Saying Goodbye

Today we are saying goodbye to my meme's husband Pete. My meme is what I call my grandmother, she is one of my favorite people in the entire universe and I love her to death! She was a very young when my mom had my sister and I, and never wanted to be a "grandma" so she is meme. I know, its supposed to be Mimi, like the french would spell it, but I used to write her letters when I was little and we all know I can't spell and so it stuck! My grandfather died about 5 years ago from Alzheimer's and kidney failure and he was my second favorite person in the whole universe. I have been very close to my grandparents my whole life and I feel so blessed to have them as long as I did and for my children to know them too. I am not sure how I feel about losing Pete. I am very sad for my grandmother, she is just so exhausted from the lengthy illness, and I think it will be easier after the initial grieving is done for her. He was a lovely man and so kind to her during their brief marriage. She was very happy spending her time with him. I know she has been mourning him for about a month knowing he would never recover. I am sad he is gone, but I am relieved his suffering has ended. Having cancer is an ugly way to die. I hope I go quickly when its my turn.

I am assuming that a rosary will take place this weekend and the funeral will be Monday or Tuesday. We are at the mercy of the Army here, he was a retired Colonel. Pete's kids are traveling into town from Louissianna, Houston Tx, Boston, and I forget where his son lives. His brothers live somewhere out of town too. Hopefully his daughter will do most of the plannning, she was left in charge of his affairs after his death. Now my grandmother will have to find a new home to live in, she has 6 months then she is supposed to move out so his house can be sold. She wanted it that way, they had a pre-nuptial agreement so there would be no trouble from the kids. He has his money and she came into the marriage with her own. So no trouble fighting over it at the end. Thank goodness. I secretly wish she would come live with me but she is way too independent for that and will be looking for a little townhouse or garden home someplace near my mom and dad.

Anyway, we say goodbye to a very nice man that we didn't know that well but we cared for him after knowing him just a few years. My son is sad, he is worried that everyone meme marries dies. He doesn't quite understand that its only been twice and they were not jinxed or something. He probably thinks she will find someone else and do it again. I will assure him that at 83 I think she is done marrying in her age group. The kids are worried about it and not sure how to handle it. I think we just don't have much experience yet to go by. Thanks for listening.