tough week

Last week was a tough week for us.  I was torn whether or not to share because this is primarily a decorating blog with the occasional recipe thrown in.  As I read other blogs I love, others have shared the occasional personal story of what is going on and I'm told that writing and sharing can be a healing process.  So, I tried to write about the week in which two major events happened in our family...and this was hard to write...but here it is.  I may have to break it up into two parts since part of it centers around one of the oldest members of our family while the other part centers on one of the youngest.

Does anyone still designate people as official "godparents" for their children anymore?  When I was little, I knew a lot of people who had godparents but now I don't hear so much about it anymore.  When I was christened as an infant, my parents stood before the minister holding me and praying I would have a blessed life.  Next to them stood their best friends who were asked to take on the role of godparents to me and later to my younger sister.

My mom is holding me and my dad is to her left.  My godmother is to her right
and my godfather is the tall guy in the back.  The other folks are grandparents.
(Yes, my mother was quite the fashionista)

My godmother never had children of her own and my godfather had a daughter from his first marriage.  So, my sister and I became the little apples of their eyes just as we were in our parents'.  My godparents spoiled us...rotten.  We spent weekends with them and they spent every holiday, birthday, special event with us.  It was a special time and created such a wonderful childhood for me.

my godparents and me

My godmother, Linda, passed away unexpectedly when I was in the 8th grade.  It was a traumatic event for me.  It was the first time I felt such sadness.  But my godfather, Robert, lived on and continued his role as godfather.  If something would have happened to my parents, he would have taken us on as a single parent.  My parents never asked anyone else to fill this role. Thankfully, my parents lived long enough to raise us to adulthood until we were on our own.  

My father passed away first and my mother was devastated and really couldn't function for awhile.  Robert stepped in and helped us through that time.  He guided us through the financial situation, the funeral arrangements, and anything else we needed.  Several years later, my mother passed away.  It really doesn't matter how old you are when your parents are gone, you still feel like a child whose a little lost for a bit.  Robert took his godfather role seriously and even though I was almost 40, he guided me and advised me and helped me to cope and plan and deal with the funeral, the estate and whatever else came along.  We continued to spend all of our holidays and family events together.  He was one of the first family members to hold my son when he was born.

Robert holding me

Robert holding my son

On Monday of last week, I got a phone call. Robert had passed away at the age of 82.  He had been ill but it was still a bit unexpected.  My son really knew him as sort of a grandfather figure since my dad had passed away before my son was born.  My son is the same age I was when my godmother passed away.  It's been tough losing him.  He was a rock; a sort of foundation of the family.  I still have a lot of family: aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews but my godparents were special.  They volunteered to potentially take on so much just because they loved my parents.

So I wonder, does anyone have godparents anymore for their children?  I hope so. My son does.  We asked my best friend Jennie and her husband when my son was born and they said yes.
I can't imagine not ever having mine in my life and I will miss them.

...and that was just the first part of the week.

My apologies to everyone who has left a comment recently that went unanswered and 
for not visiting and commenting on your blogs very much.