Spring is here!

Things are still really busy.  We found out last weekend that my father's sister was really sick and she ended up passing away a week ago today.  So, Clarence and I attended our third funeral in seven days last week.  We are so over funerals.  Period.  It makes my heart hurt to think that both my mother and daddy have lost their brother and sister in such a short amount of time.  I can not imagine losing my parents, and I hope that it is many many years down the road.

The only good thing that has come from all of the sadness in the last couple of weeks is getting to see the family that I don't get to see that often.  It was great seeing my cousin who lives in Chicago.  It was also great getting to see all of my cousins on my daddy's side of the family too. 

After all the funerals, we still haven't had time to slow down and we won't for the next couple of months.  The boys' soccer season started yesterday.  The boys' games started within 30 minutes of each other, so we had to split our time between their two fields.  This year is even more challenging to see both of the games because Isaac has moved up to a bigger field that is on the opposite end of the complex from Alex's field.  However, both of the boys played great yesterday, and it is going to be a great season!

blooms on our Bradford Pear tree

Alex going after the ball

Alex's girlfriend Sierra.  They're on the same team this season.

Isaac with his new sport glasses.  He thought it was the coolest thing ever that they have transition lenses.

Remembering Them

Well, this week has gone just as I hesitantly expected it would.  My mother's brother, Uncle James, passed away early Monday morning.  His funeral services will be tomorrow.  The most vivid memories I have of him are when he and my cousin, Jen, would come to visit in the summertime.  To me, he seemed like a very intelligent man who had seen and done many things.  He had travelled to places I can't imagine.  Sort of mysterious in a way.  He was a Mason and a Military man.  Two very important and wonderful types of person to be.  I am very thankful for him for if not for him, I would not know my cousin like I do or have the memories that she and I do.  He will be greatly missed.

Clarence's grandmother also passed away, today.  I am not sure when her funeral services will be.  What I remember about her the most is her personality.  She was very kind and loving.  She seemed to enjoy cooking and looked forward to preparing meals for her family.  I remember Christmases at her house.  I remember the home cooked meals.  I remember my favorite meal of hers: goulash.  She will be greatly missed.

I can not imagine the feelings that are being felt right now.  The loss of a father, brother, husband, grandfather.  And the loss of a grandmother, mother.  If I allow myself to dwell on it too long, it can become overbearing.

Uncle James holding grandson, Jake

Nanny and her daughter, Sharon

We haven't slowed down yet!

After my last post, my full intentions were to have a nice normal rest of the week and a slow lazy weekend.  Well, that didn't happen.  Clarence decided not to work on Thursday, and he ended up buying us the new van we had been looking at! 

Friday we had some major storms come through town.  Almost every county surrounding ours closed school early.  Ours did not.  But, my employer let us leave early and I rushed, carefully in our new van, to get the boys and get home.  I was so nervous driving.  The sky looked very eerie.  But, it never rained or hailed on the way home; it was just very windy.

Saturday we went to visit my parents to show them the new van.  After we left their house, we went to Clarence's grandmother's house.  She has been very sick, and hospice care doesn't think she has much time left.

Today, we went back to visit his Grandmother again and took their dog, that we took back when she got sick, to visit them.  She didn't really know who he was, but her husband was so glad to see him.  But before we went over there, I found out that my mother's brother isn't doing well either.  He is in the hospital and the doctors think he doesn't have much time left either.

This weekend has been a whirlwind and filled with a mixture of emotions.  Excitement and sadness all rolled into a couple of days. 

the green machine