Love, Forgive, Live, and Hug

I've been MIA for a while and I've missed coming to this place.  However, my last few weeks have been on what seemed like a bundle of events going on all at once.

First of all, we had some great times taking my daughter to Vegas to celebrate her 21st birthday.  My hope is to find some down time to post some great pictures of our fun time.  My entire family went and we had a really great time.  When they say you don't sleep in Vegas, it is true!  This wasn't our first trip there, but it was our kids' first trip there.  Well, we got back and I had to be right back at work.  My son had to be at his band camp every day.  So needless to say, I was VERY exhausted that week we came back!  You do need a vacation from a vacation!  That whole week went by and I was living day by day...or hour by hour trying to stay awake.  I wanted the weekend to hurry and get here just so I can sleep in Saturday.

Well, Saturday came and I didn't get to sleep in.  I got a phone call in the middle of the night that one of my little cousins had passed away.  It was so unreal.  I didn't know that anything was even wrong with her.  Apparently, she had been in ICU that day for complications still to this day are completely unconfirmed.  She passed shortly after midnight Friday night.  So, there I am trying to get in touch with other relatives and trying to grasp the reality of whether this is true.  I didn't want to believe it.  After seeing my uncle (her dad) at my grandmother's house that early morning, it was very true.  It hurt so much to see him hurting.

As everyone started pouring in one by one into my grandmother's house, my grandmother cried with each one of her grandchildren as she hugged them.  It was such a sad time.

So the following week came and went.  The funeral was held.  Goodbyes were given.  Now there is just a small bit of emptiness in our family.  She was the first of the grandchildren to lose.  So, it hit us all quite a bit.  My heart hurts more for her parents and her brother.  I cannot imagine what they are going through.  It's hard because you don't even know what to say.

What I am grateful for is that her brother coincidentally asked to see all his cousins from his dad's side of the family, about a month ago.  He wanted to hang out with all of us.  We all met up one night and had a great time with a "cousins night out."

I know all things happen for a reason.  What I am trying to gather from this is that life is quite short.    You don't know when you go to bed that night if you will still have what you woke up with in the morning.  So, my friends, say I love yous, forgive, live, and give plenty of hugs.  For the life you are given is a blessing each and every day.