Holiday dinners are all about connecting with family. Some family we only get to see on special occasions due to today's busy schedule.
When it comes time to get close to a big dinner like this weekend I love sitting down and thinking of who I will get to see at each dinner that I may have not see in a while. This year it is not about who I will see at this years dinner but instead about who won't be there. Last year was a very hard year for me. They say things happen in threes and I wish that was the case. Last year I lost four very important family members.
The first was my Grandfather. He may not have been blood but he had been married to my grandmother for around fifteen years so he was my grandfather blood or not. He was the best thing that ever happened to my grandmother. I never saw her smile more then when she was with him. He was one of those typical old guys with a million interesting stories. In the end he was very sick and had been fighting cancer for the last few years. I was hurt when I found out he passed but at the same time it was good to know he was no longer in pain.
The second person that passed was my Grammie. She was by far the hardest death of the year. Not because of her meaning any more then anyone else but because she was healthy. She had her issues over the years but was always there. I could always just pick up the phone and chat with her. Also it was hard because she did not fully pass away it was a matter of pulling the plug as they say. One day she was healthy and going shopping the next day she was completely gone and would no longer ever be able to function on her own again. It was not an easy choice to make but even the doctor told us she would actually never wake up no matter what they did. The one thing I found comforting is the fact I was able to see her and say my last few words to her before she passed.
The third person that passed was my Grandfather. He was in the hospital for the last two years or more suffering with a full list of issues. Every so often I would get a call saying that he would not make it that week and I needed to come right away. We would go and soon after he would regain strength. He was a fighter and seemed never ready to leave his family. The last time I got the call I did not make it by less the 12hrs. I was getting ready to go see him when I got a call that he had passed in the night. He was in a better place now but I still miss him. His place was the cottage and I can honestly say the first time I go there this year will be really hard.
The last person that passed last year was my finances step father. He was not someone he was super close with but he was still family and it hit him hard when he found out. There may be a few missing seats this year at dinners but it makes me appreciate the people who are still with me. Embrace your family and tell them how much you love them this weekend. No matter the holiday in the end family is truly the reason for celebrating.
When it comes time to get close to a big dinner like this weekend I love sitting down and thinking of who I will get to see at each dinner that I may have not see in a while. This year it is not about who I will see at this years dinner but instead about who won't be there. Last year was a very hard year for me. They say things happen in threes and I wish that was the case. Last year I lost four very important family members.
The first was my Grandfather. He may not have been blood but he had been married to my grandmother for around fifteen years so he was my grandfather blood or not. He was the best thing that ever happened to my grandmother. I never saw her smile more then when she was with him. He was one of those typical old guys with a million interesting stories. In the end he was very sick and had been fighting cancer for the last few years. I was hurt when I found out he passed but at the same time it was good to know he was no longer in pain.
The second person that passed was my Grammie. She was by far the hardest death of the year. Not because of her meaning any more then anyone else but because she was healthy. She had her issues over the years but was always there. I could always just pick up the phone and chat with her. Also it was hard because she did not fully pass away it was a matter of pulling the plug as they say. One day she was healthy and going shopping the next day she was completely gone and would no longer ever be able to function on her own again. It was not an easy choice to make but even the doctor told us she would actually never wake up no matter what they did. The one thing I found comforting is the fact I was able to see her and say my last few words to her before she passed.
The third person that passed was my Grandfather. He was in the hospital for the last two years or more suffering with a full list of issues. Every so often I would get a call saying that he would not make it that week and I needed to come right away. We would go and soon after he would regain strength. He was a fighter and seemed never ready to leave his family. The last time I got the call I did not make it by less the 12hrs. I was getting ready to go see him when I got a call that he had passed in the night. He was in a better place now but I still miss him. His place was the cottage and I can honestly say the first time I go there this year will be really hard.
The last person that passed last year was my finances step father. He was not someone he was super close with but he was still family and it hit him hard when he found out. There may be a few missing seats this year at dinners but it makes me appreciate the people who are still with me. Embrace your family and tell them how much you love them this weekend. No matter the holiday in the end family is truly the reason for celebrating.