Thanks so much. I've just spent far too much worktime reading Kate's blog and, although not a parent (sounds too terrifying for scaredy-pants me), I'm sending my new-mother best friend your link as well as Kate's because I know she needs the kind of real-life encouragement that your blogs seem to offer.
And yes, blogging can be lame, (and although I love making mine, I do feel embarrassed by my enthusiasm for the medium) but just because some is rubbish, certainly doesn't mean it all is. I reckon this honest, generous community of writers and readers is something to be celebrated - especially when the writing is so extraordinary (yours included).
Dutch,
Thank you so much for sharing this blog. My daughter was born 10 weeks prematurely and was in the hospital for more than a month (she's now a healthy 13 months) so the NICU experience is still very fresh to me. I'm so glad Kate has a medium to share her experience, wrenching as it is.
Forgive me for getting on my soapbox, but I thought this is a good time to educate (compliments of the March of Dimes): Premature birth has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., endangering the lives of more than half a million babies.
I can't speak for what she's going through, but I do know that any support we can give parents in the NICU is much needed ... Thanks for letting me go on.
Dutch,
Thanks for sharing Kate's story.
It was amazing to us how many people came to our sides (in cyberspace), during Jack's 70+days in the NICU.
The voices of strangers helped me to make it through those days. Thank you for allowing me to lend my voice to help someone else.
Sarah
I think blogging is the modern day writing. So many people write on their blogs and are awesome at it. I love to read about others and know I am not alone. It makes the world seem smaller. I don't feel like a dork with how I deal with my children. And I do at times, struggle to put my thoughts into words. With writing it's flawless, I don't worry about what others think and it's impact is greater.
Thanks for sharing this blog. The writing is beautiful indeed. I hope the babies are okay. I can't imagine what they must be going through.
thanks Dutch!
Thank you for this post and for introducing me to a new, beautifully written site. My thoughts are with Kate and her family. Matt and I are trying everything we can to conceive; her story overwhelms me with hope and deep ache.
Oh my. Her story is so profound – and so heartwrenching to read.
My first baby was born via a crash c-section as well, only things went very very wrong and I had to make a decision no parent should have to make – and that was to remove her from life support. I miscarried my second child and my third baby ended up in the NICU for a short period of time.
Thank you for sharing her story with me. I wish Kate nothing but peace and strength on the long journey she has ahead of her.
I think most blogs that I love vacillate between fairly mundane details and heart-wrenching disclosure... because that's how life works, and I like blogs to reflect the ebb and flow of a life (if it's a personal one, that is.)
And that's a beautiful recommendation. Thanks.
Thank you so much for pointing the way to Sweet/Salty.
i found it so strangely wonderful that the one day i had the time to catch up with you over at BB you had recommended kate's site- and i was hooked! it was wonderful to have a new and compelling site to read, and i feel privileged yet nosy to do so during this awful time. i wrestle with coincidence/providence, but either way when the end result is to bring good to the world it doesn't matter. it's weird to find yourself thinking of strangers that you've never met during the day and saying a prayer for them. thank you for allowing so many to do that small thing for them.
i was so disappointed to read of liam and ben's early arrival this weekend. i will echo MoMa's attention to support of prematurity awareness and research through the march of dimes if anyone is so inclined- they also publish a website and magazine for parents of preemies (preemiemagazine dot com) which we have found incredibly helpful- especially during those early weeks and months when all the books and charts for full-term babies are off your babies schedule and don't seem to ever fit your kid.
i will continue to check kate's site (and her flickr- sweet and teeny little munchkins!) and send as much good energy and peace to her family that i can. thanks again, dutch.
Thanks for the recommendations. Kate's writing is captivating.
I had been reading Kate's blog for a few months now, found it from your blogroll. (along with many other great blogs!)
I happened upon her entry about the birth that day before you had written about it on ParentDish and was very upset to read the news, and got teary eyed.
Reading this latest entry just gave me chills and goosebumps.
I thank you for all you do.
thank you for posting this ... last spring i had twin boys (henry and eliot) at 24 weeks, they didn't make it out of nicu but at least i got to be with them, love them and hold them in my heart ~ i will be sending all sorts of positiveness over to kate and her sweet babies ...
"beautiful tragedy and terrible hope."
Goosebumps. For this and for Kate's blog.
Thank you for celebrating Kate. What you say about her is more than true; she is the ultimate creatrix; of beautifully divine boys and of a unique stringing of words into a story of hope.
She is my friend and mentor in humor and motherhood and beauty and though my heart aches as I read of the early birth of baby and mother, I feel filled with the most simple and glorious faith. It's indescribable really, yet it's as loud as a choir of gospel singers by a river. Kate and her boys will guide each other, each one of them strong enough yet... fragile enough to experience this unconditional love fully.
Mamalove heals all.
MB
Thank you for the reference to Kate's blog. I love it.
Thanks for sharing the link to this blog. Amazing writing. I can't wait to set a chunk of time aside to read her archives.
Thank you everyone, so much, for your amazing friendship and support - even those we don't know yet.. because that's what it is, this strange friendship... priceless to us during these dark days.
Dutch and Wood, I'll be in touch directly for sending such wonderful support (and again, your amazing words) our way. Just wanted to drop a quick hello here to also thank your readers directly for their faith and interest in Liam and Ben. It really is overwhelming, and fills us up with so much light and warmth.
Kate
What a raw story she has - and wholly humbled by reading her experience. Such a frightening human experience. It is amazing in the face of such chaos that she is able to write so clearly and compellingly. It must be a natural gift, it can't be "crafted" at times like that. I wish her that weird Mama strength that seems to come from out of nowhere when we are most in need.
From Kate's last post:
"I’m sorry mama, I’m just too sick. Or hang in there dada, I want to see those waves you told me about."
Had me weeping IMMEDIATELY.
Thank you for this.
I'm already enjoying Kate's blog after clicking some of your links, and once again your eloquence is amazing. Whoever says blogs are lame is silly. There is something so amazing about the reality and immediacy of even the most mundane, day-to-day life blog writing, particularly when it is done well.
We kind of know what Kate and her family are going through a tiny bit. Our son was born at 28 weeks.
Thanks for the information, I will visit.
I feel more "real" when I read her words and those on this blog than when I read anything printed in our newspapers or talked about on our news.
Thank you for bringing me to more real.
What a wonderfully written tale of humanity and I weep consistently....
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