Almost right after I hit publish on the "this week is kind of crap" post last week, we got some spectacularly awful news. Mike's grandmother passed away early Friday morning and while I don't want to say much else (this isn't really my news to share or speak on; it's Mike's), I keep thinking one thing: how beautiful it is that Mike had the kind of relationship with his grandmother that he did. They were close, and she was a constant part of his life up until last week.
While death is always hard and especially hard when you are close, there is some comfort in knowing you had so many good memories, you couldn't possibly choose just one. Mike's good memories of her are endless and they'll keep him warm for a long time to come.
It also gives me great comfort that Kyle already has similar relationships with both his grandmas. He adores them so much, his whole body lights up when he sees either of them. And he gets to see them often, too. I didn't have this kind of relationship with my own biological grandmothers, and I am healed a little more each day because Kyle does.
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This weekend was okay, recovering from the flu, spending time with family in town for the funeral, continuing to ignore the laundry, but it felt a little like going through the motions, of course. At one point Kyle and I sat outside, waiting for Kristie to come over for dinner. He sat down on our front porch, all smiles, and said, "Mommy, sit by me please." We sat, he smiled at me, and this time I did pull out my camera.
He helps shake us of just going through the motions.
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I am a big advocate of finding your passion outside the home as much as inside it. Work, hobbies you wholeheartedly enjoy, dinner with a friend who makes you full-body laugh, travel, books, Sons of Anarchy on repeat, writing writing writing, running. Whatever. Just do something that's yours.
Still. At the end of the day (or in the middle of a Saturday afternoon), take a moment to remind yourself that while all that stuff is good and important, family is everything.
The family you were given, the family you make, and the family you collect along the way.
Everything.