Celebrating Life and Mourning Death

Today is our daughter, Lauri's birthday. Lauri was the first baby of our original family.......she is our third child born two days after our fifth anniversary and was the last child for her first seven years and ........then........poor kid got the shock of her life. Three siblings by adoption, one more by birth and one more yet by adoption. I think Lauri kind of liked that youngest child position. She didn't fuss about loosing that to our first adopted child...but she has mentioned it over the years. Whatever position she had or now has, she is loved and cherished...so Happy Birthday to our precious child (Now an adult with four precious children of her own)

Yesterday was a day of sadness for us and particularly for my husband. I noticed him shaking his head at dinner. Then he shared that his cousin's death was just a pity. Ken's parents and John's parents were best of friends and spent big amounts of time together when the two boys were children. Being an only child, Ken and John became very close. John was as close as a brother to Ken....John only had sisters so Ken was his close childhood boy chum, too. After I met Ken, I learned to know John and found him likeable and caring and gentle. When we dated, we were with John and his dates several times. John married the same summer we did. Sadly, John's marriage didn't last.....a very stressful job added to the mix. I think perhaps John lost faith in humankind during those years. It's difficult to judge another's motives and behavior but his lack of desire to communicate with the outside world revealed a lot. His health began to break down and instead of reaching out, he turned in. As time elapsed, John spent all his time in his home....he didn't feel strong enough physically to face the outside world and I'm sure there was emotional stuff going on as well. We longed to see him and attempted to do so but John didn't want to see anyone but his children and sisters. I know that was difficult and hurtful for Ken. It's painful to want a relationship one can't have. One wonders sometimes why things have to be the way they are. Tis truly a broken world.

Today, we will go to Palos Hills to spend time with John's precious children and two wonderful sisters with whom we have a warm relationship. It will be an opportunity to share in the memory of good times. We plan to stay the night somewhere in the area and attend the funeral tomorrow. Just recently, John's sisters and I have been making plans to get together to visit when times are happy. Someone commented once that it would be nice if we got to share time other than at a funeral. We had no idea we would all be attending yet another funeral before our casual visit could occur. Hopefully, our plans to spend a weekend of enjoyment together will take place in October. So, to Carrol and Marcy, we extend our heartfelt sympathy and want you to know we share your sorrow. We trust the Lord to comfort your hearts and the hearts of John's children and grandchildren. We place you in His care and keeping.