The last time I wrote anything here, Christmas had just passed; now we have just celebrated Easter. For the first time in my adult life, I can actually say that I celebrated and enjoyed the Easter period in that complete way that leaves one feeling fulfilled, energized and content. The Easter fortnight has been very different, but then 2009 so far has been unlike anything imaginable. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself, lets start at the beginning.
In early January, Anne-Marie gave birth to our twins; but sadly Grace was stillborn. Alice is alive, strong, healthy...and beautiful. The whole month was spent gently mourning and preparing for her funeral and the post mortem. Then on 28th January, two days before the funeral, Anne-Marie was in hospital, jaundiced and complaining of stomach pains.
February was a month of total disruption for all of us. In and out of hospital with a baby only weeks old, still breastfeeding who was still technically premature and had lost her identical twin sister, tearful big sister Lucy having to stay with our resourceful mother-in-law who, of course, was grieving too. Anne-Marie finally had the gall bladder removed by key-hole surgery, then some convalescence at the mother-in-law. I, meanwhile began to tentatively rejoin the fast track that is the real world. That's not to say that I wasn't alreading busy contacting people to keep them abreast of developments so they could attempt to attend one of the many cancelled funeral dates! Or simply empathize with us, once they had themselves made some sort of sense of the whole episode. On 23rd February, 24 days later than planned, Grace was laid to rest and I gave an address at the service at Victoria Road Congregational Church, Northampton. That day was both sad and beautiful at the same time for Anne-Marie, Lucy, Alice and I.
March has been a blur of shared emotions with everyone in our world. Many people have felt the need to tangibly acknowledge our experience in numerous ways and it has been wonderful, interesting and enlightening. I have never felt the power of prayer so strongly in my life, my faith has become stronger. But the real world that waited patiently was now making its regular requests. I played three Weddings in February and four in March, plus other great events too; the most memorable being when I played the 'England's Rose March Past' for General Sir Richard Dunnett at the Civic Chairman's dinner.
We are now working quickly through April, Easter is past. But the experiences of 2009 have made me treasure my family unit both immediate and extended. On Easter Saturday I was proud to take part in the Wedding celebrations of my former student Claire who married Mark; at a time when I have reflected greatly on many things, I AM proud that I am and have been a Piano teacher to so many wonderful students. She will return to her new life in Humberside and know true happiness.
The sun has peeped out occasionally as a warning that days of record temperatures, water shortages or dehydrated school children and all the other nonsense that usually gets trumped out annually for summer plus a Wimbledon fortnight is on its way. Me, now that my three girls are in the regular groove, I will entertain countless Wedding Guests, kiss numerous Brides, mothers and Bridesmaids
