Flashback Friday

This Flashback is a few days late, but better late than never. This picture is my Uncle Kelly and Aunt Joyce with Peter on his baptism day. They are his Godparents. Last week on June 23, Uncle Kelly died at their home in San Diego, of congestive heart failure. We had hospice care at home and Joyce was holding his hand when he passed. In the time since, the days have blurred in my mind. We had the funeral yesterday and were fortunate to have a small group and the ability to gather in the church, distanced and masked. His ashes are going to Iowa for another funeral and burial, overseen by my cousins who live within driving distance. My aunt, who has dementia, has retained the fact that he's gone, and that is a mixed blessing. She has been grieving and I think it's healthy for her to do that, but it's been sad to see her struggle. The force of Uncle Kelly's personality could fill a room. We're really going to miss him. For my mom, he was her last remaining sibling out of a family where there were nine of them altogether, and she was very close to him. I've been here in California for two weeks. Today I said goodbye to my aunt and I drove up to my mom's where I'll stay the night on the patio (glamping!) before heading home tomorrow. Brad has been to California twice since I came out here, so that's been great since it's not like I was without him the whole time again, but still it'll be good to get home.