I actually refuse to say the actual word "goodbye" when leaving a loved one or sending someone off...
fearing it'll somehow jinx their safe return.
I'll use words like "See you soon"...
"Can't wait to see you again"...
"Until next time"...
or just the words "I love you" instead of "Goodbye".
I'm weird like that.
It seems this Summer, for our family, we've had our share of "Goodbye" moments.
...when we left for our Family Reunion in North Carolina, leaving our dog Hamilton behind.
...when we returned to Florida after enjoying a week filled with 50+ family members.
...when Clara and Ema left for Girl's Camp for a week.
...when Clara left for New York for 4 days.
...when Clara left for St. Pete for a couple of days.
and this past week...
an especially somber goodbye...
...when J and Ella flew to Illinois to attend the funeral of his Grandma Jo.
Something I created in Grandma Jo's honor and posted on my Instagram feed last week...
I used a photo I took from a walk through our neighborhood one morning
and the "mask feature" in the new Rhonna Designs App).
Goodbyes are never easy.
Packing up Ella's suitcase and putting her on an airplane was difficult.
(This is the 2nd time she's flown to Illinois with her dad)
Driving Ella and J to the airport was absolutely treacherous..
especially when Ella unexpectedly burst into tears 5 minutes into our 50 minute drive!
Through alligator tears and sniffles she says, "It's just that I'm going to miss you so much".
(Where did that burst of emotion come from? She totally broke my heart).
With J's grandmother passing away...
feelings about the passing of my own grandparents naturally surfaced.
The pain just never goes away...not even a little bit.
My brother and I at my grandfather's funeral back in 2004
As hard as it always is to turn around and walk away...
drive away...
or watch someone you love walk away...
saying "Hello" is so much sweeter after you've had to say goodbye. Isn't it?
I'm certain we will see and be with our loved ones again who have already left this world.
I believe as difficult as it is to say goodbye to them...
the joy we'll feel when we are reunited with them will be far greater than any pain we'll experience here.
Knowing this...
Believing this...
makes the pain tolerable. (in a strange sort of way).
If you want to listen to a treasured song I found years ago that reminds me of my grandfather...
and for me, kind of defines the process of saying goodbye to someone you love...
It's called "Send Me a Song" by Celtic Woman - I hope you like it and gain some inspiration from it.
Here's to the joyful "Hellos" we all have to look forward to!
KEEPiNG iT REAL
Ema and I had spent a good part of Saturday doing chores before enjoying some quality girl time together. That meant the house was perfectly clean when J and Ella arrived back home yesterday.
Last night, as I walked past the mess in the living room from the "castle" Ella constructed out of foam alphabet letters earlier that afternoon...
I pushed back the feelings of frustration over the unkempt room...
and instead felt grateful to have everyone safely back together! *wink*
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