Today was just one of those days. My girl and I woke up by alarm clock thanks to daddy’s job! Which we are very thankful for:) I then remembered I forgot about an appointment 20 minutes before I was suppose to be there. This all happened after Mike took the car with the carseat in it to work, he needs it to get to his interview tomorrow…and we don’t want to chance that with some macgiver wheels. He also took the keys to both cars. Basically I had an appointment I needed to be at by 9:15. I had a car but no keys, and I also had a baby girl who just went down for a nap & no one to watch her. Who do you call in a time like this? Grandparent’s but I wanted to give them a break:) So I called my lovely amazing best friend Emily. Wow that girl is fantastic, she came over in 2 minutes, let me use her car, and if that wasn’t enough she also did all my dishes. I had a family dinner last night which left me with a sink and counter full of dishes, it was record breaking. Phew.
But that’s not all, as Emily was walking in I received a phone call from my father. I can’t remember the last time he left a message on my voicemail so I knew it was bad. I called him back and he informed me my Uncle Frank had passed away. I have spent the entire day with this on my mind. This is the first loss I have felt in my family for as long as I can remember. I thought I would reflect on the childhood memories I have from him. They are really fun and I hope Mary Rose can have the same from her Uncle.
Uncle Frank was a jolly man, with ambition. He liked to tear things down, and build them back up the way he wanted them to be. He lived in a home in Lyon’s for most of my childhood, the only home I had even known him to live in. He is survived by one daughter named Rhonda and 2 sisters and 1 brother. I remember 2 of my uncles friends…Kenny and I can’t remember the name of the other one but I do know he had a piano and he played really well. They both were a bit strange but as a kid I had no idea what strange really meant.
I can see his face in my mind now. He had a sweet round, red cheeked face. He liked his beard and smiled with a big belly laugh pretty often. Although he was never not unseen in a room, he had a bit of shyness to him. I miss seeing him on our couch during thanksgiving. Those thanksgivings ended years ago, his face is always the one I remember the most. I wish those thanksgiving dinners never ended.
When I was a kid I remember playing in his backyard. The grass as tall as me, if not taller. Neighbors probably though he did that to piss them off, but that’s one of the cool things about Uncle Franks home. It always had a new place to explore. He had a home full of treasures. I remember his garage, once I was in it. Full of stuff. Like a flea market, but better because you weren’t selling it. He had a chow named Bear. He loved that dog, I did too, but for some reason no one would let me near him-including Uncle Frank.
Uncle Frank gave me many things in my life but I remember three I liked the most…well I remember many. He gave me a parrot that could copy what I said, he gave me one of those light up plants that changed colors..like green,pink,and red…he gave me barbies too(my Bloomingdales barbie is still in her box because Uncle Frank said it was a collector item). One Christmas when I was a lot younger before I even knew what toy-r-us was he took me there and said I could pick out any toy I wanted. In true Elizabeth fashion I picked out the most expensive thing, I don’t remember how he talked me out of it but instead I came home with a doll I could feed food to (powder mixed with water), and who pooped….I loved it!
Once while I played in his front yard, where my mom could see me through his grass I found a emerald ring. I brought it to him and asked him if I could keep it. He looked at it and gave it back and said since I found it I could keep it! I still have it!
While I had some really great memories I feel like there could have been more. I feel like there should have been more, and despite someone’s attempt to want to be left alone, they really are crying out for more love. I like to think he is with my Grandma’s & Grandpa telling them all about me. I wish he could have met Mary Rose but the trip to Minnesota simply isn’t an easy one to take. He would have loved her.
It’s day’s like today I am thankful for what God has given me. He has blessed me with such a beautiful life. He has given me so many people to be thankful for. I am truly grateful for everyone of my friends, new friends, my family and my new family. I know God is sizing up my Uncle Frank for his wings right now. I miss him. We all do.
