I wrote another article for Seton Magazine. And they’ve totally published it! http://www.setonmagazine.com/family/grandparents/absent-without-leave-learning-to-live-with-my-gadabout-grandparents The editor added the subtitle, but it’s not entirely accurate. My husband’s parents are not also my grandparents. I live in Victoria, not Tasmania! Look at me: stay-at-home-mum and part-time freelance author!
Laptop on the Ironing Board
A place to procrastinate when you really should be folding washing
Whoo, hoooo! I am so proud of you from way over here in Canada!
I recently got an article published, too and it’s such a great feeling! Hurrah for nutty homeschooling mommy writers!
Xoxoxooxxo
Anna
Oh, wow! Is there some way I can read it? Congratulations!
Gladly! Here is the link:
http://www.bccatholic.ca/the-news/4428-losing-a-little-one-a-great-mystery
It’s about losing my little Josephine…the sad, beautiful, mysterious experience that it has been and still is.
Maybe I’ll put a link to it on my blog, too. Thanks for wanting to read it!
Xo
Anna
You and Josephine have been in my thoughts a lot lately. I pray for you every day. The article is simply amazing. I am so humbled by the grace with which you have shouldered this cross. I have no doubt your honesty and your bravery in speaking about your journey out loud is a precious gift to others struggling with their grief.
It feels strange that we don’t know each other. I have a great urge to put a banana cake on your Canadian doorstep (when I feel overwhelmed and don’t know how to help, I tend to bake), though I’m sure you have already been inundated with casseroles and baked goods. But I can pray, at least. I’ll keep doing that.
Kate, your prayers and words mean so much. I wish you could come with your cake and stay for tea and a big chat as well! I do feel I know you. When I told my husband, “My friend just has her article published!” and told him who, he said, “Oh, your blog friend, not real friend.” Of course I objected vehemently! You are very real to me, and your affection is reaching me, even from across the world.
I wrote a heartfelt response to this comment, then I clicked something and it disappeared! I’m sure it won’t come out the same way again!
Thank you so much. I want to share a daft thought with you. I’m very worried I will say the wrong thing and end up being offensive. But I’ll give it a try.
Do you know how I call you Anna of Green Gables? Well in my ignorance of intense grief, my mind keeps thinking about how Anne lost a child in labour (in “Anne’s House of Dreams”). Her name was Joyce. Even when Anne’s children are all grown up, Anne still thinks often of her “wee white lady”.
I know to most people it would seem very wrong to be talking about a simple children’s book at a time of complex grief. But I know that you love Anne as much as I do, and it’s silly, but I find reading Anne a bit of comfort when things are really bad. Not that I can possibly imagine how ‘really bad’ things are for you right now, and not that I think reading a children’s book can possibly ‘fix’ anything.
I’m reading over this and I can’t possibly get it to sound the way I want. But I did warn you it was daft!
You know, I have been thinking about the book “Anne’s House of Dreams” myself, and thinking how odd that my heroine had undergone the same thing! And children’s books are so comforting. Somehow they are a safer world, been if hard things happen within them. You know the happy ending is waiting for you. They help you to hope.
I’ve actually been reading “The Horse and the Boy” by C S Lewis. When my Mum was in the hospital years a go for a few months she read the Anne of Green Gables series!
Thanks for being wonderful, and for sharing your “daft thought.”
Xox
Anna
Wow.. Didn’t even know so many other places exist in Adelaide.. Embarrassed to say this.. But I should have ventured out more when I’m there
Have you been to Adelaide? My sister-in-law lives there, but I’m in Melbourne (The Best Australian City, New York of the Southern Hemisphere, World’s Most Liveable etc etc). Australia is vast and diverse. Much as I love Adelaide, I’m not sure it really captures that!
I love your story! And I want to be like the other grandparents! This is what you were hoping for, right?
Oh no! What have I done???
Congratulations!
Thank you!
You’re legit!
WOW, now there’s a thought! Thank you!
Nice work!
Thank you!