To all of you blog stalkers, also known as “lurkers”, check in! I’d like to know who you are, how I know you (even if it’s obvious), and leave some love-just a few words about why you have stayed committed to this blog. I like knowing the audience, and with starting to write this novel, I think it will help knowing how to put it in perspective and develop it in the hopefully great book it will be. Thanks! So leave a comment..now! 🙂
Blog Stalkers a.k.a. “lurkers”
Brenda Sieglitz
Brenda Lee Sieglitz is an author and public speaker whose topics focus on travel, grief, and nature. Widowed in 2008 at 24 years of age, Brenda is an advocate for sarcoma patients, the widowed community, and conservation through her volunteerism with the National Park Service, Lancaster County Conservancy, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist, Hospice of Lancaster County, Soaring Spirits International, Angiosarcoma Awareness and Highmark Caring Place.
Brenda won the 2009 Associated Content “Content of the Year” award, and in 2011 was named one of Wyndham Women’s “Women on their Way”. Most recently her love and loss memoir, Ebb from the Shoreline, won 1st Place Editor’s Choice in Nonfiction at the 2014 North American Book Awards. Sieglitz holds a degree in business and became a Pennsylvania Master Naturalist in 2015.
In her spare time, she adores playing with her two nieces, going on family adventures with her husband, stepdaughter and son-in-law, hiking, camping and is working to complete her bucket list dream of visiting all National Park units.
Sieglitz has been married to her best friend Dave since 2013 and continues to reside in Lancaster County with their two beagles Scotch and Fina.
Hey Brenda, I am making christmas cookies and thought I would check in while waiting on the oven! I have known Brenda for a very long time, our families have gone to the same church and we had the same last name for most of our lives. =) I am sure we are related some how.
You are in my prayers everyday.
I am glad you are in sunny California because it is wicked cold and windy today!!
I met Brenda through a mutual friend. I never really got to hang out with her or sadly even get to meet Kevin, but our friend kept me in the loop during Kevin’s illness. Then I found Facebook and became a friend. I found her blog one day while I was checking out her page and I began to read it. Once I read the first couple I went to the beginning to see how they started out. It was amazing to read and I really felt that I was apart of her life without being a part of her life just by reading her blog. It kept me in the loop and I really got to know her. I have truly loved reading their story and now as she is making a new life for herself. I admire how she is forging ahead and not letting what has happened make her sit and home and feel sorry for herself, although she would have every right to. I look forward to staying apart of life through her blogs and am really excited for her novel. Thank you Brenda for allowing me to be apart of your life and I am sorry that it had to be under such horrible circumstances. God bless you!
Rob went to high school with Kevin. We met you when you were here in Winnipeg. Glad you are enjoying California!
Oh and I just want to make sure you are doing okay!
jen
Hi Brenda, I’ve been following your Blog ever since you began. It has been quite a journey and would make an inspiring book. You have a way with words and are very expressive.
I also copy your Blogs to send on to Shirley Warfel. She has trouble reading anything with pictures or anything other than writing, due to her computer. So I pass it on to Shirley so she can keep up dated.
California sound good to me. It is so cold and windy here today. Glad you are enjoying your get away. It will do you good. Blessings, Sharon Humphreys
My best friend, Kelly, introduced me to your blog because she knew I would want to pray for you and she said we were a lot alike…I agree in a number of ways! May God truly bless you on your trip and may you find peace and strength. You are still in the prayers of your blog family! God bless!
Jackie
Brenda, I am one of those “lurkers” who has followed your blog for about 5 months. You are truly a gifted writer. I have prayed for you and continue to pray for you as you walk thru these times of loss and healing. So glad to hear Linda is coming to spend Christmas with you
God Bless You and Keep You!!
Marlene
Hi Brenda, I have also been following your blog since the beginning. It been a great way to stay up to date and know what your prayer needs are. It’s obvious that one of your (many) gifts is writing. You have quite a story to tell and in doing so will touch many lives.
Enjoy the rest of your vacation. If you see Andrew and Karina in Seattle give them a hug for me.
God bless! Kathy
Hi Bren! I have known Brenda since our wonderful days at Willow Valley then later to find out that our grandparents are good friends as well. I have been following the blog since Breda told me to check it out (since day 1, I believe). I am thankful you are in CA…..upstate PA is very cold…I woke up to 7 degrees this morning….BRRRRRR!
Luv yah! ~Karen
Hi Brenda,
Brenda and I met at Lancaster general through her sister in law Bethany. Bethany and I both had nursing orientation at the hospital when Kevin was first admitted in ICU. I had lunch with her and Brenda acouple times while on our lunch break, and she is a wonderful person with a great heart! Unfortanetly I was unable to ever meet Kevin. I have been following the blog ever since Bethany sent me the link. I pray for your family always and I hope all is well for you in Cali!
Brenda,
Just checking in again. I enjoy reading your journals – what an inspiration! I’ve been follow since mom forwarded your info to me back in July. (We’re 2nd cousins!)
Enjoy your trip and Merry Christmas1
Boni
Hi Brenda, as you might remember I am a friend of Linda’s. I like to read your blog to know how you are doing instead of asking Linda when I see her (which isn’t too often during the winter months). Glad to hear you are going ahead with writing – you are very talented in this.
Hey Brenda- I (Emily) have grown up with Brenda. We were neighbors, and after her family invited mine to church, my family also went to New Danville. (Trent and I still do.) Trent is friends with Kurt (Brenda’s brother), and also grew up attending New Danville. Therefore we both have known Brenda since we can remember. Glad you’re enjoying your trip!
Bren,
What a great pic. of you and Deb. California wine and good company, what a happy moment!
You and I got to know each other working side by side in the Activity Dept. at Lakeside at Willow Valley. Working together so closely, I feel such a feeling of “reminiscing” of our days together and all of our life experiences during those days.
We hadn’t kept in touch through the last couple years-probably my fault-but I did manage to get to your wedding. With a little bit of fate involved, I happened to connect with you again at the tail end of your tragic loss. I “caught up” with your past blogs and have been reading daily ever since.
Love ya!
I was Brenda’s English teacher in 8th grade and have kept up with her various adventures through her mom, who is a nurse at our school. I am so glad that I was able to meet Kevin when they came to store things in our barn. It was a rainy, miserable day, and they were both smiling in spite of the difficult circumstances.
Thanks for sending the picture…it’s great to see that smile again! I’m headed to the Windy City on Wednesday…BRR! California is the place to be this week!! Lucky you!!
Hi Brenda. As you know I too am a friend of Linda’s. My husband and I own the trailer resort where Linda spends most of her summers and that is where we met both Linda and her late husband Allan, as well as Kevin and Ken. I have been following your blog since the beginning of your journey and continue to this day to check in at least once during the day. You are an amazing person and a very talented and gifted writer, and it is an honor to follow your story during this journey you are on. I hope you continue to have a great vacation as you now travel to Seattle and I wish for you and your family along with Linda and Ken, a very peaceful and happy holiday season.
I’m glad you’re enjoying your trip Brenda. California sounds much more inviting than the sleet and freezing rain they’re calling for tomorrow. Brenda babysat for me and my brothers many long years ago. 🙂 My parents were also her youth group advisers. It has been so inspiring to read your blog. I was so glad I got to give you a hug that day when Kevin was taken back into LGH. Good luck with your book!
Hi Brenda,
Sounds like you are doing pretty good and your vacation is agreeing with you. I have known Brenda since she was born and grew up with my children at the same church. And yes, we are related to Brenda through her Dad’s mother’s side of the family. And not the Harnish side! My daughter, Amanda Kneisley, asked that question. 🙂
I think about you often and you are still in my prayers. We don’t know what God has in store for us in our lives. I certainly never thought I would lose my brother in a motor cycle accident in 1995. It is still fresh in my mind and I will always miss him~but through the Lord’s strength I am able to keep on. And so will you. God will never leave your side Brenda!
Love,
Sandi
Hi Brenda! I cannot wait to see pictures and hear tales from the trip! I have known Brenda since i was 15? 16? Extreme Youth Group at Peq.BIC. Then we worked at the W.V (willow valley) together. Eventually we decided to move out of our parents house and into the “world” so we lived together for some time. I remember the day we officially moved and both of our mothers cried on the street while saying goodbye to them. It was a big day. Brenda and I would chase guys together, Brenda loved to drive, so every friday night we would go to the circuit? in york, and drive around. That was fun times..when we didnt care about gas prices. We confided in eachother alot, and had some great times and not so great times, like when i didnt want to clean up dishes in the sink. I eventually started dating Shawn, got engaged and moved out and back in with the parents till we got married. Brenda was a bridesmaid in my wedding, as I was in her’s. We took tons of trips to the beach! i remember once we were heading there with a car load of girlfriends, and got lost and ended up in Baltimore. Oh how we didnt want to speak to anyone that day! We also loved going to philly…Such learning experiences. I love Bren and i love Kev and miss him dearly but know that i will one day see him again. I am also the foster mom for Brenda and Kevin’s cat hehe! Love you bren- what a life we have of memories!
hey Brenda,
Glad you are having a good time-Definetly jealous with the short sleeved photo…
Well-you wanted to know…I knew Kevin back when he lived with Lorne Harasym-around 95 I think??? I also went to high school with him-but he wa 2 yrs older and we were not friends nor did we know eachother then. He was always so nice-but until facebook came around-I had not talked to him Much. Marty always kept me up to date-when you guys met, when you got married, and unfortunetly, when he got sick. As my mother battles cancer and my family tries to deal with the reality of the situation-your words inspire us and provides us with strength…you are an amazing person, with a kind soul-and I will continue to follow your journey 🙂
Sorry we didnt get the chance to meet when you were here in Winnipeg-Maybe next time!!
I knew Kevin in elementary school and junior high. I hadn’t seen him in 20+ years. I was shocked to see his obituary since he was the first person I went to school with who has passed away. I like to get an idea of how his life was like since I last saw him.
Hey Brenda,
I hope your trip continues to be refreshing. We should meet at the little cafe around the corner when you get back. I’d love to hear about your trip!
I use RSS to follow your blog.
Christine M
Hi. I knew Ken and Kevin while living in Whyte Ridge in Winnipeg. (Rob Solmundson’s sister). I think Brenda’s words are so beautiful and inspiring, that she keeps me coming back for more. Glad to hear you are enjoying yourself on your trip and have begun to move forward, even with baby steps! Keep smiling! Take Care!