The Sunset Blogger Award For July/August 2009

Tonight we are honouring Jess from After Iris for her beautifully haunting post Familiar Halls.

"And, flickering behind my eyelids, my other girl will be there too."

We feel as though we were about to walk those halls with her at such a delicate, emotional time in her life. In her post, Jess describes her day that would follow. Visit her at her blog and be touched by her words and her story.

Thank you Jess for sharing your journey.

We would love to thank all the women who nominated other women for this award. There really was such a beautiful, heart breaking spectrum of writing.

The following are all the nominees from July and August in no particular order:

Kristin from Once a Mother for A Piano A Pew Me And You

"At first I saw you, at maybe five years old. You had on a white dress and your hair was long and brown and clipped up at the sides. There were no tubes. There was no Leukemia. Just a mother and her daughter and their love."

Laura from Moments Of Pause for Why? But why Not?

"But now ask yourself "why not?" If you're reading this, perhaps there is someone's memory that you're keeping alive, or thinking about- right now. Someone who came into your life for a purpose- Someone who touched your life so that you could touch others."


Jodie from The McGinley Family for her amazing journey so far.

"We did everything right: we finished college & were married, landed our dream jobs, bought a house, and then, we were ready to start our very own family! But that was much more difficult than we ever expected."

Angie from Still Life With Circles for Marriage and Travel

"It is so freaking difficult to maintain a relationship and marriage through the very solitary act of grief. It is so achingly hard to feel alone next to someone you are in love with and like so very much."

Rachel from Waiting For Morning for My Tool Belt

"Last year I was more like a woman lost in the wilderness or stranded at sea. There was no plan. Simply surviving took all the energy I had and I often felt overwhelmingly lost and broken. But I am in a different place now."

Kara from Missing You Always for In life I loved you dearly. In death I love you still

"Giving birth knowing there was nothing that they could do to save your child was traumatizing, But holding him while he died in my arms, knowing there was nothing I could do to save him, was worse."

Kristin again from Once A Mother for August 23rd

"A year ago, life was still "normal". We waited in hopeful anticipation of your arrival, and looked forward to counting your fingers and toes. We sat up at night debating your sex, what names to choose (you were nearly a Finnian or Scarlet), and it was this week last year that we finally set up your nursery."

Christy from A Piece Of The Pearsons for The Struggle, Part 1 of???

"People do not mean to be hurtful. But you can only try so hard to be sensitive to someone's tragedy and when it comes right down to it, unless you've felt what they feel, or know what they know, you just will never understand."

If you would like to nominate a fellow bereaved blogger for our September/October award please visit here.

Thank you.

Love and Peace,

Carly, Sophie and Sally