My father-in-law, who has been an active part of our family, died unexpectedly on the Monday before Thanksgiving. He had health issues, but we thought we’d have him for at least one more holiday season. He *was* Mr. Holiday. However, after a morning of running errands, including a routine visit to the doctor, he walked up to the porch and then just stopped. That was it. May his memory been eternal.
Life has been a blur since then. My dh has been spending large amounts of time in his hometown with his mother, who had been with her husband since she was 16 – she is in her mid-70’s now. Thanksgiving and Christmas involved lots of tears, as we really felt the gaping hole left by his absence.
One of the biggest challenges is how to explain to two young boys with autism that their grandfather has died and will not be coming back. S seemed to get it, and he brings it up every once in a while, telling us that gramps isn’t coming back. E doesn’t get it all, and he goes through their house when we visit, looking for him. I lost my own father when I was a child, but it never occurred to me that a loss would hurt even more as I ache for my own kids’ sadness at their grandfather’s passing.
We are off to spend the night at my MIL’s tomorrow night – the boys still love going to visit.
May his Memory be Eternal, indeed. Hugs to you as you travel, and enjoy your MIL!
Comment by mimima — January 18, 2008 @ 10:51 pm
Thanks, meems! The visit went well, with a blip because the restaurant we took the kids to for dinner apparently uses MSG in their sauce and my kids literally didn’t sleep all night there.
But, MIL was glad to have us nonetheless and I made a potroast for Sunday dinner.
Comment by busyhands — January 21, 2008 @ 10:53 pm