A Year of Missing

It happened suddenly even though I was expecting it. It left me in shock, numb, and in a state of disbelief. I began to go through the motions of packing, calling people, and planning the following week. Nothing seemed real. It was as if the world had stopped and kicked me off and I was in my own little space.

My daughter Brianna on her wedding day
with Mary Lee

The following week was filled with travel, packing up an entire household, and then finally saying "see you later". It was a draining week, a sad week, a week I will never forget.

A year ago April 26th one of the most interesting, unique, and loving women I know, passed away. My Aunt Mary Lee Weiler. 

She was always there for us as a family. No matter how far away we were she made it to birthday parties, graduations, weddings, and holidays. When something happened with a member of the family she knew about it and did what she could to help.

After she had passed away my parents, Geoff, and I had to go through her apartment and clean everything out. On her walls were family pictures, school pictures of my children, my daughter's wedding pictures, and my wedding pictures. In every nook and cranny of her home there were pictures. In her dresser drawers, cabinets, closets, under her bed. Wherever you looked she had surrounded herself with pictures of the people she loved the most, her family.

Over the course of this year there have been many times when I've picked up the phone to call Aunt Mary Lee only to be hit with the pain of losing her all over again. My daughter and I wanted to tell her about the baby on the way. I wanted to call her after my heart surgery and tell her I was going to be fine. Not hearing her unique voice over the phone saying "Well now, how we be doing?" still hurts.

We as a family were blessed to have this very special person in our lives. We are better people because of her example. She knew what was important to her, God and family. It is my prayer that my children will remember Aunt Mary Lee's example and cherish God and family as much as she did.

Me at the age of 18 months with
Mary Lee

What a joy to know that we only said "see you later". Knowing that I will see Aunt Mary Lee again in heaven has given me great peace over the last year. Missing her on earth with never change but the excitement of seeing her again carries me on.

Until we meet again Aunt Mary Lee! Love you, Miss you!