birth of my own child. Little did I expect that my own pregnancy would end soon after Christmas.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us during this time of loss. We appreciate it more than you know.

Another Prayer in Time of Miscarriage

Miscarriage Prayer

My Lord, the baby is dead!

Why, my Lord—dare I ask why? It will not hear the whisper of the wind or see the beauty of its parents’ face—it will not see the beauty of Your creation or the flame of a sunrise. Why, my Lord?

“Why, My child—do you ask ‘why’? Well, I will tell you why.

You see, the child lives. Instead of the wind he hears the sound of angels singing before My throne. Instead of the beauty that passes he sees everlasting Beauty—he sees My face. He was created and lived a short time so the image of his parents imprinted on his face may stand before Me as their personal intercessor. He knows secrets of heaven unknown to men on earth. He laughs with a special joy that only the innocent possess. My ways are not the ways of man. I create for My Kingdom and each creature fills a place in that Kingdom that could not be filled by another. He was created for My joy and his parents’ merits. He has never seen pain or sin. He has never felt hunger or pain. I breathed a soul into a seed, made it grow and called it forth.”

I am humbled before you, my Lord, for questioning Your wisdom, goodness, and love. I speak as a fool—forgive me. I acknowledge Your sovereign rights over life and death. I thank You for the life that began for so short a time to enjoy so long an Eternity.
-- Mother M. Angelica

from the prayers section at: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayer_saint.htm

Calling All Mothers Who Have Had a Miscarriage

On this day, as thousands of people have been marching in Washington, D.C. in the March for Life, here is a prayer that all women who have miscarried (and men, too, just tweak the prayer) can say to their babies in heaven for an end to abortion:

To An Infant In Heaven (a prayer of petition)

My darling [mention the child's name] you are now in joy in the presence of our God; and in your spotless innocence, which He loves, you can speak to Him with a voice that He will heed. You are still my little baby and will surely regard the prayers of your mother, who bore you. So with confidence, then, I speak to you. Intercede for me to obtain the favor that I here ask as a mother through her child who stands before the throne of God [here mention petition]. But, if what I ask is not according to the wisdom and loving designs of almighty God for me and others, then ask Him to grant what is best according to His good pleasure and to give me the wisdom and faith to conform my will to His.

This prayer has already brought me comfort as I have come to realize that we now have an advocate in heaven. Through the grace of God, she is already interceding for us. Who better to plead before God for an end of abortion than a little miscarried unborn baby, who is as innocent as the poor little ones who are aborted.

And don't forget to pray for the conversion of all those involved in abortion, from the abortionists, to the staff who assist, to those in the organizations which promote it, to the politicians who advocate it as a "woman's choice," especially those who call themselves Catholic. May God save their souls.