Faith – Page 3 – Wholy Souly

One Day at a Time

March 5, 2016

I open my eyes, and I immediately realise that nothing has changed overnight. There is still a huge ache in my chest, and one all-consuming thought in my mind: Thomas. Although it

Faith·Grief·Motherhood

The Extraordinary Ordinary Things of Life

February 26, 2016

I’m at Thomas’ wake. I have his memory box on my knee, and I take out a few photos and pass them to a friend. “He was a chubby baby!” she exclaims.

Faith·Grief

Music, Funerals and Tears

February 14, 2016

From my diary: 19th March This morning at Mass, the first hymn was On Eagle’s Wings, which was the hymn we sang at Thomas’ funeral, as we processed to his burial site.

Faith·Grief

Feeling Crazy

January 30, 2016

Yesterday, we buried our baby. Today, I am kneeling on the ground beside my son’s grave, tears streaming down my face. I thrust aside the mountain of funeral flowers, and then I

Faith·Grief·Motherhood

My Starring Role

January 18, 2016

Years ago, I was Marcia Brady and I had two younger sisters, Jan and Cindy. It was the seventies and we were children and we all pretended we were Brady Bunch girls.

Faith·Grief·Motherhood

Just in Case

June 12, 2013

My husband Andy and I didn’t make many preparations for our sixth baby’s birth. We decided not to sort out the baby equipment or the clothes we had packed away from previous

Faith·Grief

Graves: Wild Imaginings

June 1, 2013

When I die, I’d like a proper grave with a headstone and one of those slabs that prevents people walking on top of you. “I want a proper burial,” I say to

Faith·Grief·Motherhood

How Many Children Do You Have? (Part 4)

February 2, 2013

We wanted a large family. Felicity was born, and within eighteen months she had a brother. Shortly after Duncan’s first birthday, we found out we were expecting another baby. Our family was

Faith·Grief

To Whom Shall I Go?

January 18, 2013

The day after Thomas’ funeral I visited Father F. “I feel so angry with God,” I confessed. “All the doctors told me that there was little possibility that Thomas would live after birth, but

Faith·Grief·Motherhood

Remembering the Grieving Mothers

December 28, 2012

Mary and Joseph are curled up on the floor together with the child Jesus. They are trying to keep their eyes tightly closed. An angel in a long flowing gown appears through

Faith·Grief

Come!

December 22, 2012

The last time I went to get my hair cut I shocked the hairdresser. “Do any of your girls still believe in Santa?” she asked. “None of them have ever believed in

Faith·Grief

This Morning I Saw Thomas

December 11, 2012

This morning I saw Thomas. My bedroom door opened and Gemma-Rose appeared. Without a word, she slipped under the quilt next to me and snuggled up close. Her deliciously cool skin touched

Faith·Grief

If Only…

December 9, 2012

“Do you remember the year Dad decided to barbeque the turkey and it went up in flames?” We were sitting around the dinner table last night, remembering past Christmas meals. “Yeah. He

Faith·Grief

God Can Do Anything

September 24, 2012

A few weeks after our baby died, we took our other children to the beach in an attempt to relieve the heaviness of grief. Just for a few hours we wanted to

Faith - Page 3

My children’s novels

My unschooling books