Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope

Story of HOPE

Rachel McConathy ~ Triplet Butterfly Wings

Jaxon Thomas (3/2/07 - 5/29/07), 

Colin Alexander (3/2/07 - 3/8/07), 

Courtney Grace (3/2/07 - 3/8/07)

My triplets were born prematurely at 23w6d ~ after I went into congestive heart failure.  My story of HOPE is my blog “Triplet Butterfly Wings” where I release Monarch butterflies for angels taken too soon.  

There have been a few times over the last couple years where I got too overwhelmed with all the work of making this happen and stopped dedicating and releasing them.   However, I have always come back.  Getting emails thanking me for releasing a butterfly for their angel always melts my heart.  I am the one that is privileged to be part of such a memorable experience in a grieving parent’s life, not the other way around. 

Although I may not like being a part of this group, I am so honored to know and be "friends" with all these ladies.  It helps me to heal because of the love and compassion that others continue to give back.  

My inspiration was like a lightening strike ~ it just hit me one night ~ Butterflies!  We began by painting a mural of butterflies on our back wall and then I planted some plants that would attract butterflies.  We would release them here or there as they emerged, but then one day three emerged . . . One female and two males.   And so it began.  

This last weekend I had 45+ butterflies emerge.   It is amazing how far the idea has come.  I am just awed that I have these beautiful butterfly angels flying all over.  I wish every BLM (baby loss mom) could come here and see it, experience it and release their own butterfly.  Butterflies are everywhere . . . and they still take my breath away!  Beautiful butterflies...for our beautiful angels.  

Yes, most definitely, my inner critic gets in the way.  Sometimes, I release a butterfly that I can't get really good photos of.  They are decent, but not my best work and it can be frustrating.  I want them all to be my best, but sometimes it is just overwhelming when I have so many and I do all the work on my own.  I just want the best for each angel!  

I am inspired all the time by so many other BLMs.  It is so wonderful to see all of us stick together and carry one another through thick or thin.   Amazing women...absolutely amazing.

The motto for my site is "For every time I've wanted to hold you tight, may a butterfly take flight."

To read more about Rachel visit her blog Triplet Butterfly Wings