In this very special Mother's Day episode, we chat with Emily Kierstead, my (Jenny's) mother, Sophia's grandmother and a woman who's lost three of her four children.  The three generations discuss Mom's early years when she bravely left NB to attend theological college in Toronto, which women didn't commonly do back then, and how that experience shaped her career in ministry and teaching. 

She speaks tenderly about her first child, Jennifer, who was stillborn at full term and the faith in a happier future that enabled her to not only try again, but again, and again (yay me!). 

The conversation became very raw as we spoke about the loss of her son, Jonathan, in 2017 and her daughter, Lisa, in 2020, which she describes as 'heavy trauma', but that she appreciates the gift of having been mother to these incredible souls.

Emily shares about the importance of friendship, partnership and passions that have kept her afloat, along with character traits, such as gratitude and hope. We didn't mention him, but Grandpa Don (who's soon to be 90), was sitting beside us the whole time, supporting the process.

"It seems my life has been a dance between gratitude and grief" she says near the end, which just about sums up the human experience for all of us, if we're fortunate enough to view it that way.

Thank you Mom for spending time with us, just one week after your hip surgery, and thank you Sophia for transporting and setting up the tech equipment to make this sacred connection possible. 

On a final note, we just want to acknowledge how difficult these relationships can be. If you are struggling to connect with a mother, grandmother, or daughter, know that we understand, and we hope that you can find a message in this conversation that might help you to move toward healing and peace.