A Bittersweet Day

Today has been a bittersweet day. Today I celebrate my birthday and the mourn the passing of my Mother's sister, my Aunt Sharon. She had been sick for quite some time and things declined rapidly these last two weeks. She passed away this morning while en-route to spend her last days in the home she loved. The trip was too much for how weak she was and she died.

I feel sad because I didn't get much of a chance to know her as an adult. But I have good memories as a kid spending time at her house any time we visited California. I always thought of her as "the fancy Aunt"; I always admired her for how she dressed and kept her self pristine. I remember her teaching me how to do a manicure and keep my nails nice. Something I still like to keep up on as much as I can. Oh and I was alway jealous of her gorgeous long thick black hair, pretty skin and of course those beautiful long fingers with perfect almond shaped nails that all Lewis siblings have.

I remember her two dogs, Hanz and Lila they were dachshunds. Hanz would eat anything and was always making him self sick.

We once while my Mom had to leave town spent a few days with her. She took us boogie boarding and bought us Disney beach towels. I picked Beauty and the Beast and my sister picked The Little Mermaid. We both still have them.

Her backyard was one of my favorite places, there was a deck and most of her yard was filled with what I called ice plants. A spine-less aloe vera type plant that is a popular ground cover in California. There was always lizards to catch and wind chimes to listen to.

I always loved how she never really treated us like kids, she talked to us like grown-ups and to a 8 & 10 year old, that was really cool. I loved that, it made me feel so grown up.

I loved her voice, a lot of my family on my Mom's side has a certain twang for lack of better terms to describe it. Some of my other cousins have it. But when ever I hear it, it instantly transports me to the times we spent in California growing up traveling city to city visiting my Mom's family. Her's was one of the more stronger accents.

My mom was always good at keeping family up to date with what my sister and I were up to and Sharon took the time to get in touch with me, when we were first finding out about Lily's speech delays. She worked for a Montessori school and was really into the kind of things we were currently working with Lily on. We exchanged a few emails and she sent a few things to me to help out with new games to play with Lily that helped her development. I wish I took more advantage of these few exchanges to get to know her better. And that's why I feel so sad today. I'm glad she is out of pain now and in a better place, but I feel bad I let these chances to get to know her go.

Once again I am grateful that with God's plan, death is not the end. I know I'll get a chance to see and hear her. Yes even in the LDS culture death is sad, but I'm trying to remember that she's no longer in pain and today we are celebrating her life, just as we are doing for me today on my birthday. I also find it fitting that she died the day before Easter Sunday. What a perfect reminder what Christ did for us so that we could live again and death IS conquered.

I also have to acknowledge my Mom for being so brave and really making sure she was able to pass away in peace and comfort. Good job Mom, I'm sure Sharon is very grateful for the effort she put into keeping the peace...love you Mom :D

Well, here's to celebrating life, one's that are still moving forward here on earth and one's to celebrate the next journey after life here on earth.
Love you Aunt Sharon, and thanks for everything!