this crazy thing called life

lately i've been thinking a lot about the good things in life. being happy, everything going exactly as it should. how life just seems to work itself out. the holidays are near, and everyone is joyful and thankful. i've been thinking about how excited i am to give gifts! the joy of giving!

mom, aunt deanna, aunt michelle, aunt patty, uncle billy
aunt kathleen

then i got a phone call.

my uncle billy passed away tonight. this was not what i was expecting to hear. my uncle has been in and out of the hospital since september, and prior to that had a really ruff couple of years moving to albuquerque from seattle, back to seattle then back to albuquerque.

my uncle billy was the cool one. like the super cool one. the one you wanted to sit and chat with, and just listen to his stories. he would talk and talk and talk! on one of my trips to seattle uncle billy took me out just the two of us. i was probably 13 or 14. we went up the seattle space needle and had dinner at the top where it spins around. after the fancy dinner we walked around and he bought me this pretty crystal of a horse on a carousel. it is a very fond memory and makes me smile when i think of it.

i last saw my uncle billy when i was home in october. i visited him in the hospital. i sat on his bed and we chatted.

honestly, i think he just gave up. which is extremely sad, but at the same time that is what is best. he's with his parents and his brother, my uncle fred.

on top of this a close family friend is currently in hospice care. my "aunt" mary has also been in and out of the hospital since september. in fact i saw her in the same hospital i saw my uncle billy at in october. mary grew up with my mom and all my other aunts and uncles in santa fe.

**12/8/10** update, Mary passed away this morning.

many prayers will be said tonight.

barbell stregnth 60min