I Am With You

By: Casey Zenner Close your eyes…take a deep breath.  Do you feel that? The peace coming over you? That’s me. That’s me telling you I am okay, so please don’t worry. That’s me waving hello and goodbye, please hurry home, I can’t wait to hear your stories.  That’s me grabbing your leg and squeezing tight in the afternoon as your day drags on. That’s me…

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The Deep Roots of Legacy

By: Ann-Marie Ferry “Tough it out.” “Don’t cry.” Don’t be a girl.” We have been told for years that to show pain, or to speak of it, is weakness. We are the children of stoicism. The American roots run deep into this ancient philosophy. At the heart we know something is wrong with it but…

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The Little Yellow Butterfly

By: Casey Zenner One of the greatest things about being a parent is watching the bond your children have grow over the years. When you have one child in Heaven the fear of missing out on witnessing that bond for me, at least, has been one of the toughest  parts of this journey. Not only…

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Sailing

By: Ann-Marie Ferry Twenty-five feet of crystal-clear water rolled between the pier where I stood and the smooth, colorful boulders on the lake floor. I was enchanted by this simmering window into aquatic life, mesmerized, in my own world. “Ann-Marie, the line is moving,” a voice called out. My parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents,…

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An Artistic Walk Through Grief

By: Ann-Marie Ferry The suddenness of grief is disorienting. It leaves us grappling for a way, a path to walk. We as bereaved parents had no choice. Grief came and we did our best. We kept waking up. We kept on. Our paths all look a little different, but the emotions often feel so familiar.…

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Listening To the Voices of Bereaved Fathers

By: Ann-Marie Ferry Fathers often get the short end of the stick when it comes to grief support. It should not be. However, for a variety of reasons it often remains the case. When I was asked to write an article for newly bereaved fathers, I was apprehensive. I am a bereaved mother. How do…

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Full and Broken

By: Ann-Marie Ferry My heart is full and broken. I am sitting in my quiet living room as a sweet little 11-week-old girl sleeps on my chest. The time since her birth has been a peaceful one. We have experienced all the crazy sleeplessness and the insanity of transitioning to be a family of four.…

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Dear Husband, Thank You

By: Casey Zenner Oftentimes on this loss journey, I find myself forgetting that there is another person on this journey with me. While I, of course, never actually forget about my husband, it is hard in the midst of my grief, to remember he is grieving too. I think that is because our husbands fill…

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Back to Normal

By: Ann-Marie Ferry When normal seems on its way And tears have now ceased When all the thoughts in my head  Have settled in a calm place  The flood gates open  Destroying my glimpse of peace When my mosaic heart is crumbling  And I can’t take a breath  When tears start in my throat  Burning…

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