My Birdsong

A New Path After Deafening Silence

Thank you to all who sent lovely notes and flowers during the past week. We appreciate all your love and support. The  anniversary of Brianna's death was difficult. Already one year and I am still in disbelief. But life must go on, as difficult and painful as it is, and we have decided to rent another home. We are all happy about it too.

The new place is closer to town and will cut my husband's 1-hour-and-twenty-minute work commute (each way I might add) down to less than an hour. He will gain about 45 minutes of his day back to do some things he just doesn't have time for now. Our son's high school is now 10 minutes away rather than 25, and we will be in a real neighborhood. Not that we aren'[t in one now, but it will be different.

The bittersweet part of this move is that this is the last house Brianna was in. And we must go through her room. So we spent June 15 trying to do just that. Instead, I just cried and cried and cried. She would be happy about this move.

So in less than a month, we must pack a 5 bed, 5 bath house and move it to another 5 bed, 3 bath house across town. However, John and I will be doing most of the move. On Sunday, Trevor left with 23 other students from his high school and the group Edu-Culture (ECI) to study in Spain for three weeks. Of course all my husband's and my fears welled up about his safety as we wondered if we did the right thing.

Thankfully, I sent along an international cell phone and talked to him the day he arrived in Madrid. Some 28 hours later, after two flights, a bus ride to the Mediterranean coast, a 9-hour time difference and virtually no sleep, he sounded a little subdued. A second call later in the day told me he had perked up a bit and was soaking in all the differences between our little world in Northern California and the history-soaked homeland of the conquistadors.

So I am apologizing in advance for not staying in contact as well as I should. But the Wilcox household is in a state right now and I am hoping it will begin to settle when Trevor returns - July 14 - and we are officially moved by July 19. There is still much more crying as we go through all the life in Brianna's room, and much more back breaking work. But in the end, this will be a good move for what's left of our little family. Thank you again for understanding and your patience. Love and hugs to you all...Iva

Remembering our Precious Daughter

It will be one year Sunday, June 15, since we held our daughter's hand for the last time. The grief is always there, just under the surface and never leaves. I miss her so. Our lives are now measured by this one date, before and after. How I yearn for before. Brianna was loved by so many and is thought of everyday by her family and friends. We will spend the day going through her room and trying to acknowledge Father's Day. We thank you for your love and support.

"I put down these memorandums of my affections
In honor of tenderness,
In honor of all of those who have been
Conscripted into the brotherhood
Of loss..."

~ Edward Hirsch

PFATT Marketplace Celebrates Halloween in June!

 

Here's a sneak peek at some of my latest Halloween offerings for PFATT Marketplace this month. We're celebrating All Hallows' Eve, one of my favorite topics.

Please head on over to see some of my talented friends.

Just click here to see the PFATT Pfreaky Pfright. The Marketplace is released tomorrow, June 10.

I decided to create a little fright night/boo necklace, a paper doll witch on a pedestal and a  proper little  paper mache mummy complete with black flocked top hat and fluttering bat. My art continues to be a comfort.

I am trying to stay busy, but am taking time for my  sorrow and grief too. We are approaching the one-year anniversary, June 15. She loved Halloween and I miss her so. I appreciate your support so very much. Love...Iva