Ohio

A couple weeks ago we had to take an unexpected trip to Ohio for my Uncle Brian's funeral. Uncle Brian was my dad's younger brother who unfortunately suffered with a lot of health issues during his life including a brain injury and epilepsy. While he wasn't in the best of health towards the end of his life and was preparing to have a back surgery, it was an accidental fall that complicated things. He suffered a brain bleed from his fall that caused more injury to his brain and while they were making plans for long term rehab they discovered extensive cancer in his pancreas, liver and bones. This caused the doctors to change their course of action from rehabbing the brain injury to hospice care. It was only a matter of hours after my grandparents signed the DNR that he passed away.

My dad, Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Brian {2015}

My uncle lived with my grandparents 12 hours away in Ohio and unfortunately we only saw him about every 3 years growing up. I am so grateful that he made the trip down to Virginia Beach this past June to come to Sara's high school graduation. I wish I could tell him now how thankful I am that he traveled 12 hours in a car to come see us even though his back pain was so bad that it made it difficult for him to walk. I am so thankful for the last moments I spent with him helping him into the car before they left that weekend... he mumbled something about being a failure and I told him I did not think he was a failure and that I loved him very much. Due to his troubled life I have some less than perfect memories of my uncle, but because one of his favorite things were his nieces and nephews I also have a lot of loving memories of him. Without a doubt he loved his status as an Uncle. He even loved his status as a Great Uncle. I'm so glad he got to meet Lilly when he came down in June.

We drove up to Ohio to attend his funeral. It was a private, graveside service where my dad gave a moving eulogy for his brother and we were all given the chance to say goodbye. Even though it was a sad reason to be up there, it was beautiful time together with family.

It was almost surreal to be back in Ohio with my 2 girls. Not much has changed at my grandparents house in the past 30 years. Same red shed behind their house, same cornfield and clothesline in the back yard, same old fashioned telephone hanging on the wall in their den. It felt good to be able to share that with my girls since Reaghan was only 9 months old the last time she was in Ohio. She is old enough now that she'll remember this trip and I'm thankful for that.



The evening of my Uncle's funeral, after the reception was over and everyone had left, we sat with my parents out in the grass in my grandparents back yard. Just sat in a circle in the grass. I don't really know how we all ended up sitting like that but we did and it was good. I didn't know then how precious that time would end up being to me. We breathed in the country air, watched the girls run around, and whistled with grass between our hands.

We drank a mountain dew together in memory of Uncle Brian. It was his favorite drink and he always had one with him when we were growing up.

When life is difficult and painful, sad and wearisome, its so good to have family.

PS

I also took my new all time favorite picture of my grandpa. <3