In The Morning Light - Paperback

by Patricia Robbins (Author)

For almost twenty-five years, Jeff and Pat Robbins lived with the knowledge that their identical twin daughters, Charlotte and Vanessa, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age nine months, would die young. In spite of this overwhelming terminal illness, they raised their girls to be joyful, hopeful, full of life and most important, abundant in love. Choosing to live and work on a thoroughbred horse farm, living an idyllic, simple life focused on time spent together as a family, Charlotte and Vanessa grew up trusting in life. Secure in who they were and the bond they shared as twins allowed them to venture into life fearlessly to follow their dreams of acting, painting and writing five children's books together. For college, they moved three thousand miles away from home, where they found happiness and the love of two incredible young men. This is the story of their remarkable journey. Written by Pat, the girls' voices are threaded throughout each chapter, using their own words taken from a documentary, a news program and their journals allowing them to tell their unique story of living and loving.

Author Biography

I have been a waitress, secretary, weaving teacher, artist, public relations assistant, senior fundraiser, caregiver, and Vice President. Nothing I have accomplished compares to being a mom and raising Charlotte and Vanessa, who continue to influence my life. Born and raised in New Jersey, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rosemont College, when I was forty. I've lived in nine states and spent a year in Sweden, learning to weave, spin and dye yarn. While writing this memoir, I was awarded a six-week writing residency at the Ucross Foundation in Ucross, Wyoming. Lucky in love, I have been married to Jeff, the love of my life, for thirty-eight years. We found one another when we were young, and although we have had such sorrow in our lives, it was entwined with laughter and joy, which has made our love grow stronger. We are grateful for the passion we still share. I am a member of "Mother's Finding Meaning Again", a special group of mothers who have lost children. We come together once a month to give strength and hope to one another, knowing we are not alone and that sometimes understanding does not need words. Nature is an important source of healing for me so most days I enjoy taking long walks, working in my garden and preparing healthy meals. Once a week, I monitor a blue bird trail on properties not far from my home, watching the cycle of life unfold before my eyes. Nature brings me happiness.