Broken Hearted

Last Thursday after Minnie's basketball game, CountryDad came to the house to deliver devastating news that Uncle Mike had passed away that morning. Reeling is the only word I could describe... out and in...in and out... I could not make sense of it... an apparent sudden heart attack shortly after grabbing a breakfast of Aunt Carol's famous chocolate chip cookies.

In our grieving and heart break, I am finding so much gratitude and thankfulness... for ALL the time spent with him...ALWAYS making time to hang out when they came to visit, for text messages but especially for our most recent trip to GA. Other than this picture....

I didn't take any other photos of he or Aunt Carol or us together... but in my memory.... are the conversations, the car rides, the deep couch sitting, the story telling, the advice he gave me and his thoughts and views on different aspects of relationships and my life. 

Through sobbing tears I told Husband AGAIN how so very GRATEFUL I was for that trip and how supported I felt by him to be able to spend the money and time away with Minnie. Those conversations with Uncle Mike (and Aunt Carol) will forever be some of my most favorite. 

To say that I am sad doesn't scratch the surface... heartbroken... physical hurt from sadness and missing this guy that was WAY more than just "Uncle Mike" to me...

Uncle Mike Posts

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Cry Part II

By Monday they had an empty house and the PODs had left for their next interim destination... we combined efforts as we have done for 8 years and pulled together a dinner for our crews...

There have been so many laughs, so many cries and so much LIFE around both my table and Liz's.... it was so nice to enjoy that time again...

until it got to be about "dark-thirty" and we both knew we had babies to wind down and life to move forward with.... 

God was SO good to give me this gal... both when I was small and then again when the journey of motherhood started for both of us a mere 10 days apart....a sister to encourage me, a friend to listen to me and a 2nd Mother to my babies that is NOTHING like me :) Such a gift to me and to my family...

and wasn't He so good to give us THIS crew... these kiddos that we each treated like our own, that love each other like siblings and have the privilege of knowing each other for their entire lives...

and then we won't even START with this guy... ;) 

and the tears running down his face...

off to their next adventure and life to be lived.... 

meanwhile...this Casa is looking at flights to NC.... before they head
"across the pond" for good...

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Cry....Part 1

Back when this picture was taken Liz told us that the long-term plan was to end up back in Australia with Mick's family.... back then.... when you are sleep deprived, new Momma's and just starting to figure out what it means to be a "stay-at-home" Mom.... sentences like that seemed forever away.... 

February 2010

as IF they were EVER this small....

February 2010

 flash forward 8 years that literally went by in the BLINK of an eye... and it was all of a sudden time to say good-byes... 

These kids have been sitting together on steps having their picture taken for a LONG TIME... 

I'd like to think they have gotten better at it... ;) but maybe not? :)

We soaked up every last possible second...

Sept 2010

and when the going got TOO tough for these C-gals we hit up the local ice cream parlor through our tears.... nothing like teaching my gals that ice cream is SOMETIMES the ONLY thing that helps...

We soaked up the last campfire party....

freezing cold as usual....

and the D's got to soak up their people....

Everything that Liz asked me if we wanted to do with them I just said "yes"... if I paused for a SECOND Husband would say... "how many more chances do we get.... let's do it!" 

It took three years.... (Defense is 3....)

But Spencer the dog-lover FINALLY came around and I think Defense is going to be sad to see his new friend go....

Minnie and I enjoyed a Saturday AM devotional with Liz's Mom at her church...

and the big gals got a little MORE time together...

this was Saturday.... Monday was coming... the last and final good-bye....until the next time...

The Ugly Cry... coming in Part II