The countdown is on

One month from today is Noah & Olivia's shared birthday (July 13th). In the midst of everything going on lately, I've been trying to make plans for a birthday party for them. We aren't strangers to "shared birthdays" and celebrating 2 people on the same day. For those that don't know, my husband and I have the same birthday (plus we got married on our birthdays), Sarah & Susan being twins share a birthday and now Noah & Olivia share a birthday. 

But what we are unfamiliar with, is trying to figure out just how we want to celebrate and remember them both since Noah isn't physically here with us. This birthday especially seems like an extra special reason to celebrate. We didn't get to have much of a celebration of Noah's life last year since I gave birth to Olivia on his first birthday. And I think considering everything we've been through and how far we come, is even more of a reason to celebrate these 2 precious miracles who have changed our lives so much!

I admit, I am feeling more emotional as July 13th comes closer. We just approved the final drawing for Noah's headstone and were told it will be done & in place by his birthday. I really don't know how to put everything lately into words except to say it's all bittersweet. 

 As I was thinking about ways to include & remember Noah, I came up with a special idea. We often release balloons with notes attached to send to Noah. I decided in Noah's memory, I wanted to help remember other babies who are also in Heaven by writing their names on 2 big sky lanterns I bought (2 for Noah's 2nd birthday)
Sky Lantern

The lanterns I got are 36" tall so there is plenty of room to include MANY names. If you'd like to help us celebrate, you may either leave a comment here with your baby's name or you can email me. Before we release the lanterns, I will take pictures of all the names and post them here so you can see your precious baby's name as I know how much it means to see their name in writing. Please feel free to pass this along to other baby loss families in your circles/blogs as well. It would bless & encourage me to include as many babies names as possible.

Another way everyone (not just baby loss families) can help us remember and celebrate Noah is to take a picture of his name to add to his name album. We've enjoyed seeing how creative everyone has gotten this last year with writing out his name. If you'd like to participate, just take a picture of his name however you like (feel free to tap into your creative side, have fun with it!) and email me. Or just click "like" to Treasuring Life's Blessing facebook page and post the picture on my wall and I will put it into his album with who it is from.

I can't help but wonder how life would look today, with a 23 month old and 11 month old running around. (yes Olivia is walking all over now). The pain & ache of missing Noah doesn't ever go away. Even now just writing this causes the tears to fall. But that is all part of this journey. And I'm ok with that.

"Life is very interesting. In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths."
-Drew Barrymore


29 comments

  1. Love this idea! It will be beautiful to see all the names of all the sweet babies that will be celebrating with Noah in heaven!

    ~Hannah

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  2. I will be thinking and praying for you as July 13th comes up. I love the sky lantern idea. I just ordered one for Teagan's birthday in August. I would love to have Teagan's name included on the lantern! What a wonderful thing to do for others!

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  3. I absolutely love this idea!! Please count me in! Praying for you. xx

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  4. Of course, we'd love Weston to be included! :) Creative idea!

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  5. SO beautiful! I might have to get some of these for my little men's birthdays! Until then...I would be so blessed if you could include Jonathan Levi and Asher Brennan to the lantern! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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  6. I love this. Such a beautiful idea. I would love for my boy to be a part of his birthday celebration. His name is Sullivan Conner. He died of sids last year. Thank you so much.

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  7. Love this sweet idea! Please include Jonathan :) Praying for you as the special day approaches.

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  8. Those lanterns are beautiful! What a wonderful idea. I am sure it is the ultimate bittersweet day. July is tough for me as well, that is Reese and Scotlyn's birthday. I am just trying to enjoy June for the moment. Thinking of you dear:) If you have one available, I would love one for Reese and Scotlyn. Thank you:)

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  9. The lanterns are a wonderful idea! Could you include Grant please?

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  10. All those shared birthdays is so fun and special! I have never heard of such a thing.

    I would love you to include my daughter, Lily Katherine, on the birthday lantern. This is so sweet of you. I will post it on my blog for other babyloss mamas :)

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  11. Okay...I posted about this on my blog today with a link here. :) Could you please also include my baby lost in 2009, Luke Shiloh? I would love his and Lily Katherine's names written side by side. Thank you so much!! <3

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  12. What a beautiful way to remember your son and other people's children.

    The pain is so real and yet we manage to walk through each day knowing that I may not always understand God's Plan, but I Trust it. God has been ever so present to me and I walk in HIS comfort and Peace everyday.

    Please include my son's name Nathan William on a Lantern. Nathan passed away 16 months ago as he was being born. He was perfect in every way, and he is missed so much.

    Praying for you as you face next month.

    I am trying to think of a creative way to honor your son's name too.

    With much love and appreciation

    Niki
    *From NC

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  13. What a wonderful Idea!

    Please include my son, Nathan William, on a lantern. He passed away 16 months ago at birth. He was perfect and beautiful.

    My husband and I walk everyday in the Comfort and Peace that only the Lord can give. We don't understand God's Plan for our Nathan, but we Trust God's Plan.

    I am thinking now how we can honor your sons name.

    With much love and appreciation.

    Niki

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  14. Love you so much for doing this, please add Lily Rose to your lantern. Will be thinking of you and your blessed family this day.

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  15. I would be honored if you would add our Amelia to your son's lantern. She was born July 28, 2010. Her brother (our rainbow was born 1 year later on Aug 1) and her almost share a birthday...

    Blessings!
    Melissa (Amelia's Mommy)
    ameliagracelorang.blogspot.com

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  16. I would love for you to include our daughter...her name is Ellersley Grace. I love this idea...our Elle's birthday is August 13th and we are going to let one lantern go for her at 11:31pm, the time she came into this world. Thank you so much and I will be praying for peace for you and your family.

    Elle's mommy

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  17. I looked into these for Rachel's first birthday and got nervous about the fire :o) It makes me think of the movie Tangled and how every year on her birthday they release lanterns "just in case she decided to come back home". I would be so honored if you added Rachel's name on Noah's lanterns.
    Rachel Alice
    12/3/10 - she lived for 43 minutes.

    Thank you so much and may God cover you with peace as you walk this bittersweet road.

    Stacy
    thegiftofrachelslife.blogspot.com

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  18. Oh. I love this. So sweet. It would be such a honor to have Seth included on Noah's lantern. My Seth was stillborn on March 18, 2012 at 39 weeks. Thank you.

    I hope you have a beautiful birthday for Noah and his baby sister Olivia.

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  19. Hi Sweet Jenn :) thanks for your comment, and I would be honored to have my girls be a part of Noah's birthday celebration!!! Please include Shelby, Megan and Lynne and I will do something special for Noah too :) xoxoxo hugs, Nan

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  20. I think this is such a sweet and beautiful way to remember your little angel. I wasn't able to celebrate my daughter's what would have been 3rd birthday last year because it was to painful. This is a really creative way to do it though and something I could see myself doing for her. I would love it if you could include her name for me though it's Sapphyre, I lost her last year at 2 due to very tragic circumstances. Thank you so much and god bless you and your family.

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  21. We would be honored for Cora Jean's name to be included on the lantern and when we release butterflies for her 1st birthday on July 10 hopefully all our angels will join in the celebrations.

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  22. Love the idea, please include Ella Nicole too.

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  23. What a beautiful thing to do! We did sky lanterns for Kaels birthday in April. It was so awesome. Id love to have Kael's name included. Big hugs as the day is fastly approaching!

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  24. I was just talking this evening to my hubby about doing sky lanterns for our daughter Catherine's 1st bday on 12/9. Awesome idea. I'd love to have Catherine be a part of Noahs special day. Thankyou.

    Amy

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  25. If it is not too late to add names, I would love to have my babies added as well. They are Alyssa, Bailey, and Christian. Or if you are cramped for space ABC would be perfect. Thank you!!!

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  26. Hi could you add my lil boy name to your lantern, Tiago was born still on July 15th. Thanks

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  27. What a wonderful idea!!! If you could, would you please include Gideon and Avery? Thank you so much!

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I enjoy hearing from each & every one of you! Thanks for taking the time to comment. :)