... I hugged my belly.

Upon reading this blog written by a friend of a friend, my heart broke and broke over and over for this family. But, my immediate physical reaction was literally to put both hands on my growing belly in the closest thing to a hug you can muster against your own body and thank God that I've not received such news about our Zoe.
As I read Blair's story, the thoughts and emotions I felt for her morphed from grief to pity to heartbreak to awe. Her family is not that dissimilar from my own. She and her husband are roughly the same ages as Jason and I. Their daughter is about Nick's age, and they were expecting their second child. A son to round out their young family.
As a mother, you spend your life holding your breath for your children from the very moment you learn you are carrying them. And for most of us, we're lucky enough to get to release those breaths at different times in our children's lives. Get to the end of the first trimester, breathe a sigh of relief. Get both yourself and your child safely through delivery, breathe a sigh of relief. First birthday, sigh of relief. This continues throughout their lives, releasing a sigh of relief at each milestone or potential danger.  A constant roller coaster of holding our breath while hoping and praying things will be okay, and releasing that breath when we've left the danger zone.
But on the occasions that sigh isn't released, on the occasions something unthinkable does happen, we are left with questions and unresolved emotions that, depending on the situation, can take years to work through. I think most mothers, or parents in general, in Blair's situation would be so angry and so confused for so long. I know that for myself, I can't even wrap my head around receiving news like hers.
And while I'm sure Blair is feeling - and will continue to feel - all those emotions, the faith that she exhibits is astounding. To face this unfaceable tragedy with the outlook she's presented seems impossible to me. It truly is a testament to the strength of her faith that she has even considered the outlook of "Why not us?".
As you start your week with your children, hug them tight and thank God for them and all the sighs of relief you've released during their lives. Pray for the Scheepers family over and over. Send good thoughts, good energy, whatever. Whatever your beliefs call you to do, do it. Let this family know and feel that, even from halfway across the world, even from strangers they've never met, that we all - as parents - love them and are thinking of them in this unthinkable time in their lives.