They say there are stages to grief and I imagine that is generally true, but since every individual person is different, I believe grief manifests itself in a variety of ways. In the days, weeks, and months after Faith died my grief took on many forms. And while I'm no expert, it is through my … Continue reading Grief Is…
Dear Faith (On Your 4th Birthday)
Dear Faith, Happy 4th birthday my sweet girl! It's a beautiful day today - warm and sunny, my favorite kind of day. I miss you very much, but when I look up at the bright blue sky and think about what it must be like for you in Heaven, that makes me smile. I want … Continue reading Dear Faith (On Your 4th Birthday)
Our Story
Four years ago Steve picked up Thai food and brought it back to our hospital room. After dinner we shared chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. It was our 4th anniversary. The following morning we would hold our daughter, Faith, for the first and last time. Today we celebrate 8 years of marriage. It's strange to realize … Continue reading Our Story
Valleys of Sorrow to Rivers of Joy
How do you "celebrate" the birthday of a child who has died? There's no guidebook for that, no answer that works for everyone. For me it means writing. Writing is my way to reflect on everything we experienced. It's my way to honor Faith's short life here on earth. And when writing I pray that someone - even just … Continue reading Valleys of Sorrow to Rivers of Joy
Perfect in Weakness (Encouragement for Moms, Part 5 of 5)
Recently Steve brought home some new t-shirts for Natalie. One of them says "my mommy is a superhero"in bright turquoise, orange and white. It's cute but it also made me chuckle. With the exception of my kisses (which have been known to magically heal boo-boos) I usually feel pretty un-superhero-ish. Luckily I don't have to … Continue reading Perfect in Weakness (Encouragement for Moms, Part 5 of 5)
For the Lord (Encouragement for Moms, Part 4 of 5)
Recently I had a conversation with one of my students that went something like this... Student: "So my math teacher wants me to finish and turn in this review packet even though I already took the test." Me: "Well you were supposed to do the packet before the test to study, weren't you?" Student: "Yeah, … Continue reading For the Lord (Encouragement for Moms, Part 4 of 5)
When You’re Weary (Encouragement for Moms, Part 3 of 5)
The laundry basket was spilling-over full. Muddy paw prints all over the entryway floor. I forgot to start the crockpot (again!) so there was nothing planned for dinner and a rough day at school sent me home with a pounding headache. I just wanted to close my eyes for a few minutes. Long enough to … Continue reading When You’re Weary (Encouragement for Moms, Part 3 of 5)
“I was the Lion”
Recently I've been re-reading C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. They are some of my favorite books and this is probably my fourth, if not more, time reading through the series. I never tire of the stories and always seem to find new truths when I re-visit them. Last week I finished The Horse and His Boy and … Continue reading “I was the Lion”
A Woman Who Fears the Lord (Encouragement for Moms, Part 2 of 5)
Oh the Proverbs 31 woman... How many times have we read this passage? How many times have we wondered if we could ever measure up? I know, for me at least, she seems like an intimidating figure. Elizabeth Bennet's words in Pride and Prejudice come to mind, "she would certainly be a fearsome thing to behold". … Continue reading A Woman Who Fears the Lord (Encouragement for Moms, Part 2 of 5)
The Benefits of Weeding (And I Don’t Mean Your Yard)
As spring slowly makes it's appearance around here I've noticed the weeds sprouting up alongside the newly blooming flowers. It reminded me of a post I shared on my previous blog last summer and I think it's a topic worth re-visiting... I would never claim to like weeding, but there are worse things. I guess … Continue reading The Benefits of Weeding (And I Don’t Mean Your Yard)
Come Sojourn 