Tuesday, January 6, 2009

RIP (again), Auntie Jo

My mom called me last night and told me she was going to the hospital this morning - not for her but for my uncle (her ex-brother-in-law, if you want to be totally accurate). He was having some kind of test done and they needed a family member there during the test. I asked where his wife (my aunt) and Mom said she didn't know the details but that Auntie Jo was sick and my other aunt was staying with her while my mom took care of hospital duty with my uncle.

Sometime during the morning, I glanced at my cell phone and noticed the message light was blinking. I checked and saw I had a voicemail from my mom but didn't check it. I don't use the phone while my students are in the room. When they went to art class an hour later, I checked the message. Mom just basically said that my aunt was dead. No details - just the fact that she'd died. I still don't have the details. And, I guess the details don't really matter.

This is the first time I've had an aunt die. No uncles have died. It feels odd. I didn't see her often in my adult life, but have great memories of her from childhood. I don't remember her not being in the family. She married my uncle before I turned 2 so, in my memory, she was just always there. Now she's not. I just saw her at Christmas. I'm having trouble accepting that she won't be there next year. Wow, what a day!

To further complicate matters, her funeral is Friday...the day I was subpoenaed to court for the TPR hearing of a former foster daughter. I don't know what to do about that. I guess I'll call the court clerk and ask her. Surely this can't be the first time this has happened.

1 comment:

Carol said...

I am very sorry for your loss. I have had uncles pass on, but never an aunt. It will be strange when that time comes. Hugs