St. Patrick's Day Love and Blessings

Here is a silly photograph of my son on St. Patrick's Day 2006. Graham had come home for the week end from college.  I always make corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread for St. Patrick's Day, and Graham always enjoyed this meal.  He took the Irish hat table decoration that I had and put it on his head for this picture. My dear Graham, I love and miss you so. ♥

"Danny Boy" performed by Celtic Woman 

If You'll Be My Star, I'll Be Your Sky

(Image courtesy of http://www.superbwallpapers.com/)

I just discovered this great song, and wanted to share it:
"Boats and Birds" by Gregory and the Hawk (youtube)

Jewelry of the Heart

Dawn Pierro (http://www.etsy.com/shop/turtlemoonjewelry) created this lovely jewelry for me.  A dear friend surprised me with the earrings as an early birthday present.  Dawn created a matching necklace and bracelet as an early birthday present from my husband.  The pieces have stars, hearts, eternity spirals, and sparkling beads in light blue and lavender on them with the word GRACS (=GRACE).  I am using GRACS as my signature for the artwork I'm doing; it is a combination of the first letters of my son's name (Graham), and my initials.  I was overwhelmed with the personal meaningfulness of this jewelry.  I am so grateful to have these true gifts of the heart.

The Love in My Heart

This week in my art lesson I wanted to paint a picture using my hands as models in expressing the love and connection I feel in my heart with my son, Graham.  I added three feathers of mine to the painting.  I have found many feathers over the past five years since my son passed, and I've always felt that they were signs from Graham.  I have a special box that I keep all the feathers in.

Heart Song painting

Two weeks ago my husband and I were visiting my daughter and her family over the weekend. One morning I had driven over to the nearest grocery store for a couple of items. When I stepped out of the grocery store door I found a penny at my feet. I smiled and picked it up. When I was driving back to my daughter's house I noticed a license plate on a car in front of me. I was behind this car all the way into my daughter's neighborhood. The license plate read AMZNGC (Amazing Grace). The timing of this and the message was so significant for me.

For the past three art classes I've gone to this month I've been working on something that turned out to be very challenging. I've been working on an image transfer of my son. I printed out a black and white photograph of my son onto art paper. The problem was that not all of the image transferred when I peeled the paper away. I don't have any art training and I had to draw and paint in so much of Graham's face. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get it right. I couldn't have without my art teacher's help. I decided to use some lines from a very special poem of mine, "Heart-Song," for the border with some musical phrases from "Amazing Grace." I also added some eternity spirals and a feather! I was able to finish it yesterday. I am happy with the painting now. It's different with the blue and sparkling gold highlights. Grace has come to have profound meaning for me. I sign my artwork as Gracs. That is combining the first three letters of my son's name with the initials of my name. I feel that Graham is guiding me on this new journey. You can see why I was so amazed to see this license plate.

 Heart-Song

The haunting strains,
Of love’s sweet refrain,
Softly play,
Throughout my days.

Beautiful notes of memories past,
Music that will forever last,
Up and down the distant chords,
Remind me of times adored.

No matter the tune that I now hear,
In the background your song is clear,
Gently fingering my heartstrings,
Songs of love and remembering.

Beautiful melodies intertwining,
With love and joy realigning,
Two hearts that beat as one,
In harmony with my beloved son.

Boot Bracelet

Cindy Adkins has a wonderful facebook page called Angels at My Door https://www.facebook.com/AngelsAtMyDoor.  Cindy is also an author of some great inspirational e-books and a talented digital artist.  I just received this beautiful boot bracelet that she made for me.  I love having Graham's name and the butterfly on it.  I think it's very special.  Here is the link to her blog with the ordering info if you would like to have a boot bracelet made.
http://angelsatmydoor.blogspot.com/2013/02/cross-boot-bracelet.html

"Hello from Heaven" with Author Bill Guggenheim

This is an archive recording of an interview Pamela Marie Edmunds conducted with author Bill Guggenheim.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bridgebetween/2013/02/14/hello-from-heaven-with-author-bill-guggenheim 

Bridge Between Two Worlds Radio

Wed, February 13, 2013 09:00 pm

 

Tonight your Host and Medium Pamela Marie Edmunds will have Author Bill Guggenheim as her guest.  They will be discussing his book "Hello From Heaven" and After Death Communication.

More About Bill Guggenheim:

Bill Guggenheim is a pioneer in the field of After-Death Communication (ADC) experiences. He is considered to be the "father of ADC research” and has written and spoken on this subject for 25 years.

Bill and his former wife, Judy Guggenheim, founded, defined, researched, and named an entire new field of human experience that may be as old as mankind.  They called it “After-Death Communication” and published their findings in their bestselling book, Hello From Heaven!  From 1988-1995, they interviewed 2,000 people and collected more than 3,300 firsthand accounts of people who had been contacted by a family member or friend who had died.  Bill and Judy conservatively estimate that at least 50 million Americans, or 1 out of 5 people, have had an ADC – though the numbers may be closer to double these figures.

Bill is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC).  He presents workshops at conferences and local chapters of bereavement support groups, hospices, churches, colleges, bookstores, and many other types of institutions.  His ADC research and Hello From Heaven! have been featured on television (including "20/20" on ABC) and radio (including “Coast To Coast AM with George Noory” twice), and in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the United States and Canada.  Bill does not accept any payment for his ADC work – this is his “ministry.”

 

Valentine Love

I wrote this poem a few years ago for my son for Valentine's Day.  My husband combined the poem  with a picture of ours to use as the header for February on my facebook.   Happy Valentine's Day, Graham.  Love truly is forever.  Kisses and hugs to you in Heaven. xoxo

Personalized butterfly garden flag

The Grief Toolbox shared a beautiful personalized garden flag on their facebook page. You can have a picture of your passed loved one put on it.  I think this is very special. I am going to order one with my son's photo on it.  Here is the link for ordering- http://thegrieftoolbox.com/products/butterfly-garden-flag-0

Dance With the Divine Print

I combined my Dance With the Divine poem with the painting I did of a dancing woman and had a print made.  When I posted the print on my facebook page several people commented they would like to buy one.  I have had more prints made and now have them available for sale.  This poem and painting are from my heart.  I am delighted that it speaks to the hearts of others. May we all dance with the divine.  

Here is the information to order if you are interested.  The print measures 12x18.  It is on heavy art paper and is suitable for framing.  The price is $22.40.  This includes the cost of domestic shipping and handling (there would be a higher shipping cost outside the U.S.).  To order, send an email to amotherstears@gmail.com with your address; we will send a PayPal invoice to your email and you can pay using a credit or debit card (this works even if you don't have a PayPal account) or, if you have a PayPal account, you can pay using that.  We'll ship the print once payment has cleared.

Eternal Valentine Painting

On my new venture into art I recently had fun creating this mixed media piece.  The other day I thought that my Eternal Valentine poem would be great to add to it. Luckily, my husband knows how to use photo shop and we were able to do this.  I love the combination.  I am sharing this with love for the month of February.   A month that is all about love and hearts and Valentines. ♥

Spirit Connections internet radio show interview

I'm looking forward to being on Donna Voll's Spirit Connections Internet radio show http://www.achieveradio.com/spirit_connections/ tomorrow evening (Tuesday, January 29, at 5 p.m. Eastern time (2 p.m. Pacific time)). I hope you will be able to listen in. Here's her description for this show:

On Spirit Connections
Tuesday January 29th, 2013
Donna Voll with guest Claire Ann Stevenson
A Mother's Tears, Poems of Heartbreak, Loss, and Discovery

A year and a half after the tragic loss of her son, poetry started flowing from Claire Ann Stevenson. The release of her pain and anguish provided through this amazing outpouring helped facilitate her healing, and is offered here to help others heal. Those suffering similar loss will find hope and strength in her poems.

This show will be archived if you are unable to listen to it at air time tomorrow.

A Thousand Miles

I had a doctors appointment recently for a six month check up. While I was there I pointed out this big bump that had developed on my little finger.  The doctor said that it was a cyst and that he would drain it.  He went to get a big needle and some freezing spray.   I was wondering if it was going to be a painful procedure. While he was gone I decided to talk to my son on the "other side".  I asked Graham to be with me and that I hoped it wouldn't be too uncomfortable.  The next thing I knew I was hearing the song, "A Thousand Miles" play.   I posted that song on my facebook page just ten days ago!   I really like that song because I would (and will) do anything to see my son again.   I had to smile.  Graham was letting me know he was with me.  By the way, it wasn't painful at all having the cyst removed.  Here is the link to this great song, performed by Vanessa Carlton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek

The boots on the right in this picture are my son's.  He loved these boots and was wearing them when he passed.  I recently bought a pair of boots that reminded me of his.  They are the boots on the left in this picture.  I feel that I am walking the path that Graham blazed before me.

Silent Lucidity

Image from New World - What Is a Spirit Guide?

My husband and I were driving over to visit my parents recently. As my husband was driving I was on our smart phone going through my facebook news feed. I found a post about spirit guides (What Is a Spirit Guide? by New World - click on "See More" below the linked image to see the post) that I thought was interesting. I read it aloud to my husband. Right after that a song came on the radio that caught my attention. I used the Shazam app to find out the name of the song and artist - "Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche. The song played and Shazam showed the lyrics. The words brought me to tears - I really liked these lines:

If you open your mind for me
You won't rely on open eyes to see

The walls you built within
Come tumbling down
And a new world will begin

I will be watching over you
I am gonna help you see it through
I will protect you in the night
I am smiling next to you

My husband pointed out that it seemed very odd that this song played right after reading the spirit guide post. Here is the song on youtube with the complete lyrics: