Letting strangers in.....

Do you think strangers come into our lives for a reason?

Yesterday, a chance meeting made me question whether I believe that things….or people, appear like magic when we need that little extra something…..

I’ve discovered on my journey of challenges and grief that who we surround ourselves with, who we hold on to, can have a huge effect on surviving, well, almost anything.

Yesterday I took Dempsey to our favorite park.  Purple wisteria vines were dripping with blossoms.

It’s difficult to describe wisteria’s unique beauty and perfume unless you’ve seen one in full bloom.

They make me think of my mum…one of her favorite things...

So with the sun warming my back, feeling kinda surrounded by Spring, I took out my book, watching Dempsey unpack her shovel and pail and jump rope.

A young couple sat behind me, their newborn in a stroller parked up beside them…the wife sitting cross legged on a blue rug while her husband read her verse out of the Bible…I should’ve known it wouldn’t be a normal park outing!! :)

Dempsey is like a magnet with other kids….it wasn’t even five minutes after we arrived when a pretty little blonde girl shyly buddied up to her…and as you do when you’re that age, you become fast friends.

I sat there watching Demps interact with this little girl, sharing her skipping rope…smiling and making small talk.

Usually, watching her with other kids’ manages to squeeze my heart…that her sister isn’t here.

And while yelling to Dempsey to make sure she shared, an older lady sitting not far away spoke up…in my direction!

The conversation went like this….

“Are you Australian? I’m Rose by the way…”

“Yes, I am….but we live here.”

“Oh, I thought so, is your husband Australian too? Do you have family live close by?”

“No, my husband is an Aussie too. We don’t have any family here, just friends…”


For the next few minutes we chatted....until the lady’s next question.

“Gee, you must miss your Mum?”

Now this is when it gets funny, because I usually hide my story or who I am from strangers, you know, leave ‘stuff’ out, the sad ‘stuff’….especially with ones I meet in a park!

But this lady had such a warm energy about her; she reminded me of my mum…I could tell she was kind and loving from her smile and her warm energy.

So I told her that yes, I miss my mum every day, but that she died a while ago now.

And I don’t know why I do this when I tell people that but I sorta felt awkward, like this lady would feel uncomfortable and make an escape within seconds.

But she didn’t.

She got up, walked over and started chatting more to me. Asking me whether I had a sister….which I thought was odd, that she didn’t ask about a brother or my dad?

And automatically, I sort of made this weird giggle, nervous sound….as I contemplated…should I tell her about my sister Tarnia? And it was strange but I felt very comfortable with this lady….so I shared.


However, she didn’t run away, she kept talking, asking me what happened to Tarina….did she have children etc etc.

Then she said her daughter had lost a child last year, a premmy of 28 weeks.   And she told me how awful it was to lose a child.   And I wanted to say, “I know!”   And for a while I listened and comforted her and the conversation turned to…. “Is Dempsey your only child?”

It only took a second to decide I’d share Savannah’s story…  But I always feel awkward, telling strangers about all 3 of my losses, it usually turns me into some sort of freak.

And I could see behind her sunglasses, her eyes were full of tears.

What she did next surprised me and I’ve never had a stranger do it but she said… “Oh I feel like I should give you a hug…can I?”

I almost leapt out of my seat.

She hugged me so hard my neck clicked! :)

We sat together for the next 2 hours talking about life and I felt like I’d had a chat with my mum.

Dempsey was happily playing on the slide with Rose’s granddaughter when I realized we had to go. Rose then piped up and said  “Would you like to go to lunch next week?”

I patted her shoulder and told her she was sweet to ask, but I felt odd…here was this stranger, reaching out, offering me support....in the middle of a park on a sunny Spring afternoon…and I wondered, “Do I let this stranger into my life?”

She rummaged through her hand bag for a pen, asking me for my number….”Maybe if you don’t want to do lunch, we can go walking together? I’d really like that” she said.

And I didn’t even hesitate before I answered “I’d like that too!”

When I got into my car, I choked up, my eyes filled with tears as I waved Rose goodbye. I don’t know why, probably because she reminded me so much of my mum and what I’m missing…also, talking about everything sometimes have a habit of stirring up old emotions.

But Rose didn’t have an agenda, just another mother who is caring, who took the time to offer support to a stranger. Who has the ability to make a difference…we all do…

Rose text me this morning and we’re going walking tomorrow…around the hills near my home. :)


Sometimes old friends help us through our ‘stuff’ and sometimes its new friends. For in the blink of an eye life can change…we just hold on and see where this journey takes us…

The 'Easy Button'

“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” ~Kenji Miyazawa

Last Friday in Australia, my gorgeous nephew Fraser participated in his school Deb. For anyone who doesn’t know what a ‘Deb’ is, it’s a Debutante Ball…similar to a Prom.

It’s when a girl and a boy are formally introduced to society through a night of dancing, Ball room dancing, like the waltz…and of course they get decked out in their finest gear. It’s a bit old fashioned, but in Oz, I think it’s an excuse for teenagers to party. :)


Fraser is my sister’s second son. He was only five when she was killed….he’s affectionate, always gifting me with the biggest squeezes. I adore him.

So when he emailed me, saying he wished I could be at his special night, my heart strings were yanked. I wished I could’ve been there too….but when you live on the other side of the world it’s almost impossible. And I hate that I miss out on these things for my sister’s children. 

On the night of the Deb, Fraser emailed me a photo of him and Laura, his pretty girlfriend….preened and oh so handsome in a black suit….and Laura looked liked she just stepped out of a fairytale book.

And I didn’t realize how much it would hurt to see the photo of him…beaming his beautiful toothy smile!

My eyes filled with tears instantly. And I couldn’t stop weeping…..

I was sad most of Friday that I couldn’t be there for him, that I’d let him down…and also that his mum, my sister wasn’t there either to treasure these moments.   Even though his dad, his sisters, his other aunt and my dad were there to support him, I still felt sad.

And on special days or occasions, these feelings hurt.   But there’s no easy way to block out the pain….sometimes, the only exit to safety and healing is through the inferno…through the heartache and the tears.

And whilst for me, that all consuming sadness isn’t there everyday now as it once was… it does have a habit of casting a dark shadow on my world, blocking out my sunshine…like a solar eclipse. Yes, nothing about grief is easy, I wish it was….

Which brings me to the weekend….

Peter, Dempsey and I did the rounds of our local shops, finishing off at Staples, which is a stationary store here in Southern California.

Peter disappeared down the aisles looking for printer paper while Dempsey and I hung around the front of the store looking at the fun stuff they had scattered around on shelves.

Dempsey discovered a big round red plastic button that said “Easy” …which of course she couldn’t help but push.  I was surprised to hear the button exclaim in a deep man’s voice, “That was easy!” Dempsey started giggling, thinking it was funny, hitting it over and over until people started staring at us.  Then the nagging began…”Please, can we buy it Mummy?”

So along with our stack of printer paper, the ‘Easy button’ made its way along the checkout belt and into our plastic bag. The whole way home in the car, Demps constantly pushed the “Easy” button, driving me C R A Z Y!!!!

And for the past few days’, all I’ve heard is….“That was easy” seeping down the stairs from her room. And it made me think about Fraser and grief and hard days…how if only we all had an ‘Easy button’ we could push to make the hurt go away….

But to heal you have to suffer the hurt….to let it into your heart, to taste your tears or share it with a friend like I did…and understand it isn’t forever.

The Easter Holidays are just around the corner and I know the day will be reflective for me because some of my family members aren’t here….especially Savannah who loved gorging on chocolate and finding colorful eggs hidden in our yard….

I usually try and do things that make me happy….like buying these flowers that were parked up at the checkout in Vons supermarket…..

They are just so magnificent!

Is there really anything more spectacular than the spring bouquets that are around this time of year? They come with a guarantee to brighten up my mood and of course our house….

And then there’s Dempsey, who has a lifetime guarantee of eclipsing my world with her magical dimpled smile and love…..

As well as visiting Staples we dropped in at the Pet Store where Demps almost squeezed the life out of this little Easter Bunny!

You can see the adoration in her face…mine was on the other end of the camera!

And today, on the cusp of Easter, a friend who is travelling in Europe emailed me to say her dad had been killed in a farming accident in Australia….a shock and a tragedy for her.  As I write this, she's probably on a plane back to Australia...

I know her journey of grief and healing begins today.  She said her dad is the first person she’s ever lost.... My heart aches for her and her family as I know the road ahead is littered with hard stuff….

On Easter Sunday, I may just have to steal Dempsey’s ‘Easy button’ ....continue to push it…like she does....and get through another holiday making some new happy family memories….

Wishing you sunshine if your cup is blue with the upcoming holiday.... x

A few of my favorite things.... Happy Birthday Girls! XX

“Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things……” - The Sound of Music.

Today in Australia, a few of my favorite things turn 12! 

My twin nieces Emerald and Charlotte!

I can hardly believe it.

The years just seem to have melted into one another and they are almost teenagers! I miss them a lot…..

This morning, early, I read their Dad’s blog.  It was a moving read today. 
Tone says;....  “After Tarn had gone, sometimes I would stand outside my back door. With a roll-your-own-cigarette. And a home made milk stout. Missing her and that.

Pondering. She is not to be seen again, held, listened to, care for us, watch the kids grow into the people we had hoped for, share life with.

And every time now even, when I step out into the night, there is that reminder of what it is/was/is to lose that close one, Tarn. Not of where I am.” 
(http://daggydad.blogspot.com/2012/03/stars-and-fags.html)



And I know on birthdays and special days, that longing for those that are no longer here intensify and monopolizes the mind …as it has with Tone…and me today.

However, amongst the sad thoughts that my sister isn’t here, that she died when they were only 6 months old and the fact that today she would've showered her daughters with her love...with gusto….are also thoughts of joy that her two little girls are alive and have such a happy spirit…a kindness and love about them that is organic…that’s as natural to them as bees making honey. And as sweet! :)

And as time transforms that overwhelming bottomless pit of grief into one of gratefulness, I am thankful that they’re a small slice of my sister….and there’s two of them! :)

Also, that I am able to enjoy in them what I’m missing in not having my daughter Savannah here, as they are only 9 months apart…or would be.

Savannah giving Emerald a kiss... :)

Savannah loved her cousins….even from such a young age, she showered them with her kisses and love…

Savannah not leaving Charlotte out.... :)


And later, when they were around the same age, all three of them were like three cheeky monkeys…playing hide and seek and kicking up leaves in Tarnia and Tone’s big old yard.

Savannah, Emerald and Charlotte captured in Tone's yard....

And now the roles are reversed, and Emerald and Charlotte infuse their love and time on Dempsey.

Demps, Emmy and Charlotte at Xmas in OZ playing dress ups!:)

There is nothing more magical for me than having the privilege as their Aunty to have watched Em, Charlotte and Demps play for hours in our sandpit, and then Barbies came along, and Polly Pockets which morphed into Littlest Pet Shop and then of course the latest obsession…technology!

The twins and Dempsey...oh so young and cute, all of them!

Emerald and Dempsey...love this one!


Sorting through our filing cabinet, I found these beauties from my nieces when they were a lot younger…and which today they’d probably be embarrassed about! :)

But I've kept them like my sister would’ve and like I do with Dempsey’s things now…they are precious to me!


And on days like today when my heart feels heavy that their mum, my sister, isn’t here, I have to look deeper than the hurt and the pain with a panoramic view, a breathtaking view, that life truly is a miracle…they are a miracle….they could have been killed in the car crash along with my sister!

And in grief, you have to look at the glass half full…or you go crazy....

In time I’ve managed to be able to do this instead of being scared of being alone with my thoughts, like I was and as Tone mentioned...when it’s quiet at night and the stars are out and we contemplate these things….

It’s dark here now in the USA.  Tonight, like Tone I’ll go outside, and look up at the stars and think of my sister, and all four of her kids, and Tone…and my Dad today….I can allow my mind to wander there now.

But in Australia, the sun is high in the sky, and there’s two twelve year old girls that are probably giggling at school and embracing their day like there's no tomorrow…and that brings me comfort…their fine example...of being happy...no matter what their circumstances.

They fill my blue cup with sunshine…always…even if they are only 12! :)


“When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad…..”

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFULS!  I LOVE YOU TO THE STARS...AND BACK! XX

Life and Grief can be like a kaleidoscope......

This past week I’ve been spring cleaning.

Getting rid of ‘stuff,’ especially in Dempsey’s closet which is packed to the rafters with all sorts of things, baby blocks, stuffed animals and dress ups that’s she’s grown out of.

I always stumble upon some of Savannah’s toys…and they always pull at my heartstrings, thinking of her playing peacefully with them. Sometimes the memories hurt, and other times I smile…..

However, one of them reminded me of life, and turning points that can come in time as you travel down the long twisted path of grief.

I found her kaleidoscope. I remembered her holding it up to the light, twisting and turning the end of it…fascinated with the shapes and patterns that the glass fragments magically made.

It also reminded me of the journey of grief…how after the fragments of our lives have been shattered and our world becomes black, that over time, we start to evolve and change, and after a while, maybe a long while for some….our complex grief and hurt morphs into an appreciation of life’s gifts.  For me, how lucky I was to have had my loved one’s in my life.  That inside the heartache and turmoil lays beauty…if you look for it.

Savannah's kaleidoscope I found...

And for a long time after my loved ones died, my world became black. 

There was no color.

I couldn’t sit alone with my thoughts, I needed constant distractions. I was afraid of my grief.....

The flashbacks were vivid and painful.  However now, most days, I can let my mind wander back down memory lane.

I’ll always have my memories….but as days turn into months and years, new memories replace the difficult old ones, and one day you do have a turning point…like a kaleidoscope, your grief slowly transforms into an appreciation for what you do have.

This week, these are some moments that made me thankful...….

While cleaning out my kitchen cupboard, I found this treasure tucked away.  Dempsey had decorated it when she was only five.

It took me back instantly, to when she was little, her shaky writing and the smiley sun made me smile.

I also revisited my guilt that I wasn’t as present for Dempsey as I should’ve been during those days, but it couldn’t be helped…some memories are hazy…a byproduct of grieving I think?

However, focusing on the here and now and building new memories help fan the embers of healing. Like last Thursday…we had Mum’s and Muffins at Dempsey’s school.

After a long line up with other mum’s, waiting patiently for a stale muffin, I got to sit with my baby on the grass, in a sunny serene spot at the school and share some time with her….precious time.  She loved it!

And then of course there’s happy hour at our house! :)

Last Friday, one of our friends made the best margaritas I’ve ever indulged in…ensuring there were plenty of laughs around our back ‘T’….and a slightly fragmented head on Saturday! :)

On Monday, we purchased some Girl Scout Cookies from my gorgeous friend Sandra.

Every year the Girl Scouts bring out a ‘special edition cookie’ this year, to my delight, and Dempsey’s, are “Savannah Smiles” and they did just that for Dempsey and me….like a message imprinted on the box from Savannah, not to forget to smile!

I also appreciated that my lovely friend acknowledged how ‘special’ they are because of our Angel.

 Dempsey has been playing around with my iPhone camera and took this photo of me.

I think some photos taken after loss are like a window to the soul....

My sister Tarnia used to say with a smile, “Photos don’t lie Diana!” (always when they captured a crappy image of me…I think because she was so photogenic! :))

And when I looked at this photo, I remembered her words.

I can see a difference in my eyes, how they’ve changed.

Sometimes I see my happy innocent sparkle from ‘before’ has altered, replaced with a vulnerability and sadness that others don’t see….but Dempsey has captured here.

However, it’s like a badge of honor I wear physically.  One that show’s my soul’s ability to change and to have survived. But only I see it.  And I’m ok with that now….

Inside Savannah's kaleidoscope....


These days, I have color back in my life.

I’m mindful of the beauty all around me.....

And last night, with all that in mind, as I held Savannah’s kaleidoscope up to our kitchen light….slowly turning it, watching the pretty glass prisms take on different shapes, Dempsey appeared next to me.

“Mummy, if you shake it up, the pattern always changes. Did you know it’s never the same?”

And I had to smile at her words…a reminder to me to notice the many colors and transformations grief and life often bring.

That there are turning points, where the days become colorful again amongst the black and white…that challenges and grief evolve, like the complex patterns trapped inside Savannah’s toy, with twists and turns we are altered and transformed, now aware of the preciousness and beauty and fragility of life through our journey’s…just like the optical illusion a kaleidoscope creates......

MY experience with marriage after the death of a child....

Marriage is an amazing union if you are lucky enough to find your soul mate.

Two people, who adore one another enough to celebrate their love in front of a crowd of family and close friends….sometimes, in a big flowing dress and a pretty veil, with a multi layered cake and sentimental toasts and bouquets of fresh flowers….and fun. 

It’s commitment!

And it’s rewarding when it’s good. And stressful when it’s bad…but in my books, because of how I’ve been raised, it’s forever….

And I write about this today because Peter and I have had our differences this past week, over something trivial…and when this happens I have to remind myself of our journey together and that in the grand scheme of life, it’s only a minor thing and we will grow from it….hopefully. :)

Marriage after the death of a child is different.   It changes….well ours has.

In my experience, and I say that because every relationship is not the same….there are two things that can happen after losing the one perfect thing you created together…and that you love more than anything else in this world.   Either you can grow closer through a bond that nobody else can possibly relate to…

Or you can begin to drift apart through the different way in which each person grieves and changes.  And I know after losing Savannah, I almost lost my marriage too.  Through my own obsessions with the way Peter was dealing with the death of Savannah and his grief.

Besides giving birth to my two babies, marrying Peter was the happiest day of my life. It was the only time I’ve ever felt like a real life Princess. With Sydney Harbor as our backdrop, on an unusually warm October day, we committed to each other. It was whimsical and romantic….

And it’s every little girls dream is to find her Prince Charming, to marry them and ride off into the sunset…and live happily ever after….

The only wedding pic I have on file..the rest are in oz

But what if happy ever after gets stolen?

And one day you wake up and happy is replaced with your worst nightmare?

And you have to live through emotions you never dreamed were in the realm of a human’s spirit…or a marriage?

I’ve found men grieve differently to women.   Well Peter and my dad and my brother do.   Some men like Peter tend to be private.   Bottling up their emotions and withdrawing into themselves.   Whereas woman need to express or purge their emotions, to vocalize them and cry and scream.   Some men on the other hand sometimes grieve in private….like they are taught to do from a young age…that it’s not ‘manly’ to show their tears or express how they really feel.

After Savannah died, day after day after day, I cried.

And because Peter never showed his emotions, suppressing his grief and never opening up, I felt deserted, alone and angry. Angry that he wouldn’t share how he felt in losing our four year old daughter.

It took me a long time to realize his way of dealing with our overwhelming loss was ‘his way!’ And it didn’t mean that he loved Savannah any less, or missed her sweet smile any lesser than I did….. And I accept that now.

Losing a child can destroy a marriage….or make the bond stronger.  Nobody else can grasp the suffering you go through when you have to bury your child….except your partner.   And sometimes I had expectations of Peter being different, or wanting him to be different to what he was.   Some days I felt abandoned….tears became my best friend.

But with pain comes strength, and over time I began to realize I had to let go of my destructive thinking about Peter not sharing his grief and let that too come between us or my anguish would unravel not only our marriage but my life…and Dempsey’s life.

Our marriage has changed.  We aren’t the same fun loving innocent people we were on that warm October day in 1997 that said “I do” to each other.  That promised to be there for one another…”In sickness and in health.”  And I don’t know if the loss of our daughter has a lot to do with that…or whether it’s that you can become complacent in a relationship and take each other for granted as time ticks by.

I do know that marriage after loss or challenges that change a family takes work and commitment and forgiveness and tolerance or respect. It’s a two way street.

As a couple, we’ve survived something so profound, bound together like a tightly woven rope in our grief over losing our daughter.  Together we made Savannah…something so beautiful….and together we watched her die. And that part has created a bond that we’ll always have. And it is a paradox, but those days were the most precious of times, mixed with the most painful of days.

One of my fav pics of Savannah at 6 months old with Nannie's chemo hat on during a visit with mum


I’ve read different statistics on divorce after the death of a child, and I hope we never become a number….

Our responsibilities have changed from when Savannah was with us…our roles as carers of a terminally ill child no longer remain….but as parents of our other daughter Dempsey, combined with the bond and love over surviving the worst life has to offer will always be there.  And hopefully, that will always be enough. :) x

Comparing the Roses and the Thorns in Grief... x

When you experience the loss of a loved one, or you go through an enormous challenge in life, there will always be ‘the before’ and ‘the after’ – ‘the rose’ and ‘the thorn.’

Sometimes, you compare how your life was before the event…in contrast to how it is now….

And I think grief or hardship, manages to rearrange your thoughts and change how you look at life.

Over time, it redirects your emotions and priorities from the unimportant stuff to what really matters in the big picture.   Like leaving those dirty dishes in the sink for just a few more hours…. :)

It also changes shape from a massive inconceivable event, that overtakes your life…to one where, eventually, you evaluate, you adjust, you absorb, you analyze….and you learn to cope with things…that would’ve upset you some time before.

And I don’t’ know if it’s just me, or if this is part of a grief phenomenon….to compare all the time….to draw comparisons from the before and the after?

For example….

Last Thursday, I dropped Dempsey off at the school gate, headed to the gym for a workout and then returned home for a shower.  When I got upstairs I noticed my bed had been made…I scratched my head, stared at the neatly made duvet, and the pillows sitting perfectly in place…I honestly thought I was going crazy! I couldn’t remember doing it.

“Maybe Peter did it?” I thought to myself. (which would be a bloody miracle as this has never happened in over 20 years.) :)

That night after school, Dempsey asked; “Did you notice your bed this morning Mummy?”

And it clicked, the penny dropped…”Did you make Mummy’s bed Precious?” I inquired, surprised.

And with a huge dimpled grin, my gorgeous little girl said, “Yes, its Random Act of Kindness Week at school Mummy!”

I grabbed Demps in a big bear hug, made a fuss and told her how sweet it was of her to do that!

It made my heart surge with love and pride.  Something so simple, yet it meant so much!  So I told her I’d return the ‘random act’ and let her choose where she wanted to go for dinner because Peter was travelling with work that night.

Dempsey chose Lucille’s, a rib restaurant which has become her new favorite.

Sitting across from her at the diner an overwhelming sense of adoration washed over me….I suddenly noticed she’s growing up so quickly, and seems to be changing…or blossoming, right before my eyes.

I felt this amazing rush of emotion, I wanted to capture the moment, so I grabbed my iPhone and took her photo…of course with Demps whining..."Muuuummy do you have to!”

                       my rose... :)


And in my mind, like I always do, now…..I started to reminisce and compare…to the thorn, and the rose……….

I thought about how she’s just a bit older than my nephew Alexander was when my sister was killed…and whether she’d be able to cope if it happened to me?

I compared her to Savannah, wondering what Savannah would look like now if she was sitting next to Dempsey?

I compared her to my nieces…how they are almost 12…and I wondered how more beautiful she’ll get when she reaches their age?

I compared the noisy family of six behind us with our family of three…and wondered what it would be like if Savannah was alive and there were four of us?

Maybe it’s a survival tool I use, a technique to deflect my grief, or categorize and sort it into some kind of functional practical device so I can absorb and survive it?   I’m not sure, but I do it all the time……

And yesterday, the Gardener’s have been in our yard, sculpting…or butchering Savannah’s sacred rose bush.  They’ve stripped it of every leaf, every rose and every thorn!

And I was mortified about it…but….I didn’t cry like I would’ve a few years ago!

Again, I compared, how I can cope with things like this….now, as opposed to ‘before,’ where I would’ve been devastated…..

I was still pissed off, and I’ll be leaving them some detailed ‘instructions’ next week. :) 

But the comparison made me realize grief does change and become manageable as the days move forward.  It has to.

Like Savannah’s rose bush...after you’ve been decimated by an event….you do regenerate, you grow and you compare.  You discover you too can be revived…and your thorns, or your grief, can change and bloom into roses someday….just as Savannah’s special rose bush will again……….

                     How Savannah's rose bush normally looks...most of the year round.



I’d love to hear if anyone else does this…the comparing, or some obsessionisms as I call them…that grief creates??

Or maybe, it’s a Libra thing….and it’s just me and I’ve learnt to compare the roses and adjust with the thorns in order to blossom….

Ps; Today on this Valentine’s Day my thoughts are with anyone who’s missing a loved one.  I hope you have a happy memory you can call up to fill your blue cup with sunshine…or chocolate you can indulge in…..even if it’s only for a little while..... x

Destination Unknown....

This week Dempsey is ‘Top Chef’ at school….which means it’s all about ‘her’ for five days in her class.

What she likes, dislikes, her favorite things in life, her family…and I have the privilege of speaking to her class mates on Thursday all about ‘her.’ I’ve been threatening to tell her peers how she used to crawl under our dining table to pooh in her diaper…which of course was met with a “Noooooo Mummy!!!” And of course I wouldn’t do that, but I love her reaction. :)

So going over some old photos to take in I found this one;

When this photo was taken, Dempsey was 6 months old…my world was crumbling apart at the seams, however, as you can see, Dempsey was my bright beacon…always happy…and those dimples!!!!   :)

Anyway, looking back through her photos made me wonder about her destination in life…what mark she will leave on this world?

What experiences will define the person she becomes?

What will leave an imprint on her soul?

Who will be her heroes?

And none of us know our destination…it can change in a heartbeat, and that’s the beauty about life…..destination unknown!  It really is an adventure....good or bad.

So as I peeped at February on our calendar, which I can’t believe is tomorrow…. I noticed the quote on the top…

I love these inspirational calendars! It says “The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same.  Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination." - Don Williams Jr.”

And it’s true, every new day creates a new possibility…we can control our attitude but there’s a lot we can’t control in life most of the time.

Fate is one of them….

Like the TV show “Wheel of Fortune.”   You don’t know where your wheel will stop, or what prize you’ll be given….or...whether you’ll miss a turn….

And it seems my wheel has been spun these past few weeks, and by chance, or destiny, fate has landed on my space.  

You see I’ve been offered the most amazing opportunity.  I’ve been approached by Ruthe from The Let It Be Foundation where I volunteer, to become a 'Grief Group Facilitator'…to help heal other parents who’ve lost a child…who’s heart isn’t as strong as mine is….yet!

For the past three Monday evenings I’ve been training with an amazing, insightful, generous soul named Sue…one of my new hero’s.

Sue is an author, a nurse and the creator of the New Hope Grief Support Organization.  She’s had over 20 years experience leading support groups in the community to help others heal from their losses. Receiving her wisdom and compassion has been inspiring.

The training sessions have been a lot of fun....if you can imagine that!

They’ve also been confronting, however in a good way. And I’ve learned I’m ready to reach out with my experiences of losing my loved ones and provide hope to other parents who’ve experienced the worse grief has to offer.

Last night, sitting in a circle while the fire crackled behind us, we talked about how if you’re only 6 months into your grief journey you cannot comprehend that the sadness will ever go away….you cry every day…but as survivors who’s journey has been longer, we are living proof that the sadness does ease, it never disappears, but it does change and become manageable….and that will give another hope…..

My destination has changed from what it was before my losses…however, because of my grief experience, life is deeper now, my values changed and my ability to notice the beauty that surrounds my journey is blinding.   And that’s the one thing I’d never have imagined…that from all this tragedy, I’d be taught gratitude and compassion.

So I’ve been given the chance to give back because of Savannah, to make a gift out of my grief…I hope I can be a hero to someone someday, like Savannah was to me and like Sue is to so many, anyone can alter or try to change their destination...after all… “Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves.” - Carol Lynn Pearson

I can’t wait to start slaying! :)


ps;  Here is the link to Sue's "New Hope Grief Support Orginization" where they offer some amazing support, Grief Camp and other programs;  http://www.newhopegrief.org/

Moments that mold us into who we become....and some thanks x

Life and death have a way of shaping us into who we are.  In grief we are dismantled, changed......however, over time we are put back together by people and love and memories and molded into something else.

Unique moments...gratitude....and recognizing special moments wrap themselves around us and change the way we view the ordinary.  Like today…

I’m sitting here in front of our fire, the heat it's radiating warms me to my bones…the flames are dancing to the music Dempsey is gifting me with on her new piano.

The song she’s tapping out on the ivories is “The Caravan” and it sounds a lot like either a snake charmer should be in playing some exotic flute in front of me…or a flock of belly dancers are about to descend on our home.   And I don’t know if I’d have recognized these special things if it wasn’t for all the experiences I’ve been through these past years. I call these little moments “The Gift of Grief.”  I almost have to pinch myself! :)

Last Saturday was Savannah’s anniversary and while I went into that bottomless pit of emotions, I also had many cherished one’s that helped put a band aid on my heart.

You see last Thursday, out of the blue, Dempsey’s amazing Russian piano teacher phoned to say she was selling her daughters piano…knowing we were interested. So we gladly snatched it up.

And on Savannah’s special day my cell phone rang to say the piano was on a truck, being delivered….that day, her day….it was almost like a gift to Dempsey from her big sister…and boy was it special!

So this past week we’ve had the most amazing music filtering into all corners of our home from Dempsey’s new piano….and it’s magnificent!

Then on Thursday, I got to watch my baby play on a Baby Grand at her piano lesson…wow!   I couldn't stop smiling....a memory that's imbedded itself in my mind forever.  I just feel so blessed!

On Savannah’s special day, family and friends didn't forget, and to anyone who's lost someone...that's what they fear...that our loved ones will be forgotton....that it's been X amount of years gone by and we are somehow okay now....

A family in Australia whom I adore...and who Savannah did too, sent delicate pink roses for her….they smelt sweet and were fragile...and pretty….like she was…and it meant so much....

This weekend it’s rained in sunny California….and I love it.

I love the sound of the soft pitter patter on the roof and the fact that everything’s been cleansed….me included! :)

My new year started this week, it does every year.....

I feel full of love and have had my heart molded like play dough, thanks to some special people in my life and my gorgeous Demps!

And today is my dad’s 78th birthday.

Tonight, as I wished him a happy birthday down the phone line…across the miles and told him how much I love him, it seems Dad too has had a bit of sculpting done…the rough old edges chipped away, into a softer, wiser soul through his grief and life..…in his words…

”I feel so lucky to have my family, that’s all that matters to me…some people don’t realize how important family is. When you get to my age Diana, you’ll understand!”

I smiled as I hung up the phone......and thought to myself…I don’t need to be 78…I already know Dad, I already know!

Wishing you sunshine if your cup is blue.....or snow filled....or damp from the rain....no matter what, there's always beauty in the little bits... x