A Tragedy in the Family

Growing up I knew I had a small family. You wouldn't think that if you knew I had 8 brothers and sisters. We are a mixed family of a his/mine/ours variety. My (step)father had five children from a previous marriage, my mom had three and after they married they had one more. However after a brief amount of time (a few year) his children moved out of state and we did not have contact with them for quite a while. We have had brief contact with my father's sister and children a few times over the years, but mainly it was my mother's family with whom we gathered with on Holidays and such. My maternal great-grandmother, grandmother, grandfather, two Aunts with spouse and their 4 children (total combined).

I learned a few days ago that my Aunt's middle son Jason died. She has two sons currently serving in the military. I have already in the last decade lost my Great-Grandmother and my Grandfather, so to lose a cousin in the prime of his life is just yet another devastating blow to my small family. [Not that my families loss is any greater just because we are a smaller family.] I can now truly empathise/sympathize with the families who have lost loved ones.



Although I cannot be with my Aunt and family at this time know that you are thought of, prayed for and loved.

To read More about my cousin go here, my mom has posted her thought and memories of my cousin.