Chloe Faith Arrived!

Chloe Faith arrived Saturday night, April 19, at 9:40 pm. We had an excellent doctor and wonderful nurses who were kind, compassionate and skilled throughout our stay at Kaiser. Chloe was 7.6 ounces and she was 17 cm long. They were able to get precious little feet prints for us to take home. Jose' and my Dad were there when she was born. Jose's mom, Frances & David, Benita, and Jeff & Jenifer came back to the hospital as soon as they heard she was born. Everyone got to spend special time with Chloe, and Jose’ and I had private time with her to hold her and say goodbye. Jose’ stayed at the hospital all night with me - he was so amazing!!! We were discharged Sunday at 10:00 am and have been taking it easy at home.

It has become clear that Chloe's life was intended for much more than her physical body. Her purpose was far greater. Her name says it all, "Blooming Faith." God has been with us each step of the way and He has provided blessings, protection and peace during unfathomable circumstances. And we pray that faith (“unquestioning belief and complete trust in God”) will bloom in all who hear her story. Chloe is alive, whole and restored in Heaven - things can't bloom unless they have life. We are so comforted to know that she is in the best possible place and that we will see her again.

We will have little Chloe cremated to give her a respectful farewell here on earth. We are pleased to have found a local mortuary through our friends at Perinatal Hospice. We are not sure what we will do with her little remains, we may spread them at our local beach or just keep them at home. We will not have a service but plan to have a website that shares the story of Chloe so that families who experience this type of loss will know they aren't alone and find the resources that made such a difference for us.

The doctor has told us that we can try to get pregnant again after 2-3 normal periods. We need time to grieve the loss of Chloe, but once we are ready emotionally, we look forward to having another child. In a best case scenario, if we are ready, we could have another child before next Mother's Day - what a concept!! Who knows what God has in store, but we trust that He has the best plan for us.

Thank you again for supporting us and loving us over the last few weeks. Your prayers have meant more than you will ever know. Thank you for being part of our journey, for reading the long emails and reaching out with words of comfort and support. We are blessed beyond words by our friends and family!