Samuel's Story Part #2 - Finding out and Telling the Family

***Disclaimer:  Although this is a pregnancy announcement it is the announcement of our child Samuel who later passed away by miscarriage.  Please continue to keep our family, and all families who have lost their children in your prayers!***

Thank you for being here and for sharing in this journey of God blessing us with our sweet baby Samuel.  Please find the first part of our story HERE where I talk briefly about our miscarriage with Samuel.  Even though Samuel will not be able to be with us here on Earth I still want to remember the joy and excitement that our family felt when we learned that God had blessed our family with his presence.

We found out the amazing news that we were expecting our 4th child, Samuel on December 4th, 2014 just a few days before St Nicholas's feast day.  We decided that it would be a lot of fun to wait and tell our children and family on the feast day!  Our children wrote their letters to the Christ Child for St Nicholas to bring back to Jesus in heaven and then each put out their shoes under the Christmas tree. 

 

 

When our children woke up in the morning, not only were there fun gifts and items from St Nicholas but there was also an extra set of special shoes for their new baby brother or sister!  Our oldest son, who was almost 5 years old at the time, just shook his head in calm agreement.  We asked him if he was excited about the new baby and he said "Yeah, but I already knew that Mommy had a baby in her tummy!"  We asked how he knew and he said "My guardian angel told me last week" (when I was actually pregnant, but just did not know myself yet!)  

 

Our children received chocolate gold coins, candy canes, they each got a small gift, and then they got the Saint Peg Dolls which I had made earlier this fall!  We also bought the boys the book Angel in the Waters, which is the sweetest book about a tiny baby who had always been a part of God's plan, then was conceived, grew in mommy's tummy and then came out into the world.  The story is so perfect for even young children to understand and the illustrations are beautiful.

Samuel's due date was on the feast of the Assumption of Mary on August 15th, 2015!  I love that it is a Marian feast day as I always need to draw on the strength of Mary throughout my pregnancies, and especially need her grace now that our baby has gone to heaven to be with her Son.  I know that God entrusted us with Samuel even for just the short time that I was pregnant with him for a reason.  We love him so much and know he will always be our little Saint praying for our family.  Samuel's middle name, Nicholas comes from this part of his story and always wanting to remember the joy we felt on the Feast of St Nicholas celebrating him!  We cannot wait for the day when we are united with him in Heaven.

Excited big brothers!