It’s all New. Or at least Re-Organized.

This week I moved all but some books and camping gear into the apartment. 2 car loads, just over 2 hours and what felt like a thousand times up and down the stairs. Wowza! I stuck with it, and unpacked, stinkbugs and all, everything but the Christmas stuff (waiting for that perfect seasonal moment to put up everything). Part of the stuff unpacking was extremely difficult: the wedding cake topper, a medallion Kevin got in the hospital, letters we wrote to one another, so many momentos of our past life. It gave me the chance to cry, to remember the good times, but also to set up a small spot in the living room just for him with his picture, a candle for him, a candle he gave me, and one of the willow tree angels. It’s a small memorial, but one that makes me feel like he’s here, a small part of him, a happy part of him.

This week I also started the complete part of my ‘get healthy’ lifestyle. I have done 4 days straight of staying under my nutrition allotment that I follow on sparkpeople.com. I am SO PROUD of myself. I also joined the Y today and it felt good to sweat. I’ve even lost a few pounds already and am pushing forward. While before it felt like such hard work to make this healthy life change, having passed the year, I am ready to live my life, in some new skin.

It feels good. Reorganizing life, honoring him, and best of all, getting to know the new me.

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.

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Comments 2

  1. Danielle Marsh November 14, 2009

    So proud of you, Brenda! Keep up the wonderful progress! =)

  2. Nan November 14, 2009

    Good for you, Brenda! You have a larger apartment without having to move!

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