Scotland!

I’m in Scotland on a wee adventure with Bagette April and Harmony. I’ll post more when I get back to Colorado. We are having a blast (except for a flat tire) visiting exceptional sites, castles and many lochs. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏰⛰️😊❤️

Photo Finish Friday

Idaho is kinda pretty… Here for the wedding of my nephew. Looking forward to seeing this cute couple get married. Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend too! XOXO-Teresa

UPDATE: SW Maine Harbor Chapter

This is a great update from Bagette Barbara in Maine. She always manages to find the coolest people doing interesting things wherever she goes! Love the fabric installation that Barbara was able to help with in Blue Hill. Fun! Keep up the great work there in Maine! Teresa

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Hi Teresa. 

I worked on a volunteer project in August with Amanda Browder, a large fabric installation artist from Brooklyn, NY. 

She was chosen to be an artist in residence by the Reach Project in Blue Hill, Maine. Blue Hill is little over an hour away from me. It was super fun, and the fabric creation hung on the exterior of the Congregation Church on Main St. in Blue Hill for 2 weeks. 

I gave Amanda, and some others, GBL bags. 

I think of you and your family every day and send you my love and wishes for peace, healing and happy days ahead. 

Bagette Barbara 💚
Coordinator, Maine Chapter 
Green Bag Lady

Pet Beds

Oh Sara--

I love this SO much. Thank you for sending. The original post about pet beds that includes the first photo is HERE. The photos of Kyle when he is little break my heart, he was such a fun loving little guy. Damn the disease of addiction for taking him away from me. 

I love that Sara used scraps and part of an old pair of jeans in her pet bed! Teresa

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This adorable little boy and his mom inspired me to turn my Bagette scraps into pet beds for my local animal shelter. Fast forward to 2023, and I think about Kyle every time I sew & stuff a pet bed. The one I made this weekend is heavy with empathy for our beloved Green Bag Lady, who said goodbye to this beautiful boy last month.

Teresa and Kyle, your spirits will forever be entwined in every pet bed and Green Bag Lady bag I sew. 

Bagette Sara, Chapter Coordinator, Knoxville Area, TN 

Photo Finish Friday

The sun goes down on another week. I’m hanging in over here. I haven’t posted much but have been sewing lots of bags and other things to keep myself busy. I will post some updates next week. I have been giving myself space to grieve and the grace to do so. I adore all of you. Have a great weekend! Teresa

Photo Finish Friday

The mountains are always good for the mind, body, heart and soul. Wishing you a lovely weekend. XOXO—Teresa

Photo Finish Friday

It’s been a bit since I’ve been here, for obvious reasons. Thank you so very much to all of you who have reached out in one way or another. I’ve read all your comments and cherish all your prayers of peace, thoughts of me and my family and words of kindness and love. We are ok. We are living our lives with broken hearts that tiny stitches from family, friends and strangers with similar stories are helping to heal. Our lives will never be the same but our hope is that Kyle’s story will help others who are struggling with addiction and inspire those who love someone suffering from the disease of addiction to help themselves. My sincerest thanks to all of you. Hugs—Teresa

Letter

I have had several requests to share the eulogy/letter I wrote to Kyle and read at the funeral:

Dear Kyle—

As you know, I have gone through a lot of school. I graduated from high school, undergraduate with 2 degrees and then graduate school. I was a college professor for 15 years. I have met so many amazing teachers during all that time in education.

Little did I know that you, my sweet son, would be my greatest teacher of all. You taught me so much in your short 18 years of life.

You taught me to listen more and talk less.

You taught me to be more grateful and less greedy.

You taught me to be less controlling and more compassionate.

You taught me to communicate, not close down.

You taught me more patience and less anger.

You taught me to judge less and learn more.

You taught me to live in the moment, that the past is history, and the future a mystery.

You taught me to let go of what I thought would be, that today's expectations are tomorrow's disappointments.

You taught me that comparison is truly the thief of joy.

You taught me the only thing I can control is myself.

You taught me to have less ego and more understanding.

You taught me to make amends to people I have wronged.

You taught me to let people help and comfort me.

You taught me to let go and let God.

You taught me to connect with my God in a way I never thought possible.

You taught me that sharing my story, our story, could help other people.

You taught me that giving back fills my soul.

You taught me that addiction is a soul sucking, awful disease that most people don’t understand and can happen to anyone in any type of family.

You taught me that people who are sober, who fight every day, every hour and every minute for sobriety are the most badass people on the planet.

You taught me to love you fiercely no matter what.

You taught me that my love for you is never ending, that I will carry you in my heart and soul forever, and that you are a part of me that will never die.

Most importantly, you taught me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

And, on that note, I would like everyone here in the sober community and anyone else who would like to join, to stand and recite the serenity prayer with me:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

Dear Kyle, as much as I wanted a different ending to your story, my greatest hope is that your story, our story, can help others who are struggling. I love you more than you will ever, ever, ever know. Rest in peace my sweet son, the demons are gone.

Love, Mom 

Shattered

This is the hardest post I have ever had to write.

My beloved son, Kyle (18) (known here as Little Man), passed away on Saturday, Aug 5 of an apparent OD. Kyle struggled the last few years with drug use. We, as a family, did everything in our power to help him with treatment, therapy, support groups and more love than you can ever imagine. Unfortunately, drugs were a beast that kept coming after him and he couldn't resist. Addiction sucks.

We are devastated beyond words for the sweet boy who was always laughing, smiling, making up goofy songs and loved playing games with all of us. We will ALWAYS remember that Kyle. The Kyle before drugs took him away from us.

Dear Kyle, I hope you are finally at peace. We love you more than you will ever, ever know. I can't believe I don't get to hug you ever again. My heart is broken into a million pieces. You will live in my soul forever and ever.

Kyle William Granath 10-13-04 to 8-5-23

In lieu of flowers, I would be honored if you would make a donation to the Full Circle Program, Denver CO. They did everything they could for Kyle and the amazing parent support group has made my life livable. We will have a donation box at the service but you can also venmo the incredible program director, Ben Stincer at @benjamin-stincer or go on the website and donate HERE.

Please say your donation is in memory of Kyle Granath.

Thank you to all who have reached out. I love you all.

Photo Finish Friday

Look at these cuties in my yard! At first I thought there was one fawn and then the other one popped its little head up. I love this time of year in my hood. I'm playing a tennis match in playoffs tomorrow with one of my teams, fun fun. I have 2 wedding dresses to take in and a bridesmaid dress to hem this weekend too. I hope you are enjoying decent weather, fun people and great food. Cheers! Teresa