Spending the day away from my kids always makes me appreciate them more the next. Yesterday was one of those days. I've been taking a cake decorating class, so yesterday morning attended that, and our psuedo-Grandma watched the kids. Then I picked them up and we came home for a few minutes, I let them run around and go to the bathroom and then were off again to Daddy's work. I dropped them off with Greg, and then went out for dinner with a few of my cousins, since one of them is moving back to Michigan. I'll miss her, but her husband has been out of work since Christmas, and he has some leads out there (plus, he's from the UP, so loves it there as well). Their kids get along really well with our kids, and although we didn't see them real often, the kids sure enjoyed it when we did.
The other sad note was that a different cousin's nephew passed away from cancer. He's been battling it since last October, and they thought that the chemo/radiation was doing it's work, but apparently the cancer got into his spinal fluid. He went downhill fast after that, passing away yesterday. He was only 9 years old, and I just can't imagine what his parents are going through. To see your little boy suffer so, and then die, must be impossible to do of our own strength.
Although they know he is now safe in the arms of Jesus, going home without him is going to be difficult. The empty hole he left in their lives will be so difficult to work through. The questions of "why him?" and "could we have done more to save him?" and so many others will flood them, I'm sure. If you can write them a note of comfort, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. The mom is kind of like a cousin to me. The boys grandma was married to my uncle, who was killed in Vietnam only months after they married. She then remarried, and so our families have kept in touch all these years. Although not related, they have been like extended family because their mom was family for a while. It does make me hug my own kids tighter, appreciate their kid-ness and messes and noise. Because it would be pretty quiet around here without them (even one). The more kids, the better!!
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewbisila/journal
The other sad note was that a different cousin's nephew passed away from cancer. He's been battling it since last October, and they thought that the chemo/radiation was doing it's work, but apparently the cancer got into his spinal fluid. He went downhill fast after that, passing away yesterday. He was only 9 years old, and I just can't imagine what his parents are going through. To see your little boy suffer so, and then die, must be impossible to do of our own strength.
Although they know he is now safe in the arms of Jesus, going home without him is going to be difficult. The empty hole he left in their lives will be so difficult to work through. The questions of "why him?" and "could we have done more to save him?" and so many others will flood them, I'm sure. If you can write them a note of comfort, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. The mom is kind of like a cousin to me. The boys grandma was married to my uncle, who was killed in Vietnam only months after they married. She then remarried, and so our families have kept in touch all these years. Although not related, they have been like extended family because their mom was family for a while. It does make me hug my own kids tighter, appreciate their kid-ness and messes and noise. Because it would be pretty quiet around here without them (even one). The more kids, the better!!
