"Our son, Zachary, was born still on
December 17, 2008 at 17 weeks gestation. His loss was unexpected and and devastating to
our family, he was to be our 5th
child and everyone was looking forward to his birth. After his loss, I had no idea how to
move forward and be a complete person for my other children. I did, however, know that I
needed a tangible reminder of him. One of my concerns was that because he was not full
term, he did not have the appearance of a regular baby. Although he was perfect and
precious to me, a picture on the wall would not be the most appropriate image. I wanted
something that would be a beautiful memorial and reminder to everyone that viewed it.
After much searching and prayer I came across a website that showcased Stillborn Memorial
Portraits by Debbie Lamb.
My initial concern was that Debbie would not be able to translate an actual picture of my
sweet baby boy into a rendition of what he may have looked like had he been born
full term. I knew that it was a lot to ask of anyone, especially someone I have never met. Debbie
contacted me about my portrait with several suggestions and ideas and I was able to send
her photos of my older children as newborns. I also sent a photo of the handmade gown that
was sewn by a local church group. These gowns were made to be given out by the hospital to
families like mine who had lost their children too early. I asked Debbie to pray about her
work before she started and to trust that God would give her the vision that she would
need.
A few weeks later, I received an email from Debbie announcing that my portrait was
complete. The email also included a digital file so that I could preview her work before
she sent it out. The finished product was AMAZING and absolutely perfect! The attention to detail was
beautiful and Debbie's talent really show through. Debbie was able to take the comments I
made, the photo of Zachary and the photos on my other children and turn them into a true
work of art. The end result was a drawing that I am proud to display in my family room
along with our other family photos. I was so excited to see what my son would have looked
like and how beautiful he would have been. I was in awe of the fact that Debbie was able
to copy tiny detail like the delicate way his hands laid across his chest and turn his
feet so perfectly.
Amazingly, our story doesn't end there. Three months after Zachary was lost and two months
AFTER my portrait was complete, I learned that I was pregnant again. While this was joyous
news to be thankful for, it was also a very scary time for me. Pregnancy after a loss can
be filled with hope and fear, I felt both through the entire pregnancy. We soon discovered
that we were expecting a baby girl to add to our family and w couldn't wait to meet her.
On November 19, 2009, Marleigh
Anne joined our family. Eleven months after our world crashed down, we were blessed with a
new ray of light and she was happy and healthy in every way. One night as I was looking at
my sweet baby sleeping, I saw something that shocked me. The resemblance to the baby in
the portrait was incredible! Had I not known any better I would have assumed that portrait
was one of Marleigh. I now
have no doubt in my mind that Zachary would have looked exactly like the portrait Debbie
created.
I am forever thankful that Debbie has taken the time to create portraits of such a
sensitive nature and has shared her talents with families like mine. While a drawing will
never replace the child we are missing, it has given us an opportunity to honor Zachary
with a portrait we are proud to share with friends and family. It is truly an item that we
cherish, love and admire every day of our lives. Our children are happy to show others the
picture of the brother who "lives in Heaven with Jesus" and we are more than
happy to recommend Debbie's services to families who share a loss similar to ours. Debbie
has a gift from God and she is using that gift to minister to families in a way that
offers comfort and healing."
--Heather
If you would
like for me to draw a portrait for you, please visit my order page.
