The secret is out . . . I have an alter ego called "Monster Mommy". Instead of being normal and mild mannered like Peter Parker with a cool super human 'Spidey' powers that help and serve humanity . . . I am more like 'Green Goblin'. I have this voice in my head that tries really hard to get out. She is cynical, bitchy, sarcastic, ironic on … [Read more...]
About Stephanie
Stephanie Dyer, a mother of five children with four who walk on earth and one who soars, spends her days homeschooling and her nights painting. She has used her years of training and counseling as a LMSW-ACP to help her children deal with the loss of their sister. A self-taught artist, Stephanie currently owns and operates Beyond Words Designs, the company through which she publishes her artistry and runs the Donate Art project, a charity begun in honor of her daughter Amelia.
When the World Goes Wrong
January 3, 2013 by 4 Comments
When the world goes wrong, when tragedy strikes, when you just cannot handle one more emotional strain in an already overflowing current of grief . . . take time for yourself. It is alright to turn off the world, the news, the Internet, the phone (whatever you need) and just shut things out for a while. On a Friday that changed the world {Sandy … [Read more...]
Monster Mommy
December 21, 2012 by 13 Comments
I have a secret that I am not proud of. Out in public, I smile, I joke, I laugh, and I am especially patient with my children. I am the person that you may see and admire from a distance. The one who appears to have it all together. I am that mom that empty nesters compliment in the grocery store because I haven't gone 'psycho' on the kids who … [Read more...]
The Girl Who Lived
November 16, 2012 by 10 Comments
My husband invited them for dinner ~ a new family he had met at church and had really connected with. I had no real idea of who they were, but knew that they would soon be relocating to another state. And I wondered why we just couldn't make a polite excuse to cancel. After all we didn't have a relationship, and it wasn't like we had time to … [Read more...]
An Anchor, A Lifeline and A Compass
October 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
I was on the moon, watching the world spin in the distance with its vivid blue and green colors. I sat facing the sun, but felt no warmth. The cold vacuum of grief, sucking everything away until only hurt was left. Nothing felt real. I was floating alone in endless darkness. Painting became a lifeline, a tether to reality for a short … [Read more...]
A Family ~ Complete
September 21, 2012 by 12 Comments
How can you make a choice that can't be unmade? How do you introduce a child to death? Very simply ~ know your children and let them lead the way. We knew my children and their hearts. We weighed our options carefully and tried to prepare each of them for Amelia's death. But no amount of talking can really prepare one for the cruel reality … [Read more...]
Learning To Trust
August 17, 2012 by 19 Comments
There is nothing like that feeling I get when my children speak of their sisters. We can be out running errands or just meeting someone new. My heart does a double take and I find myself holding my breath, watching for the telltale signs. Today, it went something like this as my three boys were in a waiting room and I came out of a doctor's office … [Read more...]
Strangers in Grief
July 20, 2012 by 10 Comments
He woke up early and started his day. I struggled most mornings to get out of bed. He picked up the phone to answer with a happy 'hello'. I walked right by and let it ring. He tackled work as if his life depended on it. I let the clean laundry pile up on the couch and didn't care if it made it upstairs into drawers or not. He worked multiple … [Read more...]
Children and Grief
June 22, 2012 by 7 Comments
Death. Grief. Children. Protecting children from the biggest reality of life is one of those topics that most parents avoid. And for many families, avoidance is easy as getting a sitter when attending a funeral. But what happens when the person who died is part of your children's immediate family, a part of their daily lives, someone whom they will … [Read more...]
We Walk Together
May 25, 2012 by 26 Comments
There are some days that a parent will always remember. These moments are usually wrapped up in some great excitement and joy. A positive pregnancy test, telling your family there will be a new addition, the first pangs of labor as you realize you will meet your child for the first time. No parent imagines their cherished moments will be some of … [Read more...]
