owls + oaks: supporting stillbirth/SIDS awareness + research

I have learned many valuable, life-changing lessons during my past five months of grief since losing my stillborn son Maddox. One of those lessons is the importance and blessing of a good friend. When I think of my close friends and their incredible support and the comfort and strength they gave me in the days after Maddox was born, I am overcome. I am blessed beyond all measure.

Sometimes, I wonder if I would have been as good a friend to mine if they were in my shoes, but when I think of what blessings they have been to me, I can't imagine how I would ever begin to repay them. I thank God for the girls He has placed in my life.

One of those amazing girls is Meghan Curtis. I laugh when I think back to an argument in middle school that caused us not to speak to each other until sophomore year of high school, a few months after I was saved by God's grace. Since then, though, our friendship has grown into one of the most beautiful pictures of friendship that I have ever seen.

Meghan was a wonderful friend during my pregnancy. Many times, she offered up her talents to help make the celebrations of Maddox's life during my pregnancy special for us. She felt our joy and exciting anticipation, and when we unexpectedly lost Maddox 39 weeks into our pregnancy, she felt our sadness and gut-wrenching grief. She is a true friend in many ways, but to see her carry our burden, one that she doesn't have to bear, has amazed me. Meghan is more than a friend to me, she is the sister I never had, and she means more to me than I'll ever be able to express in words.

In honor of Meghan, please listen to "More Than You'll Ever Know" by Watermark:



Meghan, I love you dearly. May the blessings you've given to me return to you a hundredfold.

Meghan is easily the most creative and humbly talented person I know. There's a little joke among our circle of friends... any time you see something handmade and even remotely creative looking around our homes, you know that "Meghan made it!" It took a little nudging from a few of us, but after some success at a local indie handmade market in Boone, Meghan finally launched her Etsy page, Swallow's Heart, in 2011. She followed up this year with a her blog by the same name. A small amount of time on either site will show Meghan's kindhearted spirit and unique talent!

Several weeks ago, Meghan came to me with an idea. She wanted to start a special Swallow's Heart jewelry line in honor of Maddox. I was honored and again so very blessed by Meghan's thoughtfulness, and today, the owls + oaks collection was launched!

Click the image to be directed to the owls + oaks Etsy shop

Meghan has so generously offered to donate all of her profits from every owls + oaks item purchased to a memorial fund that Andrew and I have set up in memory of Maddox with First Candle. First Candle is a nonprofit organization  dedicated to increasing public participation and support in the fight against Stillbirth, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other causes of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). I am grateful that Meghan has chosen to selflessly donate her time and talents to supporting stillbirth, SIDS and SUID research. It is a wonderful Mother's Day gift for me to know that the owls + oaks line will contribute to research that may someday eliminate the concern for stillbirth so that, one day, no other family will have to experience this loss.

If you would like to donate to make a donation to First Candle in memory of Maddox on your own, you are welcome to do so by visiting his personal memorial page, Maddox Wilhelm Prime Schulze Memorial Fund.