Losing Family

It's the end of a very long weekend for me finally. Tuesday the 27th of January my dad let me know that my Uncle Ron was in the hospital and probably only had about a week left to live. I made plans to pack up and head to California as soon as Bailey's Pinewood Derby was over Thursday evening, but then I got the dreaded call Wednesday morning that Ron didn't even make it through the night and had passed away right around midnight. I quickly packed and was on the road headed to California by 2pm. Asher has never really enjoyed being in the car, all the over trips we have ever taken have always been with me and James so it was easy to sit in the back with him and keep him happy, but this time it was just me and Asher and it made for a very long 7 hour car ride to California. The services were Saturday but my family is Irish and the wake started sometime Friday afternoon. The services went very well and my heart goes out to my cousin Jennifer who not only had to plan her father's funeral but also had to deal with certain family members who only wanted Ron's belongings and had no remorse for what she was going through. My Uncle Ron is my dad's twin brother, and at 54, was way too young to have passed away already. The last time I saw him was in California around New Year's Eve, actually it was on their 54th birthday, everyone had gathered at my dad's house for a little celebration and Ron's homemade clam chowder. Even though Ron was a grumpy man most of the time, he was very giving and always made you laugh. I will miss him, but mostly my heart breaks for his daughter who is currently pregnant with his first grandchild and my dad who has now lost the only two brothers he had. My uncle loved fishing, I am in the process of making a scrapbook page in honor of him...but for now here are some pictures of my uncle, my dad's twin brother, a father, and soon to be grandfather!...may he rest in peace!