I don’t think I could share with you all we’ve lost, gained, and learned from what happened with our sweet Matilda in a few sentences, though someone recently referred to our experience as a “horror story” and I’ve felt a need to try ever since. It feels important to me to narrate our story more completely instead of leaving it open to interpretation.

Yes, losing Tilly was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. 2 weeks before my due date. 34 hours of labor. Holding her for hours until she became too fragile for us to continue. Saying goodbye. Yes, that was hard. Excruciating. And it was also beautiful. We loved her SO much. We loved each other SO much. We still do. We always will. Great pain comes from great love and love is worth every penny of its price. I would do it all over again. She was my daughter, Matilda Ervin Kalt, Lula’s little sister, and she was beautiful. Thanks to her my heart learned a new tenderness, depth, and strength that I hope it never forgets.

It is important to me that everyone understands that our story with Matilda is not a horror story, it’s a love story.

When I look at the photos NILMDTS provided us, I see our beautiful baby girl surrounded by our love. It brings me comfort that the details of her perfect face and features are forever preserved. These precious keepsake photos will never fade, and neither will our love for Matilda.

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