Life Happens. A Story of Death, War, & a Mild Heart Attack {and a God who restores}

Life happens, and so does death. My story is one that begins with death, war, and heart disease – but ends with the blessing of God and His healing power and mercy.

June 7, 2004, was a day I WILL NEVER FORGET. It was exactly 7 days before my husbands first year long deployment to Iraq and I was going in for my first well baby check up at 5 months along (on this military post you could not get in until 5 months pregnant). The day I went in my husband was training in the field and I was so excited to hear the heartbeat of child #2 for the very first time. Anyone who has heard this joyful noise, knows EXACTLY what I am talking about. I went alone to my appointment – and when the time came to hear baby’s heartbeat – there was no sound. The technician called in a doctor to confirm there was no heart beat. Through the use of a vaginal ultrasound – the doctor confirmed it was TRUE. We had just suffered the loss of our 2nd child. I tried to get a hold of my husband via his unit – but they told me that a miscarriage did not “qualify as a reason to bring him out of the field.” Really? The death of a 5-month-old baby doesn’t qualify for a man to comfort his wife just 7 days before he faces war? To the ARMY that answer was no. I had to wait two full days before I could share this loss with my husband. It was tough as we tried to manage our emotions for this first deployment (of which our family has endured 4 more since) and the death of our baby boy.

Yes, the baby that passed was our son, a promise we received from God several years before. As time would soon reveal – God would honor His promise.

The day finally came when we said good-bye to my husband. It was a LONG day, one you can never fully prepare for. I mean, how do you say good-bye to someone and make it last for a year? It isn’t easy, I can tell you that. Just a short two weeks after my husband left, I suffered a minor heart attack. Here I was again, alone, with my husband far away – while I faced the rehabilitation of another attack on my body. While all of these things were tough to go thru – the fact remains, that we WENT THRU them. And not only did we survive, but we continued to trust God and speak His Word of deliverance and life over all of the death that was seemingly around us. In the end – several years later – God not only blessed us with another son – but TWO sons in less than 2 years!

I wanted to encourage you that although life can be complicated, God is always there with us and for us. Continue to trust in Him – and everything will be all right!

Would you kindly slip over to this link and vote for my “Life Happens” story? It is under the name “Carlie” with my family photo (you see on the left of this text). You may have to scroll down to find me in this list. It also mentions I am the author of So You Call Yourself A Homeschooler. Just hit the “vote” button. I would be extremely grateful. {YOU CAN VOTE FOR ME ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS thru October 14.}

Leave me a note letting me know you voted 🙂 Thank you!

To read more about our story, you can read my testimony and my marriage, family, and homeschooling series.