Today is October 1st. It has been one month since we lost Scott.I spent most of the month with my sister and my niece, supporting them in their grieving process. Grieving with them.I sat at my kitchen table with my sister as she was on phone call after phone call, sending emails and faxes to … [Read more...]
Family is everything
Last week our family was shaken to it's core when we received the news that my sister's husband, Scott died suddenly.Immediately my mum, dad, my oldest sister, Angie and I pulled together. Scott was here in Ontario. My sister Kelly was out in BC with their daughter Marley, who is 5. We had to … [Read more...]
Losses Large and Small
When a child faces a big event, it can be hard to know what to say. We librarians often suggest using stories for two reasons. First, it can show the child that they are not alone, and that there are others who understand their feelings. This can be a big help. Secondly, reading about a similar … [Read more...]
Let’s Talk About Loss
We have a new series on UrbanMoms right now about the journey of grieving. In an odd coincidence, I had pulled two books on loss for today after a couple of weeks of pondering, and now they seem even more apt. These books are books to read together, to talk about, and to use as tools for opening … [Read more...]
Finding our way through a year of “firsts”
By Heather Hamilton (@TZJMommy) Today is Zack's 4th birthday. The entire week leading up to this day has been so difficult and emotionally draining. You see, Zack is a twin, and while we are overwhelmed with the fact that Zack won't be there to turn 4, his brother still deserves a fun birthday … [Read more...]
When One Thing Leads to Another
I meet a lot of incredible people both virtually and in real life through UrbanMoms. Sometimes these meetings turn into friendships or clients or other opportunities. I love when this happens. What I love more than anything is when one of these "meetings" becomes an opportunity for inspiration and … [Read more...]
Those Eyes.
The strangest thing happened to me today. I was meeting my uncle, my mom's younger brother, for coffee. It had been a while since I had seen him, maybe even the two years since my mom died, I'm not sure. A while. I sat down and looked over at him and I was hit by a bolt of lightening. Those … [Read more...]
I am still alive.
Tragically, this past weekend, a mom in my neighbourhood died very suddenly. Her daughter goes to the same school as my kids. She was a mom of two. She was healthy and active and full of life. And then she was gone. When I heard the news I felt so sad for her children and her husband and all of … [Read more...]
And Life Goes On.
Last Sunday was Mother's Day, and as I predicted, I got to sleep a little bit later than usual. What I didn't count on was waking up to BOTH kids having wet their beds in the night. (That's what you get for later-than-usual bedtimes the night before, accompanied by later-than-usual drinks and … [Read more...]
The Pain of Loss
In Toronto today, a funeral was held for Sgt. Ryan Russell, a police officer who was killed last Wednesday in the line of duty. Since the news of his murder broke, there has been a constant stream of stories, all of which have tugged like hell at my emotions. On more than one occasion, … [Read more...]