International Bereaved Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 3
Mother’s Day is just over a week away, on May 10th, but International Bereaved Mother’s Day is THIS SUNDAY, May 3, 2015. This is a time to celebrate all the different manifestations of motherhood and I am going to do this is three ways: (1) I have made a documentary short film featuring five bereaved mothers talking about their experiences of loss, what the early days were like after their child died and which words and actions were helpful and which really hurt. The video will be posted here AND also on my YouTube channel (free to view). Please share and respond to the video in the comments section. I hope the film will spark meaningful discussion and openness. (2) I will be posting here on Wanted Chosen Planned, encouraging women to share their stories and to...
Read MoreCelebrating Sweeties Launch
I am so proud to launch “Celebrating Sweeties” on Wanted Chosen Planned! This website is more than just a blog; Wanted Chosen Planned is a community where all are welcome to share their experience of losing a child and what life entails afterwards. I passionately believe we are stronger together – and that is what this community is built on: sharing, support and compassion. Celebrating Sweeties is a dedication page for Wanted Chosen Planned. It is a place to honour and remember. I invite families to email me at info@alexismariechute.com with three things: Your child’s name (or nickname or your last name, for example Baby Smith) Your child’s birthday A photograph if you have one (not required) I will place your child’s name, birth date and photograph into...
Read MoreYeggies New Media Nomination for Wanted Chosen Planned
I am honoured that Wanted Chosen Planned has been nominated for a Yeggie, an Edmonton media and blogging award, for three years in a row. That tells me that people are reading – thank you so much for that! Sharing my life since losing my son Zachary is both a blessing and a challenging reminder, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to help other people. That is what makes everything worth while. When Zach died, I felt so alone in the world. I believed that no one understood and that my burden was mine to carry alone. I have since found, through opening up about my experience, that we as a community of bereaved families can lean on each other and offer hard earned wisdom that only those who have walked through the valley of the shadow of death couple...
Read MoreThe Compassionate Friends National Conference 2015
I will be presenting at the 38th annual National Conference for The Compassionate Friends. The conference is for people to remember, celebrate and grieve the death of their child, grandchild or sibling. The event will take place July 10 to 12, 2015 in Dallas Texas. My two workshop sessions are: Art-Making to Rejuvenate Bereavement Professionals and Volunteers Creative Writing to Rejuvenate Bereavement Professionals and Volunteers While it is always emotional being in community with other bereaved parents, grandparents, siblings and friends, the opportunity to reflect and grow through grief is a time I treasure. If you want more information about The Compassionate Friends National Conference, please click here. If you would like to bring these or other...
Read MoreThe Ripple Effects of Loss
On the outside I look like a normal functioning person, but the ripple effects of my son’s death still startle me. Just this week, the day home woman who cares for my two living kids asked me if I was okay if she ran an errand taking her daughter and my two-year-old son Eden with her (the older kids were still in school). Her request shouldn’t have bothered me since she takes the two toddlers to music class every week – but for some reason I was petrified. Maybe it was my mood that day, but all I could picture was a car crash and my son being badly injured… Or worse. Since Zachary, I tend to imagine the unthinkable in terms of my living children’s safety. I fixated on that car trip all morning and texted the woman asking her to let me know once they were...
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