Showing Some Love: For Aaron and MJ

It has always been a pleasure to meet so many great people through Twitter and the blogosphere and to connect with so many caring and supportive people. It is great to see everyone come together for different causes and what they believe in.

Today, we come together to offer our support and love to Aaron (@DaddyFiles) and his wife MJ. For those of you not familiar with the story, with MJ 16 weeks pregnant, they  faced  the most difficult decision that no parents should ever have to face, through their love for each other and unshakable strength, they made the hardest decision they will probably ever face. The  child was found to have Serinnmelia (Mermaid Syndrome) and other medical issues. You can read more about it on Aaron's blog and I suggest everyone reading this do so.

As I was saying earlier, it is awesome to know such caring and supportive people like the one's I have had the pleasure to meet recently. So, to Aaron and MJ, we all care. We all love you, and you are in our thoughts and prayers. God never puts more on us than what he thinks we can handle, and you two are wonderful examples of strength in love and that strength is something I really admire in you. I will continue to pray for you and keep you in my thoughts. And know that anything you need, I am here for you. And there are many more people who have a few words of love for you as well! Just read on!


Jeff  @DaddysToolbox :DaddyFiles and MJ - My heart goes out to both of you for your loss of the pregnancy and child, I know it must have been a hard decision to make, but you did make the right choice.  It's devestating either way you look at it, but I just learned that a friend of a friend lost her child to a stillborn birth a few weeks ago. She was devestated and had no idea anything was wrong.

The way you handled yourself with those protesters was TOP NOTCH, no way would I have been able to remain that calm and collected and able to speak as clearly as you did. I think those women outside the clinic need to evaluate what the Hell they are doing besides wasting their own lives doing absolutely nothing. 

I will keep you and your wife in my thoughts through this difficult time, and stand behind your decision 100%!



TechyDad : There is no possible way for me to understand the pain and sorrow that
the two of you are going through right now.  I can only offer my
prayers and support in this difficult time. Although, we can't be
there for you in person, please feel free to contact me if you ever
need anything.

Spuds : I can't even think of words that would suffice. I'm so sorry for your loss and your trials. We are all ready to stand with you!

Eric Better Husbands and Fathers : Most of us do not understand the emotions you and your wife were feeling as you dealt with the reality of losing your baby, but as I followed your blog and tweets and I know the strength and fortitude you showed as you faced this challenge. I have been, and continue to be, very impressed with the way you have played the hand you've been dealt. Since I blog about men being better husbands and fathers, I want to commend you for the noble way you have supported your wife and child through this process.  You're a good man. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, we can all learn a thing or two from you.

Lauren (@unxpctdblessing) : There are times when words are not capable of offering enough comfort or respite from the situation at hand. Words, the very hub of our human existence no matter what language in which they occur, fail us from time to time. It is times like these which force us to remember a comforting silence offered with the best of intentions may be all we have to give. In the realm of the blogosphere though, words are required. So I offer mine. I know it is not much. But it is all I have to give. God stopped me in my tracks several times, moving me to passionate prayer, as Aaron and MJ have faced the loss of their little one. I have prayed that God wrap his arms around your family and hold you close. I will continue to do so until God lets me know it is okay to stop. I know I am not alone in showering your family with prayer and love. We cannot feel what you are feeling. But our hearts are with yours....for as long as you need them to be....even if forever

WhyIsDaddyCryin : Your wife and you have suffered one of the greatest tragedies a family should never have to endure. But your love for each other and your son has clearly enabled you to overcome. I’m overwhelmed by the closeness of your family and your strength as you stand by MJ’s side, even sticking up for her to ignorant protestors. You have much support out here in the family blogging world and we’re all sending your family and you heartfelt vibes

Adam (@homebrewdharma) : Aaron, you've just experienced something so tragic that I have no base for comparison. I have nothing to offer in personal experience, only my deepest sympathy. While I would like to berate those stupid anti-abortion protesters, I think you did a fine job of that already, and the results spoke for themselves. Hopefully you were able to help them empathize with another human being, if only for a moment. I hope now you are able to focus on the pain at hand. Rather than escape it, I hope you have the courage to confront it head on, and surrender yourself to it. On a blog that I follow, Digital Zendo (a most excellent blog), the author Jaye recently had to say this: "Over the years, I've retranslated the word "Surrender" from "To give up, amidst overwhelming odds," to "Making ourself openheartedly available to the process of life and recovery." The direction and attitude with which we hold our "surrender," is extremely important." ... I hope you and your wife find the courage and strength to be able to make yourselves openheartedly available to the torrent of emotions you both must be feeling now amid this process of recovery.  And rather than abandon those emotions; I hope you have the strength to allow them to arise, engage them, and then allow them pass. If you can get through this, you can get through anything.

TheJackB : Aaron is a pretty crusty and curmudgeonly sort of man, but I like that. Maybe it is because I am the same way. What can I say I like the guy and that is in spite of his ridiculous belief in all teams Boston. One could argue that this is proof that he is unhinged because really, who could root for the Celtics. But he is clearly a man with a big heart and someone people would be glad to call a friend. I suspect that we'll be reading good things about his life and his family sooner than later.

PortlandDad : When you go through the toughest things in life you find a measure of strength and togetherness that you had not previously experienced and I hope that in this time of sadness and pain that you and your wife find a closeness you had not known. I know that it feels like you guys against the world right now but know that you are not alone, and while we can do little more than say we are here, we see, and we care, I hope that brings a measure of strength. All the Best!

Chris Singer (@tessasdad) : My heart has ached at what I have read about your ordeal over the last few weeks. I hope you and your family can soon find some peace.

Josh @DadStreet : There aren't many things we care about more than the well being of our family.  In the most crucial time in your life you've managed to care for your family and tackle a tremendously stressful conflict; all on the same day.  Not only did you do this with honor but you did this with grace.  You've paid homage to your loss as well as your family.  You're an amazing Dad and we're all very sorry for your loss.

Tshaka Armstrong (@tshaka_zulu) : Not having been in your shoes, I really didn't know what to say. I don't know you personally, so that makes the task at hand a little more difficult for me. Based on another conversation with another dad though, it struck me: No man is an island unto himself. I guess that's the point of these brief texts; to let you know that you don't walk alone. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers and in the still of the night when its just you, everyone else asleep, but you. Alone with your thoughts, trying to process this trial you find yourself in...know that there are others thinking and/or praying, even at that exact moment, for you to find peace and for the pain in your heart to heal, though it remain scarred by the terrible trauma of a child who left this world much too soon.





So to Aaron and MJ, just so you can see and know, there are a lot of people who care and we are all ready to stand behind you and support you through this time. We are twitter followers, blog fans, and complete strangers. But we all share this in common: We are here, whenever you need us, and we are willing to be right there with you.

Sincerely,
John Taylor (and a bunch of others!)