The hardest day in our family’s life was May 26, 2020, when we lost our Margaret Clare. At the height of the pandemic, the world already in the midst of terrible upheaval, we went to the hospital expecting a normal delivery as we’d had 5 times before. From the hopeful heights of new parents to the utter devastation of loss, our world also was thrown into upheaval as no heartbeat was found and we realized in the dread no one ever wishes that our child had died in those early morning hours.
Since Fall 2020, we’ve had to balance that pain with a joyful expectation we’ve hidden from the world, hidden for fear of being broken again by the devastation of loss. These 9 long months, helped along by the social isolation of the pandemic that kept us all in hiding, the Murphy family has kept secret our 7th pregnancy.
We expected her to be born in late June 2021, but of course, God being His mysterious Self, #7 was born to us a month early, May 24, 2021, just two days shy of the anniversary of our loss. She is now in the NICU and expected to join us soon.
Why a Secret?
We kept her a secret from almost everyone in our lives. (Really. There are close family members who didn’t know about her.)
Why? After losing Margaret Clare on last year, we wanted to navigate this pregnancy in a way that kept us comfortable, at peace and give the older kiddos a safe place where they could worry, ask questions, grieve, be excited, etc. There are a lot of pressures and judgments facing large families, perhaps especially when they’ve suffered a loss.
Please pray for us. While we are so excited and blessed by #7’s arrival, the loss of Maggie is still so raw, especially so close to the anniversary of her passing — just two days from now.
How You Can Help!
Raising children gets a bit pricey from time to time. Please contribute to our Go Fund Me, if you are so inclined. For our tax purposes, this option is superior to offering a gift through the TGC site. May God bless your generosity.