Heaven is happier these days.

This summer I've had two very dear ladies change their address.
 My mom's oldest sister "moved" in July. 
My Aunt Marian was a cute, spunky delight.
On a family vacation when I was a girl, my aunt
french-braided my hair.
I hated it.
cried and cried.
No matter how much my mom and aunti said I looked cute..
I wasn't buying it.
Nope,
we had been at the beauty college and obviously I had a different hair-do in mind. At 7 years old that makes sense.

Years later, on one of her visits she was admiring our recently put in patio. My hubby had wanted to use gray and red bricks. 
I did not, but we did it his way. 
I was telling my aunt this and then I said.
" It does look good. I've just not told D. yet."  
She admonished me to do so.
In fact...she forced my hand at it. : )
She was telling him how nice it looked and then said 
"your wife has something to tell you."


I still smile about this to this day. 
She was a good example in many ways, and is certainly being missed by me. 


Another grand lady, my cousin Betty, lives in heaven now, too .
She comes from the other side of my family, Dad's side.
We saw her in June at a family event. 
I had such fun asking her questions regarding the turquoise jewelry she would buy and sell to my dad. She would go down to the reservations and buy directly from the Indians in the 1970's.

I remember wearing lots of the rings when I was in high school. 
In fact still wear them, along with other pieces. 
Our daughter wore one of the necklaces at her wedding this summer. 
My cousin was very pleased to discover this. 

We had a nice visit. Betty was one of those ladies who made you feel good about yourself. 
Always happy to see you, 
interested in your life and kids,
and had a great sense of fun and humor. 


She was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks after we saw her 
and very quickly, cancer won the battle. 
 She too left a big impression on my life.
she too is being missed by me.


My grief over these losses has come in spurts.
Due to distance I was unable to attend memorial services for them.
That kind of delays processing for me I think.
I've found grief sneaking in on me from time to time. 
It does that anyway, but seems to be more so now.


Am working on giving myself grace,
and acknowledge these ladies and losses.


I was blessed to be related to them 
and blessed to have my memories of them.


Will be fun to 'catch up' with them some day,
when I "move" too.