A little sadness...

I wish so much that this blog could be all happiness and good times, but I think I would feel a bit dishonest if I didn't take a little time to post about this past week and the sadness that my family has faced. Since October, my extended family has now faced the loss of 7 members. Most from different sides of the family; 3 of them were quite a bit older and did not come as too much of a shock, but unfortunately too many of them were a shock. I know that this is going to be kind of a heavy and sad post...but I feel the need to send love to my family and just remember for a little bit. Toward the end of October, my family lost a very special man in my Uncle Robert Brinton. He passed away very suddenly, and it came as a very big shock to me. I was in the store when I got the news and I was so shocked that I almost sat down in the aisle because I was so shocked. I have so many wonderful memories of Uncle Robert, and going down for his funeral was probably the best thing for me then. I got to be surrounded by family and celebrate the life of a man that has had a huge impact on my life. Uncle Robert was so amazing and losing him was a really huge blow for me, but I know that he is carrying on a very important work on the other side. And luckily I have such a huge bond with his family and that bond will last forever because of the efforts of Robert and Nanette and my parents...I am so grateful for the closeness that we share. I think it was 2 weeks after Robert's death that my mom's Uncle Leland died. Leland was my Grandpa Roy's brother, he lived across the backyard from my Grandpa and I'm sure that they had a really great reunion up in heaven. Then around Thanksgiving Dad's Uncle Bud passed away after fighting for a while after a stroke I believe. Uncle Bud was my Grandma Betty's brother, and I felt like I knew him the best out of that side of the family because when we lived in Lubbock, when I was growing up, he had a house there and spent a lot of time there. I really have some fond memories of Uncle Bud. Then during finals week, Mom's Uncle Wayne, my Grandma Bertha's brother passed away. I don't think that I have any memories of Wayne Randall, but I made it home just in time to go down to the funeral with my mom, Becky, and Nanette. The funeral was very interesting because I didn't know him and I learned a lot about him during that time, and a lot about his family (my great-grandparents and great-aunts and uncles and my grandma). I sat between my mom and Nanette and I think that more than anything I was glad that I could be there for moral support. The next member of our family to be lost was very sad, my sister Kalli lost the little baby she was carrying. It was a really sad loss, but she is so strong and she amazes me. I love her so much, and I know that she will have another chance to be a mom soon. We escaped the sadness for a while, but this last week, both were very sudden and very sad. My cousin Tisha, lost her husband earlier this week. They have a little boy, and I can't imagine how hard that would be as a mom to try to explain to your child. I didn't know Kimmel very well, I only remember meeting him a few times, but from what I've heard of him, he was a really great guy. I'm sad that I won't get to know him better now. Then the other day I got a message from my dad, I guess my mom didn't want to be the bearer of bad news yet again, so my dad did it. He messaged me to tell me that my cousin Robyn had passed away. I don't know what exactly happened. Robyn is another person in my family that I didn't get to know very well. She had a rough life, a lot of decisions that led to a rough life, but she seemed so happy and like she was doing so well the last time that I saw her. I wish that I would have been able to know her better, I guess that is what the next life will be for...getting to know those that you didn't have a chance to know as well as you wanted to in this life. I don't know the details for a lot of what has happened this week, but I know that much of my family is suffering at this time and I wish there was more that I could do...I guess for now all I can do is pray. So to all my family who is in need of comfort, for all those who are mourning, my thoughts, my prayers, and my love are with you. I am so sorry that so many trials have come your way, and I hope that you all know how much you are loved.