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Posted by sagerats

Gregory looked like a dear wee one. I don't know where your website is to read more about him. Could you post a link? May your family rest in the peace of Jesus.

Blessings, Tia

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Posted by prisca

May God shine His face upon you in this time of sorrow. Your little boy is beautiful. Thank you for sharing you story!

Prisca

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Posted by Anonymous

Barbara,

Thanks for sharing your story with us. What a beautiful baby boy you have.

Deb

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Posted by Teresa Jetton

Having lost a pre-born child ourselves, I just wept when I read your story. It brought back so many memories. Thank you for sharing it. I'm so glad for you that you had the Church to help you through your grieving process. That is something we did not have until years after the fact. How I wish we could have had that during the event itself. But now your Gregory and our Shannon are together in heaven with the Saints and the Theotokos praising God. This is a comfort to a mother's heart, isn't it.

May God bless you and your family during this difficult time.

Teresa Jetton

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Posted by Janet

Dear Barbara, I want to thank you for sharing such a personal story with all of us. You write beautifully and allow us to see not only the terrible grief but the wonderous joy as well. My heart goes out to you and your family. I will never forget your story and I will be forever grateful that Gregory was given to such caring thoughtful people. Blessing be to you all. -Janet

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Posted by MissKroger's Mom

Barbara,
You've done such a beautiful job. My heart grieves for you and your family. Gregory is so precious. You have been mightifully blessed. May God bless you and keep you. Thank you so much for sharing with us. I have tears in my eyes as I write. Lord Have Mercy! Lord Have Mercy! Lord Have Mercy!

IXIC,
Christina

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Posted by Mary Lantz

What a beautiful baby boy. Your story brought tears and joy to my heart. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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Posted by babilya

Barbara,
I read about precious Gregory and his day. I can only imagine his guardian angel holding him as he is going to our Father in heaven and His tender full true love. May Our Lord and Saviour Bless and keep you and your family in His and His Mother's tender embrace.
In Christ,
Rebecca

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Posted by grelihm

Your story is incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking. I pray God continues to give you strength. We all love you and little sweet Gregory even though we didn't get a chance to know him other than through the words you have written.

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Posted by Anonymous

Dear Barbara and all of the Shukins,

I am struck by what a remarkable family you are. As soon as I met you, I knew you to be one of those rare and fabulous women whom I wanted to know better because I try to surround myself with goodness. I was honored you came to my house for a visit. And now I think what a lovely and wise soul Gregory must have been to have chosen you to be his Mommy. We all only have finite existences on this earth and those of us left behind grieve most for the unlived future we won't have with our loved ones who leave. You are right to treasure every moment you and Greogry had together as brief as they were. I wonder if God challenges people like you, women so far up the mountain, because he knows you will understand His higher wisdom and trust that this was something your family and Gregory needed to experience together. You are right to dismiss fear in any form. Your beautiul loving tribute to Gregory saddened my morning but brightened my day. I've been touched by two angels - you and Gregory both and I pay tribute to you and your husband for your loving example to us all.

Love and prayers to you all in your grief and joyous wishes to Gregory in heaven.

Kate Flynn

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Posted by Raja

Your precious Gregory is with my sweet baby Nadia in heaven... Thank you for sharing . I lost my precious Nadia when i was 26 weeks pregnant and so your story touched me so! She was my first baby it was so hard to go home with "empty arms"... God blessed me with Justina and Joseph (4 and 2 years old).. but Nadia will always be my first precious baby girl. I did not have such a wonderful support network and praise be to God that you and your husband were surrounded with your family, friends, and clergy... The pain of losing a child is so deep and so profound ...... A good friend and clergy told me 5 years ago, "Look to Our Lady the Theotokos because she knows your pain of losing a child.."
Just yesterday at work, one of my patients was telling me how broken hearted she is that both her sons died of heart attacks at such a young age and now she is a widow and childless...she had told me last night "my heart is broken"..my response was "God is close to the broken hearted.."
Dear sister Barbara, i feel your pain of losing a child... you and your family will be in my prayers. email me anytime if you need to talk...
Our two little ones wait in heaven in the arms of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Our Blessed Lady the Theotokos...
God Be with you all! God grant rest to his departed servant , Gregory...and may his memory be eternal!

your sister in Christ,
raja hourani marji

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Posted by Marla

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Your tribute to your son, Gregory, is both beautiful and moving. Your lives as well as ours have been blessed by his story. Thank you for sharing. May God give you comfort now and always.

In Christ,
Marla

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Posted by Anonymous

Gregory's story is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us. I appreciate the perspective you gave and will save the story so that I can share it with mothers who are experiencing a similar grief. Ruth

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Posted by Vida Haried

We are so sorry that this happened to you all. We were honored to be included in your sadness. The pain must be unbearable at times, but you must remember that tomorrow will be better. Thank you for sharing the grace with which you handled an insanely sad situation. No one can replace Gregory, but I wish you 4 boy children to help you try and lesson the pain.

With admiration and respect,

Vida & Julia Haried

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Posted by Anonymous

Dear Barbara
Your story of Gregory`s brief life touched me deeply.
His photos show him to be a truly handsome little boy.
Memory Eternal to your beloved little son, and God bless you all.
with love
Elizabeth
http://thegardenwindow.blogspot.com

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Posted by Anonymous

Barbara, you and your family are so strong and such a blessing to the rest of us. Memory Eternal to your precious little Gregory Titus. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
- Sh. Margaret

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Posted by B. Schaefer

I struggle to find words as I am still so overwhelmed by Gregory’s story. Thank you so much for sharing from your heart and through you tears. I am overcome with many tears myself as I hold my Gregory George near and read to him of your precious Gregory Titus. I again promise to you that my Gregory and I will hold your Gregory’s memory and pray that his memory be eternal!

I was particularly impacted by the beautiful Shaker hymn the Lord gave you in the midst of your struggle to turn Gregory. "Tis the gift to be simple, Tis the gift to be free, Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, It will be in the valley of love and delight." How particularly perfect and poignant those words are! I am amazed at the Lord’s grace, giving you such powerful, yet truly simple words to meditate on as you traveled through a not so simple process. The picture you made with the circles truly moved me.

Thank you for your words, the beautiful pictures and letting us into your heart! You are so dear Barbara, and although we have never met face-to-face, the story of you and Gregory and the rest of your dear family have deeply touched my heart!

Much love dear sister,

Barbara

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Posted by Larissa

May God bless you for sharing your memories of Gregory Titus.

It was so beautiful to see your faith shining through the sadness. It was truly a wonderful tribute to your child and testimony to the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Love in Christ,
Larissa

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Posted by thethorpsmom

Your story is a blessing, and it strengthens my awareness of the life of the world to come--just imagining my precious Samuel having such a companion as your beautiful Gregory.

My miscarriage was back in '95. But it has been amazing to see how the yielding of that tiny life to Heaven became one of the most powerful forces of God's grace in our family--and, I believe it served to open our path to finding the Orthodox Church.

A child in Heaven is surely an agent of intercession there--and a cause for our mindfulness of the Kingdom here. God is good in all His ways, and I am grateful for your poignant reminder of that truth.

Gregory's legacy on this earth may be the most enduring of all, as his story touches hearts and enlightens souls with the glow of That world, so remote to our daily lives. Many who would never have known any of your family personally can readily be changed by Gregory's story--and turned Heavenward. His life there, with the great cloud of witnesses to receive and voice the deepest longings of his completely pure soul, cannot but touch the Throne on behalf of this world.

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Posted by creech7s

Reading your story brought many things to my own heart, and made me realize how the loss of our last child had left me with deep, selfish hurt that I need to ask forgiveness for. Thank you for sharing your heart with me through this wonderful story and reminding me that God's plan is always perfect, even if we do not understand it for now. I will pray for your other children as well as you and Paul, that the Lord will use you and your story in a mighty way for His work and His kingdom.

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