2008 losses

This last year has been a hard but good year. I have many things to be grateful for and many people that I will miss this coming year.

We have had four very important people in our lives pass away this year.

Tina, who watched my son daily for years, will be greatly missed. She and I had many laughs over the years and also we just got each other. It is rare when you find someone that just "gets" you. Tina, I miss you.

Deanous, my second mother, passed in May. I have known Deanous since I was in the first grade. She taught in the school that I went to. Her daughter, R, was the first person I ever sat next to when we moved to the big ole little town I grew up in. There was one particular thing she did for me that I will never forget. We were on a band trip in high school and a teacher was giving me a hard time for no reason. Deanous stood up and basically yelled at the lady to leave me alone and that she would take full responsibility for me. She then came and gave me a big hug and told me that she was going to call my momma (as the lady giving me a hard time was my mother's cousin). All through the years she treated me and my brother as her own children. She loved my child as her own grandchild. She died two weeks before her own grandchild, a beautiful granddaughter, was born. My heart aches for R, as I can only imagine how losing your Mother and having a daughter all in the same 2 week period.......wow. I love you Deanous. I wish you could have physically held your granddaughter. She would have made you smile that beautiful smile of yours. You would be so proud. I miss you.

Also in May, Daddy M, our beloved grandfather whom we named our child after also passed just days after Dean0us. I have no words to express the loss we feel without having him here. He made me feel like I was the best thing that had ever happened to his grandson. He also loved to sing and made everyone around him feel like singing and dancing. Even though he knew that Mamaw smoked and drank he still never said anything. I have always had the utmost respect for him. He never pushed his opinions on anyone. He led by example. I will forever cherish the picture I have of the four generations together.

Grandad also passed this year. He passed a couple of days before the Hurricane Ike hit Texas. He was preparing us all the last few years that he was ready to go be with his wife, Punkin, in heaven. Well I wasn't prepared. He was the nicest most sincere man I have ever met. I don't think he had one mean bone in his body. His smile was contagious. He made everyone feel that they were the most important person in the world to him. Just thinking about him make me tear up. I can still hear him like it was yesterday. I hope I can always hear his voice in my head.

I know that this is a downer post.....but I need a place to say goodbye and also remember these special people in my life.