July 15, 2024
painting by Rebecca King Hawkinson
So I’m going to probably take off the rest of July to wrap up loose ends.
I’m fine – I will miss you all!
much love,
Janice
p.s. At the top of this page, under the heading “Articles,” there is a tab called “Archives by Date” – just in case you need a “flashback fix” while I’m busy…
Take time to take care of yourself
My caregiving project ended in Dec 2020. It still brings tears and the most beautiful memories. Our loved ones are forever in our hearts. Take care of you and take time for you and your beloved before moving into a new chapter of life. .
I’m sorry. All the best to you and your family.
Thinking of you.
Sending you strength and healing from New Zealand 🇳🇿💝💐
Sending love and hugs from San Francisco.
Love and hugs from The Black Sea
Sending you sympathy from NZ xx
Take gentle care of yourself and all the time you need xx
Thinking of you.
Sending you love and hugs and wishing you strength and calm and healing, from the UK.
Very sad news. Thinking of you and your family.
Wishing you strength and peace at this time. Hugs.
I am so sorry, sending prayers for you and your family from England. Take your time, we will be here when you are ready. <3
Many of us have been there and are praying for you. You’re wise to step away for a bit to rest, recover and remember the best of times. xoxo S
Sending best wishes from Scotland.
Having recently traveled the same path, I understand the mixed feelings of relief and sadness. Take care of yourself and many blessings to your family.
Sending much love and hugs to you, hold yourself kindly
You are doing exactly as you should. Grieve, rest, and take the time you need to now care for yourself. Love and hugs from Maryland.
Thinking of you and your family at this difficult time.
Please take all the time you need. I wish you strength and hope that your happy memories will carry you through this difficult time.
Love, hugs, and sympathy. You’ve been the daughter that every mother hopes for.
I am so sorry. Sending you love and strenght.
Sending you heartfelt condolences, Janice! Please, take all the time you need.
Hugs from Canada!!
Take as much time as you need. Sending you love and hugs from Pennsylvania.
Thinking of you and sending strength for the days ahead.
Sending my condolences. Grieving can be as exhausting as caregiving, in a different way. Be kind to yourself.
You have been a wonderful , devoted daughter. I hope your mother went in peace and that you may have peace now as well. We will welcome you back with open arms when you are ready. Hugs
Thinking of you at this time. You bring so much joy. Jenny x
So very sorry. Take all the time you need.
Sending you love and strength at this sad time xxx
So sorry to hear such sad news. Take the time you need, we will be here.
I am so sorry. Wishing you peace and sending love.
Condolences Janice, sending hugs and strength.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Take all the time you need. God bless. 🙏❤️
Please accept my sympathy at this difficult time. You are a strong person, but caregiving is exhausting. Wrapping up those loose ends also takes time and is draining. Consider taking off the rest of the summer so you actually have some time to begin your recovery.
I am sorry for your loss. Here’s wishing you peace! Hugs!!
I am sorry. Please take care of yourself.
So very sorry. Take care of yourself. Love.
Thinking of you as this difficult time. My mother just passed away 2 weeks ago after being in hospice for 3 months. Her memorial service is Saturday. I was her primary caregiver for the last 10 years in addition to working 2 jobs. It is difficult. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Debra, that sounds like a grueling 10 years. I hope you can recuperate a little now.
Oh Debra, I’m sorry to hear that! What a strange and challenging time (in its own different way from the hard 10 prior years) this must be. Sending you peace and strength and my deepest condolences.
All my sympathies to you and yours.
So sorry for your loss. Please take comfort knowing you have hugs from across the globe.
Love and hugs and wishes for peace for you and your family. Please take as long as you need. We will be here when you’re ready.
May light eternal shine upon her.
Sending you much love from DC.
I’m sorry… do take care of yourself!
Janice,
Take all the time you need. Sending love and hugs to you and your family.
I’m so sorry. Big hug for you Janice. Take care of yourself.
Your grief and sorrow and emptiness will someday be replaced by sweet memories. Hang on to that thought and prayer as you navigate life without your Mom. It will happen!🙏🏻
So very sorry for your loss. Sending hugs.
Sending you prayers and love from Delaware.
I am so sorry for your loss
You have brought so much beauty into our lives during a dark time for you and your loved one. Thank you.
May your memories be blessings to you.
Do take the time you need. Perhaps even this will not be enough. We will all be here missing you til you return.
{{{ ❤️ }}}
Sending you my sincere condolences and lots of love, Janice.
My sincere condolences. Wishing you smooth sailing through the turbulent emotions and actions to wrap up this chapter. Take all the time you need, we will be here when you return. Hugs and blessings, you are in our thoughts
All my sympathy to you and your family. Your creative and devoted care has been a spark of light for many here.
I am so sorry for your loss. May her memory be a blessing. ❤️❤️
Sending hugs and condolences from SE Michigan. May your memories bring you comfort.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Praying for comfort and peace. Take all the time you need.
I am so sorry for your loss, and I will be praying for peace and comfort.
Love to you. You are not alone.
Sending hugs Janice. Take the time you need.
Janice,
My sympathies on your loss. Your mother was blessed to have such a devoted daughter. Be gentle with yourself in the days and weeks to come.
You are in my thoughts. Wishing you strength at this difficult time. Hugs and love.
I’m so sorry. Sending you and your family prayers and hugs. Always remember how happy you made her being a part of your family and the loving care you gave her. That was so special.
Janice, I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss. You do what you need to do. We will be here for you. 🙏🏻
I am so sorry. Take all the time you need. My thoughts are with you and your family and friends. Your care made such a difference I am sure. ❤️
You have my sympathy and prayers for comfort and rest. What I really want to give you is a gentle hug.
I’m sorry for your loss. May you be surrounded by love from your family and friends at this difficult time.
Sending you condolences on your loss and wishing you peace through the grieving. Thank you for sharing your journey. Take the time you need, and see you in August or when you feel ready.
We send our love to you, Janice. Wishing you rest, peace and healing.
Janice I’m sorry for your loss.
I hope the coming weeks give you some peace.
When the time is right for you to come back, know your blog fans will be waiting to hear from you.
I am so sorry for your loss.
May her memory be a blessing. Much love and hugs.
Love, hugs, and all my best wishes and sympathy Janice. Take all the time you need. We will be here for you.
Love and hugs 🤗 from Iowa. May you get peace and plenty of rest.
Sorry for your loss. Sending you prayers and strength from BC Canada
Reading the comments it looks like many of us have been through the similar situations. It’s exhausting mentally and physically and you can tell the loving community you created is supporting you! Sending you heartfelt hugs and best wishes.
Sending you condolences and calm from Ottawa, Canada. Please take all the time you need for rest and recovery.
I join your many fans/readers in wishing you strength and wisdom in this transitional period. Be kind to yourself. Rest. Read. Eat ice cream. Buy yourself some flowers.
Sending you love and peace in this time of sorrow. Be as kind and gentle to yourself now as she was to you during her life.
big hugs
So very sorry…….❤️
I’ve been amazed that you were able to keep up the blog so regularly, given your other duties. My regards to you and your family as you navigate this tender time. I look forward to seeing you when you are ready. Much love. You make my week much fuller, year by year.
So very sorry for your loss, Janice. May her memories bring you much comfort. May all the outpouring of love here help you as well. Take care.
Passing on what a friend told me 20 years ago when our father passed after we cared for him through hospice at home. “You will be forever grateful that you made the decision to care for her at home.” The time spent together was priceless, and you will live free of regrets. She will always be in your heart as you heal from the sorrow and transition to the joy of memories.
I am so sorry for your loss of your mother. A mom is irreplaceable because they love us the best. You have been an amazing and devoted daughter and such a great example to all of us. May your heart heal and happy memories fill the void left by sorrow and relief.
Yes. Even though I have a loving husband and family, I know that no one will ever think I am as special and wonderful as my mother did.
Janice, I’m so very sorry. I’ve been through the care giving journey, it’s ending, and then the process of rebuilding afterwards. You are in my thoughts and prayers with much gratitude for who you are and what you do. ❤️
So so sorry for your loss. Sending love, hugs and lots of healing vibes.
My deepest sympathies. Wishing peace and comfort to you and yours.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace and comfort.
So sorry for your loss! My sympathy to you and your family.
Sending my love to you at this sad time
So sorry for your loss . Sending my deepest sympathies and much love from London ❤️
Janice,
Wishing you peace, grace and strength as you move through the next few days and weeks. I’m so sorry for your loss. We will be here when you want to return.
May you feel God’s love at this difficult time.
I feel it through the kindness of you all!
hugs,
Janice
I hope you allow yourself all the time you need to wrap up those loose ends.
It is not an easy task and you ought to give it all the time it needs.
You won’t feel normal at a time like this and if you did I would be worried about you.
I like others know the pain the loss of your mother brings. People have been telling me it gets easier to bear in time. But everyone “time” is a different length as it’s personal to them.
Best you can do is take careful care of yourself. Remember to eat and rest when you are able to.
Oooh, and don’t push yourself to return to work – only do it when you feel able to.
Deepest condolences to you and yours.
Susan
Janice, I’m so sorry. Please take care of yourself. Carla
My love and condolences to you and yours.
Prayers for you and your family. Take as much time as you need to care for yourself.
Prayers for comfort and peace going your way, dear Janice.
Hugs from Barcelona 🫶
Janice, I am so sorry for your loss. This will be quite a strange time navigating a different set of challenges, and I wish you the absolute best in whatever time you need before returning to the blog. Sending you an extra warm hug to make it from here to you!
It’s all been said above. May you find peace and may you find joy in your memories. After all the loose ends are tied up we sometimes feel more lost. Take the time you need to heal. We look forward to your return and will wait as long as you need.
God love you, Janice, and your family. May you find blessings in memories.
Diane
Oh dear! Always a shock!! May you have all the strength you need to recover, and to get all the multitude of things done too?
from one of your many many well-wishers.
Prayers and condolences to you, Janice! I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for the joy and inspiration you’ve continued to bring to all of us during this busy, stressful, and difficult time in your life. Prayers for all the wonderful, cherished memories to stay fresh in your heart and bring you strength and peace.
Please accept my deepest sympathy. You have been such a gift to your mother!
Sincere condolences for your loss. Hope you find time to remember the good things you shared with your mother.
I am sending love and will be praying for you as you process all these changes. Bless you for your steadfast love and care for your mom.
I’m so sorry for your loss – you have been a wonderful, caring daughter. Take the time you need, we will be here when you are ready to return. Sending you love and strength for navigating this next part of your journey.
Janice,
My very deepest condolences ! Big Loooooong Hugs and love ! Prayers for healing and comfort are coming your way big time ! Rest now, after all the details have been managed, you deserve it !
So very sorry. Please take time to take care you yourself. Sending you love and hugs.
Hugs and aloha from Hawaii. It’s been almost a year since my caregiving project ended… Rest.
Julie
So sorry for your loss. With sympathy from another former carer (for my late husband).
my heartfelt condolences for your loss. As I’m going through the same thing this week, I know how you feel.
Sending you much love!
hugs,
Janice
May you find solace and love in all the beautiful memories. Sending a huge hug of comfort and care.
Let me join the condolences from all your friends and fans. There are all kinds of clothing. Wrap yourself in the clothing of love sent from all over the world – rest, heal and take whatever time you need. We will be waiting
Dear Janice,
Sending you love and peace. Prayers for you as you grieve. Don’t hurry through it. Take time to experience all the emotions.❤️❤️
Janice, one more message to add to all the others. My deepest sympathy for your loss and heartfelt wishes that you will take the time you need to recover. Know that we will miss you and are thinking of you. Take care.
Love and hugs from New York. Take your time and take care!
Camille
I’m so sorry! Love, hugs, and prayers from Houston. Take all the time you need for yourself. You’ve been dealing with so much and it’s going to take time to grieve and to get your energy back. We’ll be here when you’re ready. Be extra kind to yourself!
Dear Janice, As someone who has followed your blog for the past many years and often resorted to it as an escape from reality in the form of colors, especially during stressful times, I feel like it is my duty to reciprocate now. It is my first time posting here and I wish to offer you my best wishes and prayers that you hold on and stay strong during difficult times. This too shall pass.
Dear Janice, As someone who has followed your blog for the past many years and often resorted to it as an escape from reality in the form of colors, especially during stressful times, I feel like it is my duty to reciprocate now. It is my first time posting here and I wish to offer you my best wishes and prayers that you hold on and stay strong during difficult times. This too shall pass.
I’m so sorry. Hugs to you from someone who has been there.
I was in your place 9 years. You and your family are in my prayers. Take all the time you need. We’ll be here when you’re able to return. Sending you love and hugs.
You and your family are in my prayers.
I’m so sorry for your loss. May your favorite memories of her bring you solace.
Sending hugs and my deepest sympathies. I know how hard this is and you need time to let things settle. Take what time you need, we will be here when you’re ready. Much love to you and your family.
So sorry for your loss. Gentle hugs from Canada. Take your time. Process. Come back to us when you’re ready. You are a bright spot in many lives and you need to take the time to care for yourself now.
My sympathy….and coming right up behind you with a family member on hospice too…rank rookie here…and taking on new terror and stress and peace and gratitude moment by monent by the grace of Jesus Christ!
We had a family member on home hospice for 9 months… Do make sure you have support in place so you can take actual breaks. You get incredibly worn down incredibly fast. And make SURE you have immediate access to escalated support (24hr care or in-facility care) if you need it. May your loved one’s journey be a peaceful one!
So sorry for your loss, Janice. Sending you and your whole family love and hugs.
In the last 18 months, I’ve lost my husband, mother and father, all of which I provided care to over a number of months and years. It’s a hard but rewarding time.
Sorry to hear of your loss.
Dearest Janice,
My sincere condolences . Please take the time to grieve and recuperate. We will be here when you are ready.
Many hugs
Irene,Sydney.
Thinking of you. With sincerest sympathy,
It’s been two years since losing my loved one. I joined a grief group because I really needed help. Two things I learned: that I could find peace in knowing I did everything humanly possible for her, and that I could talk and talk about her. I still do. A lot of people let me down by not acknowledging or minimizing the loss, but that only revealed their own souls. As long as I live, she lives. It also really helped me during the first year to write a long letter to her about every memory that I thought of, and all the feelings I had. My sympathies to you.
My condolences.
& thank you for the tip on how to navigate your archive. I’ve been doing it very inefficiently.
I lost my father in November and I can tell you the coming weeks will be filled with exhaustion. Tying up loose ends in the physical realm pales to what you will go through emotionally since you have kept yourself on an even keel for many months. You might find yourself crying at inopportune times or experiencing sleepless nights. Honestly take as much time as you need, say no when you need to, accept help when offered and all the hugs. No need to be ‘strong’ now..rest and rest some more.
This is not the time for stiff upper lip or making others feel better. This is your time, set your boundaries and do what is needed to regain your strength physically and emotionally.
Take care,
Ally
Heartfelt condolences from Copenhagen, Janice.
I have cried reading all these beautiful messages. I have been there. Best advise: don’t be strong, it is YOU time.
Send you love from the Netherlands.
Me too…
love,
Janice
Heartfelt condolences … from the Canadian Rocky Mountains
So very sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts.
So very sorry. May you find grace and strength in the coming weeks.
Thank you so much for all you have done with this wonderful blog! It has been an inspiration and stress reliever for me!
Take care of yourself and we will look forward to your return when you are ready!
So sorry to hear of your mother’s end of life. Wishing that your wonderful memories of her will bring comfort now and much joy in the future.
Sending my deepest sympathy on your loss. Wishing you grace and peace. Accept help and take time to grieve and rest.
So very sorry, Janice. My sympathies to you and your family! Take your time, and be gentle to yourself – (((((hugs))))) from the road in the UK.
Peace for you from France
Martine
Sending much love.
Take all the time you need. You may well feel unmoored especially after many years of caregiving. There is no timeline or need to tie yourself back down to the riverbank. Let the grief take you where it will.
Sending love, hugs, and deepest sympathies. We’ll be here for you when you return.
Sending prayers from Arkansas! Take all the time you need. God bless!
Sending ~~~~Good Vibrations~~~~ to you, Janice and Belovedest.
Much love to you, and prayers for comfort and peace in the days ahead. Take all the time you need.
May you feel yourself surrounded by much love and support in the weeks ahead as you take care of practical details and process the particular complexities of your loss and the transition to a different way of living now that your caretaking days are over.
Sending you love, hugs, and prayers. One of my caregiving projects ended last December.
Deal with everything in your time and in your way.
Sending love your way ❤️💕
So sorry for your loss. Aren’t you blessed and lucky to have had your mom for so many wonderful years? I hope the coming weeks are relaxing and restful.
Janice, take all the time you need to rest and be glad. Wishing you and your family strength to get though the sad times. Warm wishes from Colorado.
So sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. You can draw comfort from the special time that you were able to spend with her and to meet her care needs in a loving home. You were with her at the end. Whilst perhaps anticipated, it can still seem unexpected. I hope that you and your husband will have support as you deal with her affairs. Perhaps in a few months have a holiday. My MIL passed in May. We have just had a holiday to see other family. It has been relaxing and restorative. Sending sympathy and hugs.
I am so sorry for your loss!
What a beautiful bouquet! I hope you find similar brightness hidden in your days.
Janice, I am so sorry to read this. Having lived the caregiver life for a little over four years (my husband he passed away in late April), I know how taxing it can be on you physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually…it’s hard. You have poured yourself out as a drink offering. You have honored your mother. Please rest. May memories be a sweet comfort.
Janice,
I’m so sorry for your loss. May the good times and sweet memories bubble up. Much love and many hugs to you and your family.
Sending love to you and your family
Take all the time you need, hugs!
I’m so sorry for your loss and hope that you see light and love from all of your near, far, and remote friends and family.
I’m so very sorry for you loss. Sending hugs!
Janice, your service to your mother was a sacred offering and a gift of love. May you find comfort and peace in your memories and look forward to meeting again in the world to come.
Much love from Spain,
Still thinking of you, and hoping that you are getting through this time with all the love and support you could wish for. You have been such a bright spot in all our lives here, Janice. I hope that you know that we are here for you, and will continue to be here for you, in the weeks and months to come. Get through all the turmoil of the next few weeks. Look at memory books. Feel your feels. Hug your loved ones. Take whatever time you need to replenish yourself. And then…take a trip. Go somewhere fascinating and remind yourself what it’s like to live and be happy. Your mom’s memory will always be right there in your heart. And if she was anything like you, I know that she would want you to find your joy again.
We are here for you.
Much love always.
So very sorry for your loss! Sending you love and hugs from Canada!
Please accept my deepest condolences. I will hold you in my heart.
Hoping that the love and support of all your devoted and grateful readers reaches through the great virtual void. Blessings on you and all who loved your dear mother as you enter the Memory stage of daughter hood. Much love from Wisconsin.
I just saw this, and I am so sorry for your loss. May you find peace and comfort in the days ahead. Hugs to you.