Saturday, June 30, 2007

Absense Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

One of life's hardest things is to be separated from people you love.

We have many thousands of men and women in the US armed services that are in places all around the world, while their families are here in the States, their kids growing and growing while they're gone. They deal with it every day.

My older brother, Paul, lived the last 14 years of his life in the Salt Lake City, Utah area.

Back when I worked for Delta Airlines, we were able to fly up and see Paul and his family, but after I quit to go back to college, the visits were all but cut off. It's a long way to Utah, and from Utah to Louisiana or Florida.

Paul's daughter was 12 when he died in 2001. She just turned 19 this past week.

And we found out a couple of nights ago, that she had a baby boy two days after her 19th birthday.

Being so far away from my niece, brand spanking new great nephew, and the relatives up there who have been watching over her is more difficult than I can say.

So if you're the praying type, say a prayer for my niece Lacee's heath and recovery from giving birth, and also for the health and blessing of my new (and first) great nephew Kieler (rhymes with Tyler) in Utah.

I'm blessed and happy that a new baby is born in the family, but at the same time, I grieve because Paul isn't here to see his grandson, and that we're so far away.

This little girl is now a mother.

4 comments:

photowannabe said...

My prayers are with the family and I hope you can connect sometime with the new little wonder.

Meg said...

Oh, sad and happy at once. I hope you get to see the little man in the not-so-distant future.

Scribbit said...

Of course I'll remember them. Congratulations to you and Lacee--this makes you an official Great Uncle.

I can see how the celebration of this new event would make you miss your brother even more right now.

Gudl said...

Congratulations!
I hope you can make a way to go and see the baby and your niece.
In Germany we have a saying 'where there is a will, there is a way'!!
My family is far away, too. But somehow I make it over there at least every other year.