You had to be there...

Saturday morning, Phil and I headed down to Ringling Museum for my cousin's wedding. It was a very lovely garden wedding and with less than 50 people attending. Odd for my family. But it was very nice. Hot, but nice.

After the wedding Phil and I checked in at our hotel and headed to the reception at Ceviche. YUM!!!!! OMG!!!! YUM!!!!!

My aunt and uncle got a room too but, he and the kids came down with the flu so it was just my aunt at the wedding and reception. Well, somehow she talked my other aunts and mom into staying and partying that night with Phil and I. They had no extra clothes, no makeup, nothing.

With a stop at the local goodwill for some sleep clothes and going out clothes, they were finally all set. The stop at goodwill was story enough. Phil was the only male amongst all of us women and we have this ongoing joke that all of my aunts are his "bitches." From my "cougar" aunts to hoochie mama shorts...oh my!

We all changed and took the hotel bus to a local resturant to meet up with my uncle and aunt(whose son got married) for dinner and drinks. The place we went to was a little on the classy side, and our goodwill outfits...haha! Many laughs and stories.

This morning, we all got up and went to breakfast after they had a knock on their door from a neighboring hotel guest at 7am to ask them to quiet down. They were no where near as loud this morning as we were last night!

Just a lot of fun and laughs! Phil was a good sport!

I guess you had to be there!

Here I am!

I've been missing!! I was found under my computer and stack of research papers.

I was taking 2 classes this semester towards my Master's and they were kicking my butt! I barely had time to breathe this semester. But, I have finally finished...this semester that is. I have 4 classes left and will be taking 2 of them this summer.

So, you are probably wondering what else I have been up to. I am enjoying my husband and being married. He has been soo patient with me and my crazy schedule.

I had an intern this semester that was less than par, but from what I hear, he is graduating and has already applied to teach. Kind of disappointing, but it was out of my hands.

Stay with me on this one...My step-dad's mom's boyfriend, but was once married to her sister, so he is technically his uncle...you still with me?...his name is Pete. Well, Pete is/was a wonderful man. He put the floors down and the french doors in my place. He built an addition onto our house when I was a kid. He was a great handyman. He loved his mom like no other man had done before. He was patient, funny, and lived life to it's fullest.

Pete passed away last night, Thursday, April 30. He had a stroke in February and never recovered. They tried everything they could, but he was gone long ago. They tried one last thing and he wasn't responding, so they knew the time had come. The papers were signed and many, many tears were shed as we stood by and watched him pass away. I have never seen death the way I saw it last night, and hope I never have to witness it again. It was all very surreal. We watched the lines on the monitors flatline and the numbers drop. We wept as this man we all cared for slipped away. Prayers were said for a fast journey to heaven, there would be no other place for him that's for sure.

I was more emotional than I thought I would be. But, I think my pain was for Marion, my step-dad's mom. I watched her as she uncontrollably wept holding tightly to his hand. I don't know what I would do if Phil were to suddenly die and I had to stand by and watch him leave me. This is the closest to having a family member pass away I have ever had. I know more will come as it is inevitable. I'm not sure what is worse, watching someone die or not getting to say goodbye to them. Maybe they are equally painful.

Pete and Marion danced the night away at our wedding. I know he is dancing in heaven and is looking forward to dancing with Marion again!