My Umbrella

After school today, I stood outside at the parent pick up line with a huge umbrella. Two other teachers stood with me, braving the afternoon rainstorm, with smaller umbrellas. I admit that I was a bit pouty and not particularly thrilled... Continue reading →

What a beautiful thing it is to love…

Perched in one of the Bradford Pear trees in the courtyard of the school that I teach at is a beach ball. No one knows exactly how long the beach ball has been there. Most seem to think it got... Continue reading →

A Christmas Rainbow

Leaving our house for the holidays has felt a bit like I am leaving my daughter behind while we are going off to celebrate Christmas. I have struggled a bit with these emotions even though I know that our daughter... Continue reading →

The House is Quiet

The stress and busyness that comes with the holidays has left my mind fairly distracted this month. It has been a delicate balance of keeping my mind distracted yet still honoring the memory of my daughter in small ways. The... Continue reading →

Like a 6th Grader on the First Day of Middle School

Yesterday, I attended a daylong professional development filled with team building activities and group planning time. At the beginning of the day, one of the facilitators shared a quote from motivational speaker Karen Kaiser Clark. “Life is change. Growth is... Continue reading →

Surviving a Trigger Day

Upon sitting down in church this morning, a woman sitting near us turned to me and asked, “Did you have your baby?” I forced a smile as my heart raced and responded, “ Yes.” She congratulated me and I thanked... Continue reading →

A Mug in the Closet

Recently, I received my first baby shower invitation since losing my daughter. I am not angry about it. I am sure the sender was conflicted as to whether I would be offended from not getting an invite at all, or... Continue reading →

That Would Never Happen To Me

Last October, I was reading a friend’s blog and learned that October 15 was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. In the post, she shared about how difficult it was when she lost her baby to a miscarriage the previous... Continue reading →

What’s in a name?

Clare. As soon as Matt and I found out that we were having a girl, the name Clare was on my heart. We debated for several weeks before settling on Isabelle Clare. It was the perfect name. So, what’s in... Continue reading →

The Peace of God

Walking into our church this Sunday felt as it did the morning of Isabelle’s funeral. My husband and I were both quiet, consumed by the painful memories that surrounded that August day. A local friend had arranged for a number... Continue reading →