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Struggle Well School

#127: Remembering Everett with Laura Kelley

Struggle Well School

Emily Thomas

Education, Health & Fitness, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, Self-improvement, Mental Health

5.01.2K Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2018

⏱️ 72 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Laura Kelley is a mom of five through birth, adoption, and fostering. She's also is no stranger to sorrow. Last year, Laura and her husband Josh accepted God's call to adopt a 3-year-old boy from China named Everett. Tragically, Everett was born with a congenital heart defect leaving his new parents with some very difficult decisions to make about his medical care. He passed away just days before his fourth birthday. Laura is now courageously navigating through her grief one day at a time and sharing her journey publically on social media. What we chat about: What prompted Laura to adopt a child with medical needs The self-inflicted guilt that accompanies the loss of a child The importance of finding moments of joy in times of deep pain Why Laura has chosen to share her grief so transparently Dealing with criticism on social media What daily life looks life for Laura's family now How losing Everett has affected her relationship with God Suggestions on how to support the people around you who are grieving Links mentioned: Episode #61: Breaking the Rules We Made Up with Laura Kelley Connect with Laura: website // instagram // facebook // twitter // pinterest Episode Sponsors: Canvas People: get a free 11x14 canvas free using promo code MSW Daily Harvest: 3 free cups using promo code MSW Ora Organic: 15% off your first order using promo code MSW Support the show: Shop Amazon Affiliate Link Share the Struggle! Find me on Instagram or Facebook because I want to hear YOUR thoughts on this episode!  If you've been encouraged by the show, please share it with another mom.  The struggle is real.  We might as well do this together!

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is Emily Thomas and today I am talking to my friend

0:25.4

Laura Kelly, she's been on the show before, I don't know in the 60s somewhere,

0:30.1

not like 1960, I mean like episode 60s something or other I'm not great with numbers right

0:36.7

after we recorded that initial interview she told me that she's adopting from

0:41.3

China she adopted from China the sweetest little boy Everett, and he passed

0:46.8

away shortly after.

0:48.3

And so this interview is heavy, and honestly, I approached Laura a little timidly, but I see her walking through the

0:57.4

trauma and grieving with all her other little kiddos and her husband and seeing her do it so publicly but seeing her

1:04.0

do it so well and it's important we're all going to be grieving something at some

1:07.8

point. Some of us already are some of us have done it but we didn't like maybe do it in the healthiest way.

1:13.6

Grief is something we'd certainly rather not talk about but I got to say if you see

1:17.1

someone doing it well you got to ask them about it.

1:19.4

And so at the risk of being completely insensitive and a total bozo about it. I just said, would you mind

1:26.0

talking about this season and processing through it with me because I really think it would

1:31.5

bless other people? Because it's been so inspiring to see her honesty

1:35.8

But it's also been really heartbreaking anyway so

1:39.7

My producer Rachel as she was editing it,

1:42.8

sent me a text and said, you need to warn people

1:45.0

because I am like crying so hard right now

1:47.1

as I am editing this.

1:48.8

And so it's hard, you know, life is hard.

1:51.5

And so I just wanted you to know that this is not the funniest

...

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