And so it is here

2014

Our first new year without Matilda Mae

3 weeks on Sunday

It will be 2nd February 2014

Matilda Mae will have been dead for a whole year

I am still struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is dead at all

Let alone that it has been a whole 12 months

One whole year without our baby girl

In 2013 our baby died

She is gone

But she will never ever be forgotten

We will continue to work hard this year

To build on the legacy we have begun

For a young baby girl

Our baby girl

Ripped from our arms by SIDS

This year we are holding a series of events that we would love for you to be involved with

And this is what they are

Matilda Mae Remembers

On the 1st of March 2014 we will be holding a church service with St Mary’s Church, Kennington, Ashford, Kent.

This is the church where we said goodbye to Baby Tilda. The vicar here is a family friend and he and the church hold a very special place in our hearts.

The Matilda Mae Remembers service will be a memorial service for all babies in the sky.

You do not need an invitation, the service is open to all families and friends who have lost a baby or child.

It does not matter when you lost your baby, at what age or stage.

We would love for you to come and join with us as we sing and read and remember all babies in the sky.

There will be a mix of bible readings, children’s stories, poems, classical and modern music

People will tell you the story of their babies

There will be a chance for you to light a candle for your baby in the sky

The service will be very informal and we have a creche available for children during the service

During the service there will be a collection and all money donated will be given to the Kent Sands Baby Memorial Garden in Ashford, Kent and the Neonatal Intensve Care Unit at the William Harvey Hospital in Kent.

We hope that you will be able to come and join us

Come and remember, come and support us, come and be

We would love to see you there.

13 miles for 13 months

The day after the church service is Tilda’s 13 month anniversary.

To mark the occasion a group of family and friends are running half marathons. A group of us will be in Reading and other friends are running in races closer to them.

If you would like to run 13 miles to mark 13 months without Matilda Mae then we would be honoured to have you join us.

Mile in Memory

Every year in May The Lullaby Trust asks their supporters and their community to walk a mile in memory of a loved one. Last year we had several walks around the UK in memory of Baby Tilda. This year we will be walking again and the main walk for Tilda will be held close to Bolton as I will be there spending time with Susanne and her family. The Mile in Memory Walk will be on the 17th May 2014.

Baby Tilda Barn Dance
Just a few weeks after the walk comes the barn dance. This is something that we are really looking forward to. The barn dance will be held in Kent and will be a fun event for all the family. Raising money and awareness for The Lullaby Trust in memory of Matilda Mae.

Matilda Mae Sky Dive
On the 2nd of August it will be 18 months since Tilda passed and once again a group of wonderful if crazy bloggers and friends are taking to the skies, only to fall out of it again. This year the Matilda Mae Sky Dive will take place in Wiltshire. It promises to be a fabulous event.

Full Circle for Matilda Mae

On Saturday 2nd August 2014, in Memory of Matilda Mae and in support of a dear friend Jennie and The Lullaby Trust, Rachel, Emma and Wendy will walk ‘Full Circle’ 26.2 miles around the Cheltenham Circular Footpath. Our ‘Full Circle for Matilda Mae’ challenge pays tribute to Jennie and her family, who have so painstakingly and bravely walked the last 12 months without their darling Matilda.

Matilda Mae Welly Walk and Buggy Push
This year I am going to be organising a welly walk in Kent, a little toddle waddle in wellies followed, of course, by welly wanging for all the family. This year the welly walk will also double up as a buggy push and all the money raised from this event will be donated to Bliss, the charity for premature babies and their families.

Matilda Mae Starlight Fund and Matilda Mae Remembers at Christmas
Once again as the year ends and the Christmas lights go up we will be donating money usually spent on gifts and cards to The Lullaby Trust. I am also hoping to organise a carol service locally for families missing loved ones at Christmas. Christmas is a very hard time of year when someone special is missing.

So as you can see though Baby Tilda may no longer be physically here she will be playing a central role in our year ahead.

Matilda Mae may be gone

But she will never ever be forgotten

We love you Matilda Mae