When my sister and I were younger, during the days when kid shows only came on right after school and on Saturday mornings, we would sit and watch grown up shows with Mom at night. And so every Tuesday night, we’d tune in to Who’s The Boss, Growing Pains, and Moonlighting. I know. It was awesome. But the best part was each week, we would claim one of the actresses to be during the shows. I can still hear her call out I’m Allysa, I’m Carol, I’m Maddie! She always remembered to call it first, and then I was stuck with being Mona or Miss DiPesto.
When I first met Edie a few years ago, I liked her with every single fiber of my being. She’s one of those women who you don’t just want to be your friend, you kind of want to actually be, just like Allysa Milano when I was a kid. When she painted her kitchen cabinets blue last year, I just knew she was my kind of girl. She is beauty, grace, style, and fun. And she is an artist in every sense of the word that I can think of.
Edie with her daughter, Caiti – a photo I have shamelessly swiped from her.
But it was this post Edie wrote when her daughter turned 18 that I’ve gone back to read a few more times than normal. Because for all the ways I admire her beauty, her spunk, her sense of style, I think it is her deep, beautiful, thoughtful writing that speaks to me the most. She writes of mothering in a way that breaks me apart. I’ll let her show you:
“They tell a story all their own. How we labor so diligently for days and weeks and years, and wonder if it matters at all? Will it ever be more than a heap of yarn? Will food and laundry nourish a life? Can bread be His body broken?
And finally, mercy gives way. Heartache becomes forgiveness. Stubborn melts to grace. Tangles of yarn slowly take form of a sweater. Years of meals nourish a body like years of love nourish a heart. Redemption rushes in and finishes the work.
And it did matter. Every little stitch. All the countless hours. . . Hoping, begging, praying that she knows just how very much she matters. And that she will feel in the blue—the warmth of a mother who loves from the broken place and the peace of a Father who forgives.”
Thank you Edie, for piling words on top of feeling, for putting paragraphs around the flailing and grasping that sometimes is motherhood, and for doing it with such lovely abandon. You are an inspiration to me, the kind of mama I hope to be when my girls turn 18. I wish you a most sincere Happy Birthday.
And so, I know there are many of you reading who also read Edie. I want to encourage you to write a post about how she has been an encouragement to you and link up over at her blog today! If you read her but don’t have a blog, there are instructions posted at her place today on how you can send a letter instead. She could use a little encouragement, as well as some sweet reminders of the ways she has brought grace and beauty into our lives. So go be a part of her online birthday card!
Oh, and Nester? I’m Edie.
What a beautiful tribute and a wonderful idea. Edie’s words have pierced me deeply on more than one occasion. Thank you.
Southern Gal´s last [type] ..2010 in Pictures and Words and Links
Oh Emily, I wish I could express my thoughts and feelings as well as you do. But I can’t so instead I kid and I jot.
Fabulous post and I also LOVED Edie’s older post about Caiti.
Oh, Emily….i love this! And you & Nester & Edie….and I wanna be Maddie since you are all busy.
-s-
since you’re not my sister, i call “edie” too! seriously an amazing woman, a blessing to know her and experience her.
i love this post, emily! {no surprise!} and i especially love the punch line!
thanks for all you’ve done.
xo
patty´s last [type] ..season of gratitude
you called Edie?
funny how these words apply to SO many situations:
You get everything.
Nester´s last [type] ..Edie Day
oh how I wish I’d known about this before. It will take me forever to put together how I feel about her.
This is beautiful as usual.
emily, you DO craft with your words! i love the post you crafted at Edie’s and i love this one…lovely and beautiful.
Your writing and E’s writing in one fantastic post? I’ll drink (tea) to that!
And I’m cracking up over “I was stuck with being Mona”. Ha! I haven’t thought of poor Mona in eons!
Flower Patch Farmgirl´s last [type] ..For Edie
Oh, Emily. I do love you.
You alone can craft words like this. What a fitting tribute; what a beautiful use of your gift. Thank you.
P.S. I’d forgotten all about Miss DePesto. Funny how a name can bring memories rushing back. Of course, I was a newly married woman in those days, watching those shows all by myself in married students’ housing at UVa.
Richella´s last [type] ..For Edie
this is my new favorite post for lots of reasons. thanks for letting me in on the fun today. love you, friend.
melissa´s last [type] ..Happy Birthday- to Edie!
Such wonderful writing Emily! And boy do you bring back the memories, lol! I have never read Edie’s blog before, but I believe I am going to have to go do so right now!
Bernice
Living the Balanced Life´s last [type] ..Get your priorities straight
This lead to heart soaring, heart dropping, heart aching….
I have just stumbled on your blog from a post on The Lettered Cottage, only to see what’s “current” and this lovely funny charming discription of a friend…curious about why she might need a little extra love. And oh the unspeakable. She indeed writes with grace, thank you for the post & I’m now following this amazing woman you call friend.
I didn’t come here expecting to read about Edie (who’s blog I visited for the first time today), but I keep running into her in blog world and keep welling up with tears. God is piercing deep places in my heart as I read the fragments of her story. Her words are beautiful, but so are yours. A gift from the Lord for sure.
God bless you today, Emily. And Edie, too. I know I would love you both!
Hugs,
Linsey
done and done…Thank you Emily for doing this. Edie is a gift, one to be treasured and encouraged…so we shall.
Mary @ Passionate Perseverance´s last [type] ..for edie
sweetest emily,
i just had one of those ‘steel magnolia moments’—you know the one. i was just sitting here crying, in awe of your word-crafting, your beautiful heart all perfectly expressed and then i lost it at ‘i’m edie’. my sister and i cried and then laughed and then laughed some more until we cried some more. you are my beautiful talented friend who can do things with words that i only dream of.
i’m so blessed. so thankful. for you and that sister of yours, who have both blessed me in ways i could never have imagined.
i can’t wait to get my hands on that book of yours.
love you,
edie
edie´s last [type] ..For Edie- with love
i love this emily….for someone who is so beyond wonderful with words, you do a beautiful job giving others kudos.
my favorite part is when you told your sister that you’re edie.
there is nothing like sisters bantering with one another!!
Ok, so you were in my dream last night. We saw each other at the airport and you did front flips to me. No lie. Hilarious. Then we just “chatted.” So I’m thinking that was a sign that we need to do coffee soon. Seriously. Soon. Hope all is well friend. (Oh and are you taking gymnastics or something? Nahh. Guess it wasn’t prophetic.)
lara´s last [type] ..leaving regrets at the throne
Oh and this post about your sweet friend is just precious.
lara´s last [type] ..leaving regrets at the throne
Love the memory of calling nibs on characters. For my sister and I it was Charlie’s Angels.
shelley.´s last [type] ..a story of faithfulness- for my grandpa
um, that should be *dibs*, not nibs. =)
shelley.´s last [type] ..a story of faithfulness- for my grandpa
So nice to honor Edie in that way.
About 80′s TV…for me it was staying up to watch Facts of Life, Kate and Alley, and The Bob Newhart Show.
Still some of the best memories of childhood ever!
Jess @ Just a Blink´s last [type] ..Merry Christmas from the Just a Blink Kids
That’s beautiful.
Mrs.B´s last [type] ..Melted Snowman Cookies Bandwagon