One in Heaven

“Do you have kids?” A familiar question innocently asked.

Only days after losing our first child, a woman asked us this. Not knowing how to respond we simply shook our heads no.

Many may not consider us parents, considering the first moment you hold your child the initiation into parenthood. But our initiation looked much different, much more painful.

Our little family has already had to face the ultimate trial any parent will face, losing a baby too soon.

People have tried consoling us saying, “at least you can get pregnant, you’ll just have another one.” As much as we wish getting pregnant again would somehow replace the sadness we feel over the loss of our baby, it will never replace them.

The place in our hearts for our first child has now been filled. We will always have lost our sweet Christmas baby. And while some may disagree, that baby will forever hold a place in this family.

Saying the difficult statement above, that "we lost our sweet Christmas baby," forces me to pause. To say we lost our child as if we don't know where they have gone is really not the case, making it seem as if there is no hope. But there is hope. There is hope in the power of Christ, the power of Jesus who broke the curse of death.

We haven't 'lost' our child, we know exactly where that baby is; our child is in heaven, surrounded by the love of Jesus, residing in one of the safest places a child can be.

So next time I’m asked if I have any kids, I might just work up the courage to say; “Yes! One in heaven.”