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263rd out of 719 books
—
937 voters
Dancing in Heaven: A Sister's Memoir
by
Christine M. Grote (Goodreads Author)
Dancing in Heaven is an inspirational story about my sister Annie s life, death, and her significance in the lives of those of us who loved her and others who were touched by her. Born with severe brain damage, Annie never outgrew the needs of an infant. She didn’t walk or talk. Our parents fed her, changed her clothes, and lifted her from her bed to her wheelchair and bac...more
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
October 1st 2011
by Grote Inc. LLC
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This was a first read that I was so thankful to win. From the moment I opened the front page, signed by the author, I knew I was going to be blessed. On every page and in every word, you couldn't help but see the love shining through for Annie. She had such an amazing story. For 51 years she blessed this earth and those around her. I loved the pictures throughout the book. It gave it such a personal touch.
Reading this book warmed my heart, and it will warm your as well. This story speaks of the...more
Reading this book warmed my heart, and it will warm your as well. This story speaks of the...more
This is a particularly well-written and absorbing account of the life and death of Annie and her loving and devoted family, as told by her sister Christine. In the book, Christine shares how everyone who crossed Annie's path was touched and I was no exception. Annie crept into my heart and I felt myself going through many emotions as her life on this earth slowly ebbed away. The author crosses between past and present flawlessly. I have the greatest respect and admiration for the entire family a...more
With compassion, courage and clarity, Christine Grote shows the reader what life with a disabled sibling looks and feels like. What I thought was a slow start in the beginning- a series of details about daily life- turned out to serve a purpose. It gave me a strong sense of the importance of routine in maintaining order in lives disrupted by a disabled family member. It all fell into place as the story moved along as I developed a deeper appreciation for how this family adapted. We meet Christin...more
Full review here
http://www.yourneedtoread.blogspot.co...
Dancing In Heaven: a sister's memoir is touching and inspirational. Annie's story is one that everyone should read. The way she affected her famiy and those around her was astounding.
Christine tells the heartbreaking yet triumphant story of Annie's passing from this life to the next. Interspersed in the events of Annie's decline are stories from childhood and other moments with Annie and how her remarkable smile blessed each person with who...more
http://www.yourneedtoread.blogspot.co...
Dancing In Heaven: a sister's memoir is touching and inspirational. Annie's story is one that everyone should read. The way she affected her famiy and those around her was astounding.
Christine tells the heartbreaking yet triumphant story of Annie's passing from this life to the next. Interspersed in the events of Annie's decline are stories from childhood and other moments with Annie and how her remarkable smile blessed each person with who...more
This was a wonderful, sweet, heart-warming read. It is a memoir of one of our own GR members’ life growing up with a sister born severely disabled, who was not expected to live into adulthood, yet died recently at the age of 51. It is raw, honest, and inspiring. I so admire her parents' lifelong strength, stalwart-ness and devotion. The love in this family is palpable. The author is frank and forthcoming in her thoughts, questions, and beliefs about how her sister’s life was, and how her life, i...more
I was lucky to get a copy of this book from the author.
Dancing In Heaven: a sister's memoir is touching and inspirational. Annie's story is one that everyone should read. The way she affected her famiy and those around her was astounding.
Christine tells the heartbreaking yet triumphant story of Annie's passing from this life to the next. Interspersed in the events of Annie's decline are stories from childhood and other moments with Annie and how her remarkable smile blessed each person with wh...more
Dancing In Heaven: a sister's memoir is touching and inspirational. Annie's story is one that everyone should read. The way she affected her famiy and those around her was astounding.
Christine tells the heartbreaking yet triumphant story of Annie's passing from this life to the next. Interspersed in the events of Annie's decline are stories from childhood and other moments with Annie and how her remarkable smile blessed each person with wh...more
In this poignant memoir of her sister, the author tells of the love and devotion of her parents and the blessedness of having Annie in their family for 51 years. The family never regretted the decision to keep Annie at home and take care of her themselves; saying, "God gave her to us and we will do the best we can to care for her, she simply does not belong in an institution."
I could not put the book down and read it in one sitting; from it, I learned what is really important in life. Everyone...more
I could not put the book down and read it in one sitting; from it, I learned what is really important in life. Everyone...more
This is a truly beautiful memoir—one that will leave the reader both rejoicing and crying as Grote relays the story of her wonderful sister’s life. Annie, born with severe brain damage, defied doctors and lived to be 51 years old, and though times were hard for Annie and her family, Grote depicts their lives with elegance. Through this beautiful memoir, Grote shows just how special Annie really was, how much she touched the lives of those around her, and how much she means to those that really k...more
I am the author of Dancing in Heaven.
Severely disabled at birth, my sister Annie never outgrew the needs of an infant. She didn’t walk or talk. Our parents fed her, changed her clothes, and lifted her from her bed to her wheelchair and back for her entire life. Although the doctors who initially diagnosed her predicted she’d have a life expectancy of eight years, Annie lived to be fifty-one years old.
Dancing in Heaven is an inspirational story about Annie s life, death, and her significance in t...more
Severely disabled at birth, my sister Annie never outgrew the needs of an infant. She didn’t walk or talk. Our parents fed her, changed her clothes, and lifted her from her bed to her wheelchair and back for her entire life. Although the doctors who initially diagnosed her predicted she’d have a life expectancy of eight years, Annie lived to be fifty-one years old.
Dancing in Heaven is an inspirational story about Annie s life, death, and her significance in t...more
Christine Grote commented briefly on the post I had made to my Goodreads author blog. Intrigued by the title and the synopsis of her own book about the life and passing of her severely disabled sister, I offered to trade a copy of "Unexpected Joy" for "Dancing in Heaven". Having read more than a few stories, some fiction and some non-fiction, about families with disabled members, I was not expecting this one to be remarkable. That is to say, no more than any other of its kind, because all stori...more
"Dancing in Heaven: A Sister's Memoir" was wonderfully written by Christine M. Grote. I could tell when I read this book, I could see that there was so much love for her sister, Annie, and the family's desire to do all they could for Annie. Annie was severely disabled since birth - cerebral palsy.
Sunday, August 16, 2009, at the age of 51 years, Annie succumbed to the cancer that was diagnosed a couple weeks earlier. She had a large cancerous mass in her abdomen and another smaller one in her ute...more
Sunday, August 16, 2009, at the age of 51 years, Annie succumbed to the cancer that was diagnosed a couple weeks earlier. She had a large cancerous mass in her abdomen and another smaller one in her ute...more
As I turned the last page, tears were streaming down my face. Happy that sweet little Annie was finally able to dance in heaven, no longer hampered by the prison that her body had been for her sparkling and merry mind. Sad that her radiant smile was now only a memory.
Dancing in Heaven, a sister’s memoir, is written by Christine M. Grote. She is a talented, gifted writer, whose words filled my mind the last six weeks. I finished it last night. Each evening I would read only a few pages of the boo...more
Dancing in Heaven, a sister’s memoir, is written by Christine M. Grote. She is a talented, gifted writer, whose words filled my mind the last six weeks. I finished it last night. Each evening I would read only a few pages of the boo...more
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This is the remarkable true story all about Annie, told by her sister the author Christine M Grote. Annie was born with severe brain damage in 1958 when Christine was little more than a year old, so her memories of childhood don’t include a time before Annie. She had always been in Christine’s life with her disabilities fully present. She had never known life without her.
The whole family take constant care of Annie. Annie is diagnosed as having cerebral palsy. Annie does not walk or talk. Althou...more
The whole family take constant care of Annie. Annie is diagnosed as having cerebral palsy. Annie does not walk or talk. Althou...more
The love Christine Grote had for her sister, Annie, is apparent in every single word in this short, heartfelt memoir. I so admire the courage of people who write about the lives of others who meant so very much to them. It requires a strength I can only step back and stare at in awe.
Annie's mom is the strongest of all. She has an elderly mother who is suffering from dementia and has to be transferred to a full care facility, a husband recently diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimers and a dau...more
Annie's mom is the strongest of all. She has an elderly mother who is suffering from dementia and has to be transferred to a full care facility, a husband recently diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimers and a dau...more
Such a moving and amazing story of a woman who never danced, but enriched everyone's lives she touched by her smile. I was honored to read it and to know the author and sister of Annie...
Thank you Christine for writing your story and sharing that part of your life with me and the world.
Thank you Christine for writing your story and sharing that part of your life with me and the world.
WOW... what an amazing book!!!
This is a beautiful memoir and tribute to the author's sister, with a nice back and forth flow between the story's current crises and what it was like growing up with a severely disable sibling. Annie lived to be 51 years old, and stayed in the care of her parents her entire life - Dancing in Heaven is an amazing story of devotion and love. I read it in one sitting, and shed a few tears, too!
Thank you Christine M. Grote for sharing Annie with the world!
Thank you Christine M. Grote for sharing Annie with the world!
This book was a hard read for me. I am the sibling of a disabled child and it brought up many memories. I think it is an outstanding book. Every parent should read it to understand the point of view of the sibling. I also think it should be a required special ed teacher read.
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Jun 18, 2012 05:57am