Life & Death,
Today I begin again. After a long absence from blogging I am ready to return. My old blog was called ArtisticNatureDotCom or ArtisticNature. I used to post the artwork of my husband Eric VanRaemdonck along with my own. I also shared the doings of our lives as caregivers to my 88 year old father-in-law.
I thought the weight of being a caregiver was difficult to bear. That was before I lost them both.
My husband of 25 years, was diagnosed with Leukemia. My father-in-law passed about a month after my husband was diagnosed. My husband passed about 5 months after that. It will be 2 years April 11th.
I have sold the house we lived in as well as all our belongings and moved cross country to be near my soon to be 86 year old mother.
Living the life of an artist/hairdresser/elder caregiver has not left me with much money and the house I sold was in an area with a depressed economy. Although I got more than I thought I would, it isn't much and I now find myself living in a very expensive area.
I will be accepting a job at a JC Penny Styling Salon and am so grateful for the offer, but it will be for far less money than I had hoped since I have over 20 years in the business. Also no health benefits yet. A sign of the times I guess. I have been able to care for my elderly parents in part because of the jobs they had with health insurance and pensions. I don't know what it will be like for so many in my generation as we age and have nothing much to be able to offer our children, even if they wanted to care for us.
Having said all that I trust that God is with me and directing my steps.
He has given me enough to get myself back to my hometown which has been a salve to my soul, and provided a very comfortable place to live surrounded by people I love, who show me love in return.
I have started making and selling purses, bags and home accessories that I design from recycled menswear. Please visit my etsy shop at
www.SuzannesRtisticNature.etsy.com
I am taking some classes to help improve my business skills and I feel very blessed to be able to go back to school.
I believe I will begin to make some friends through my work and hopefully through a new church I have found near by.
I have held the hands of 3 people, and walked with them down the road to heaven. I know I will rebuild my life and find happiness and fulfillment again.(my mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and passed away just prior to our taking over my father-in-laws care.)
To anyone out there who knows the pain I have felt and still feel, I say...don't give up. God has a rich life in store for us still. Be the hope for someone else. Be the hope of those you lost.
I often feel that I am living for both my husband and myself. He was too young and too good to be taken away just at the time we should finally be able to enjoy our lives together. With more freedom than we had ever known before, now that our children are grown. So whenever I enjoy a sunset or the beauty that surrounds me, I try to enjoy it doubly, once for me and once for him.
I owe it to him to be happy and successful.
Blessings to you,
Suzanne.
