Well, the past week has gone absolutely nowhere near like what I had planned or even thought it would. I was supposed to go work a trade show, Mr. F was going to spend long days in the library to prep for the GMAT, there was going to be painting, laundry. None of that happened, except the library part. My husband has some serious focus and determination when it comes to the GMAT. The night before I was supposed to go work, we received a phone call that Mr. F's grandfather had passed away after a long a debilitating struggle with multiple health issues. This news put us on a plane with Mr. F's parents and sent the four of us to Washington for the funeral and much needed family time.
The overwhelming feeling at the gathering was not of sadness over Grandpa's passing. He had been sick for so long that in some ways, it was a relief. He was no longer in pain, But he is also no longer here, and that is where the bulk of the sadness came from. Emerging from this, however, came 24 hours of joy. All of Grandpa's children, two of his brothers, nephews, grandchildren, and friends gathered to celebrate not only his life, but the family he created.
To say this was a treat for me sounds overly callous, but it's true. This was my first chance in our marriage to get to know my husband's paternal family and I will always be grateful for it. I formed relationships with cousins and aunts and uncles that I never would have been able to and found a multitude of kindred spirits in my newfound family. We shared stories, daydreamed of future gatherings, and generally revelled in the joy of company.
To top it all off, my mom was only a few hours away in Portland, Oregon with her family and was able to drive up to meet us for the funeral. It really was a great trip in the midst of what could have been devastatingly hard.
Now, brace yourself for a bunch of photos that will mean nothing to you, but I needed to share to help me remember and document.
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