Hudson minutia

(For real fans only)

Lynn Brown (Chad's mom, Hudson's grandmom and saint who's staying on in Dallas with Chad through July), writes hysterical emails.

She checked in with this report yesterday -

Just thought you would like to know we all had a good night. Chad wants to keep Hudson and a regular 3 hour feeding schedule during the day, and wake him up even if he is napping. We try to keep him more awake during the day time too.
Last night his belly button scab fell off. Found it in his outfit this AM.
He also seems to like to poop in the middle of the night. Such a full diaper.



C - keeping you abreast

Soon: may flowers

R and I ran in the park last night, the southern loop (in good time). It was crowded with fair weather-joggers, sleekly-satisfied bikers, strollers and horse-drawn tourists. It was also full of flowers and, at 7:20, a soft violet light. It looked so beautiful.

Today is cooler, but clear. The delis of our city are fronted by great bloomin' color - and the scent of lilacs (R bought some for the living room, mine are almost out upstate).

Spring is rushing forward.

And Hudson's grown some crazy amount.

And April's almost over.

And I miss Linds.

C

(When we were little, living in Boston and glued to ZOOM, Linds and I sent in a joke. If they'd chosen it to read on air, I think we'd have won a ZOOM shirt.

The joke:
April showers bring May flowers,
What do Mayflowers bring?

Pilgrims!

This was as funny as it got for us. )

Himalayan prayers, for Linds

These just in from Nina in Kathmandu. There will be one more day of the Phowa, then Rinpoche will burn Linds' photo, symbolizing the "completion of the transference of consciousness."

Nina also sent an other-realm-ly sound file of the chanting and drum. (A better blogger would know how to post that too - share the shivers.)


As my godmother Jeannie (mother of Nina) said:
"Loved seeing how comfortable Linds looked on Rinpoche's altar. I loved seeing Linds, Nina, Lobsang, Rinpoche all gathered in the same place and know Linds was somehow enjoying being remembered in that far away and very troubled mountain kingdom by that wonderfully random cast of characters."







C - grateful for these, thank you Nina, Lobsang and Rinpoche

A little town called Hudson

Things to know about Hudson Stephenson Brown's town:

Hudson is a city in Columbia County, NY, on the River Hudson, The community was named for the river and for explorer Henry Hudson. It is the county seat.



The latitude of Hudson is 42.252N. The longitude is -73.791W.

The estimated population, in 2003, was 7,296.



Once a busy port city, frequented by whalers carrying whale oil and sealskins (Better known for brothels in the first part of the 20th cen. - well-over now and no vestiges at all).



Claims the oldest volunteer fire department in New York.

Known for its antique shops.

(And ready to host a ticker-tape parade when ever its son/mascot returns.)

Linds' merit

Nina (Phowa-organizer in Kathamndu) was on Skype this morning and messaged the following.

[11:03:51 AM] Nina Henning says:
"I will write this out in more proper way later,
and I don't totally understand how it works,
but Rinpoche was able to look up the astrological signs from Linds' birthdate (which I got from my mom), and then meditate on these signs
and then shared with us that, from a karmic viewpoint:

She was a really wonderful person who had gained lots of merit and good karma throughout her life.

Of course, we already knew that, but I guess good to get confirmation from a high Tibetan lama. :)"

In the name

(a little backstory).

Last Christmas, when Hudson-to-be was a gender-unknown-potato inside Linds, she and Chad, and dad and sarah, came to visit for the holidays.

They came to my house (in germantown), then (on the day before Christmas-eve), we all went to Hudson.

The name has a ring, yes?

Linds thought so.

Hudson report, week 2

A little report c/o Matt Brown (Chad's brother) in Dallas.

Hudson Stephenson Brown had his second pediatrician's appointment this morning and - not surprisingly but relieving-ly - he continues on the roll of being PERFECT.

Some confusion on weight (he's either gained 2lbs - which would be remarkable - or 1, which would be very respectable) - but will clear that up tonight.

In meantime and since it's my blog -

Another photo of me with the man : )

C - proud aunt too far away

Dad does diaper

 

Because we can all use some light.

Dad, taking first whirl at changing Hudson.
One sock flying, dad's humor flagging, Hudson wriggling and, when it was all over and dad had snapped the onesie back in place:
One baby in a backwards diaper.

(Who didn't mind at all.) 

A man so small

There's clamor in my mailbox.

MORE HUDSON.

How I wish the little man was in the next room (I'm back in upstate NY),so I could sate you with more photos and reports from cribside.

Here's another though - not unlike some others but different angle and expression of deep calm.



Hudson's calm is inversely proportionate to the bottles gone through.



C

The divine spell

Prayer Flags on hillside near Pemayangtse, Sikkim

Our family's lived in a global-ish way. Dad met step-mom Sarah in Phnom Penh, Linds and I were born in Bombay, Mom toted us around Turkey as kids, Linds fell hard for Latin America, Dad's still logs miles across Africa, the 'Stans, Mongolia...Sarah too.

That Linds and my worlds were made global by our parents means that, as the news of Linds' passing and Hudson's arrival reaches the far ends of our earth, each day brings waves of remembrances and, with them, a widening circle of love for her.

And you realize: these things are universal. Death too young and new life. Every culture, every age has met these twisted fates and divined both wisdom and ways of telling just as we have our own poems, prayers and sympathies.



Here's a sampling of what's come in (thanks to Sarah for passing along some of hers as well.)

From Nina in now-calm Kathmandu:
"Lobsang is on his way over to Rinpoche's place to deliver Lindsey's photo. The Phowa (Tibetan Buddhist tradition: the transference or ejection of consciousness into the state of truth and bliss) will last for 2 days, we'll send photos."

From Hope Leezum ("Little Hope") in Sikkim:
"I shall put up prayer flags for Lindsey here in Sikkim."

From Fahimid in Myanmar:
"Send a photo of Hudson. I am sure he has divine spell to keep all around him mesmerized!! God gives this special power to all new born and this is why parents and family around become so happy."

From Jase in Tokyo, a quote:
""Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife, Throughout the sensual world proclaim, One crowded hour of glorious life, is worth an age without a name." - Thomas Osbert Mordaunt.'"

And so many prayers - going out from Sofia, Melbourne, Columbia, Buenos Aires, Hanoi, Ankara, Portland, Plano, Kabul, Mexico City, Honolulu, Munich, Bombay...

C - imagining Linds is, finally, everywhere

A little backtrack/recap

I never reported on the Memorial: in every way the celebration we'd hoped for.

Our family's most sincere thanks to Linds + Chad's friends, to Bruce, Albert, Pam and all of Hyperion, to Jason, Brian and Celia and EVERYONE at Frito Lay, to the Atheneum, the clouds that didn't rain on us and the crows that saw fit to just fly over our heads, not deliver onto them.

The program:

Remembering Lindsey

Invocation: Rev. Ashley Jansen

Prayer: Bruce Thompson (Hyperion Colleague)

Reflections: David Pyle (Lindsey’s Father)

Reading:Chris Nichols (Lindsey’s Step-Brother), Do Not Stand by My Grave, Mary Frye

Reflections: Courtney Pyle (Lindsey’s Sister)

MUSIC

Reflections: Lynne and Bill Brown (Chad’s Parents)

Homily: Rev. Ashley Jansen

Reflections: Jason McDonell, Brian Graybill (Frito Lay Colleagues)

Reading: Matt Brown (Chad’s Brother), from The Prophet, Khalil Gibran


Reflections: Chad Brown

* Moment of Silence *

MUSIC: Amazing Grace

Closing Benediction: Rev. Ashley Jansen

At this time there will be an opportunity, for those who wish, to share their own remembrances of Lindsey (Johnny, Rod, Chad's uncle and Linds' Exeter friends spoke).



MUSIC: "Ooooh Child" sung by Sarah Vaughan

***

3:30 – 5pm, Reception immediately to follow service at DeGoyler House & Gardens

The seats you filled

By 2 Friday, all filled.

Linds drew a crowd.

Thanks for all who came and all who sent their prayers and best wishes.

More posts soon, sorry for the lapse. Transit sucks.

C

the hopelessly open door

From Sonnets to Orpheus, Rilke

- 25 -

You whom I loved like an unnamed flower,
plucked too soon, I will tell them of you as I
seek your shifting image and again remember,
beautiful companion of the irrepressible cry.

I see first the dancer, checked by lingering fate,
as though her youth were being cast in bronze;
mourning and listening till in celestial response
music poured through her heart's transmuted gate.

Illness drew nearer. Already in the shadow's clasp,
her darkening blood, unconvinced, yet broke the grasp
to pulse forth once more the familiar spring fervor.

From dark and relapse, it often surged rebounding,
mortal and bright, till at last, with a fearful pounding,
it flowed through the hopelessly open door.

(poetry helps me. connecting. send out little threads to the eons of losing - and speaking about it.)

Me and Linds, Sea Island

me and Linds, Sea Island
Originally uploaded by Circa.

Can't recall what year this was but remember that we were in Mom-made dresses.

I must have had a growth spurt, Linds hadn't had hers yet...

C (sifting through photos)

Day for Linds

Linds with Chad, Bermuda last year

Lindsey's obituary was the lead one in the Dallas Morning News

(in the paper version, she's above a fellow who traveled twice at the speed of sound.)

There's also a paid obituary with a little more oomph (written by us), here.

And, in a few hours, all the Linds lovers/missers/celebrators will gather at the Arboretum. Right now, at the Marriott Courtyard off some Dallas expressway, a whole lot of Linds lovers have already converged.

Love to all.

C

Little man's fans

Hudson holds the room - riveting with his sneeze, REM flicker, poop-producing grimace.

Here he is in the human context he's been enjoying. (He's not left alone a lot.)


Aunt Annie + Hudson


Ashley + Hudson


Grandmom Sarah (official grandma name TBD) + Hudson


Me + Hudson (I'm talking to him, he appears asleep).

C

Funny ears, that's all

Besides being declared "perfect in every way" by his pediatrician at this morning's appointment, Hudson further distinguished himself by having character-ful ears. One bends just slightly inwards, or something.

Perfect +.

Perfect with attitude.

But, to the relief of all, utterly perfect.

Hudson came home

Yesterday, having had his nether bit snipped and his MRI given thumbs up/all's clear, Mr. Hudson Stephenson Brown came home to 5927 Vanderbilt Avenue.

The smart-baby-mozart was playing, the family was gathered round the crib. His arrival was triumphant, his first poop almost immediate.

All smooth since, sound of baby through the house and always a small peanut to go visit. Hudson's barely a blip on the expanse of his crib matress, a small, tightly-swaddled bundle of person-to-be.

He's enchanting. You'll love him.



Hudson dancing during changing photos to come.

C

All the kind words, and traditions of many

Lindsey's friend from Exeter, Sabrina, sent this.

"The Jewish tradition, if a death and a birth coincide,
we are obligated to celebrate birth (and life) in the midst of our sorrow.
That beautiful boy was given every ounce of his mother’s beauty and character the moment she passed.
We will be able to see Lindsey in him every day and he will get twice as much love because of it."

Another good friend Nina will do a Phowa (the transference or ejection of consciousness into the state of truth and bliss) for Linds in Kathmandu.

And so many other wonderful emails.

Thanks so much to everyone. I can't respond to all but know I'm reading them. And so is Linds.

(Compiling Friday's Remembering Lindsey book and the program now. It'll be a Linds mix of Bob Hope/Dalai Lama/Nathalie Merchant/Saint Exupery...She would have charmed the room of them.)

Love

C

Linds

I love this of Linds. She's always gorgeous but she's also always laid back. And if she could have, she'd have worn pajamas all day.

This was visiting grandma and grandpop in Sea Island last year.

In lieu

Gifts lasting longer than flowers (though those have been so lovely, and sustaining for us all).

KIPP
KIPP Bridge College Prep
The Lindsey Brown High School Scholarship Fund
345 Spear Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 91405
510-879-2421
Website
(Our cousin Peppie/Cameron works at the Kipp Bridge in Oakland, part of the KIPP network of free open-enrollment college-preparatory public schools in under-resourced communities throughout the United States)

and

Friends of Tietze Park Foundation
On behalf of Lindsey Brown
P.O. Box 140693, Dallas, TX 75214
Website
(This is a local park (not a breeding ground for sleeping sickness) near Chad + Lindsey’s house in Dallas, undergoing a revamp – a place where Hudson would play.)

Lots have asked if there’s anything they can do for Hudson himself. Besides coming down here to baby-sit, the little fellow is really well taken care of both for now and for his future. Both the company that Chad currently works for (Hyperion) and Linds’ workplace (Frito-Lay) have been outrageously generous, we get news of new memorial gifts, gazebos and scholarships in Linds and Hudson’s names daily.

For Hudson addicts

As swaddled bundle and then, for the real addicts, Hudson's perfect feet.

Hudson Stephenson Brown, and dad Chad

Hudson's due home by early afternoon. Linds prepared the baby room, onesies are laundered and we're very ready to visit with him en masse and un-scrubbed (ICU protocol v. strict).

He gets even better by the day - we expect one of the world's bigger personalities by the time he's talking.


Love to all friends,

C

Remembering Linds. Memorial Details

This Friday, with the help of so many, we've organized a memorial/rememembering of Lindsey.

(We realize most will find this hard to make and expect there will be Lindsey celebrations popping up all over the country, this just happens to be the catered one.)

The details:

Lindsey Stephenson Brown Memorial
Friday, April 21st at 2pm at the Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road. (http://www.dallasarboretum.org/).
Guests can begin arriving at 1 pm - ask for the DeGoyler Home.

A reception will follow immediately after.

We'll open the floor at the end of the service to anyone who wishes to speak. Also, we're preparing a book of memories and images of Linds for Hudson and welcome additions.

For bereavement travel: Dignity Memorial Travel Desk 800-224-4177. Reference the Sparkman/Hillcrest funeral home, and ref# 2251. They are open 7 days a week from 7am to 10pm cst.

Where to stay: 45 rooms have been blocked at the Marriott Courtyard and Residence which share a parking lot. Rooms are held under "Frito Lay" - call 214-739-2500 or 214-750-8220 to book a room.

The block is available Thursday - Saturday night. These hotels are on Royal Lane off of 75 - near both the Arboretum and Chad's house.

Email me with questions: cpyle@rocketmail.com

Lindsey's gone

My sister, Lindsey Stepenson Brown, died last Thursday morning. She suffered a massive brain aneurism.

In passing, her son Hudson Stephenson Brown, who didn't meet his mom, came into the world a few minutes later.

Hudson is well, into his 5th day of life and due for release from Baylor Hospital tomorrow to his father and family's care.

Lindsey's memorial service will be this Friday, in Dallas.

I'll post donation details soon.

C