Sad news

My dad is the second oldest of eight children. I have a pretty large family! My dad's youngest sister, Rhonda, was born with down's syndrome. My grandparents were told that she wouldn't live to be five years old. This morning at around 4am she died, just a few days short of her 42nd birthday.

My aunt Rhonda was a lovely, cheerful and feircely loving woman. I remember back when my home church was really small, before we built the new addition she and my grandparents would sit at the back of the sanctuary. She would sing her heart out and loved hymns. At family gatherings she was always so excited to see all of us kids. She would grab us in big hugs and exclaim "You!!... Me!!" saying she wanted to spend time with us. She loved princess Diana and her room at the nursing home where she lived was full of pictures and books and nick nacks, all centering on princess di, or on disney princesses. I still have a hook rug that she made for me and every year at christmas she would pick out christmas gifts for all of us kids. For the past several years we have gotten different christmas ornaments. She loved crafts, time hortons, ice cream and her family. She loved going out to timmies or to macdonalds and at the end of any visit you could count on getting caught in a strong head lock of a hug with logs of kisses.

I visited her twice last week, and then again last night. She was quiet and her hugs lacked their usual strength. Last night she didn't even wake up. I am sad that she is gone. I will miss her enthusiasm and hugs. But she has not had an easy life and now she is with God, where she can sing praises without people snickering. She had a dream on sunday night about my grandmother, who died when I was ten. She's in a better place. Praise God, that even in the grief that comes with death we have reason to celebrate.