e-mail
It’s been a very long couple weeks in our household. This is a busy time of year for us anyway. Last week, as I posted earlier, we took a trip to West Virginia to pay our respects to Kristina’s uncle. He was a dearly loved man in his hometown, among community leaders, and undoubtedly among his family. It was a sad week as we had to say good-bye but we still were able to celebrate his life as he had lived a full 77 years.
It was an interesting thing to explain to Mia what was happening but she grasped it about as well as any 2 year old could. For her, the trip was about connecting with distant family who eagerly anticipated seeing her and some meeting her for the first time. Family who Mia was acquainted with were my wife’s cousin J.L. and her family. We always stay with them when we are in West Virginia. J.L. is Uncle Tom’s daughter and so it was nice for her to have family there. Mia grew especially close to J.L.’s husband and he was really fond of her. They became the best of buddies during this otherwise sad week. As we left West Virginia on Wednesday evening, she looked at him and said “I’ll be back later to stay at your house!”
This morning we got a very sad phone call. Last night as J.L. and her husband were preparing for bed he said he was not feeling well. Then in a matter of minutes he was gone. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Within a week, J.L. has lost her father and her husband. Our family is in shock and the grief has yet to come.
As we head back to West Virginia, I am truly at a loss as to how to approach this with Mia. I am by no means a child psychologist and so what she grasps of this I’m not sure. I do know that she will ask about her “buddy” and she will see the grief of our family. Think of us over these next few days as Mia will be learning life’s tough lessons albeit in a 2 year old context. Most of all, if you pray, think of my wife’s cousin who is dealing with so much right now.
Thanks for being an ear yet again…
