Immediate Family

I haven't written in a while.

I have known what I wanted to write about, but every time I had the tried, I just did not want to open up.

I knew it would make me cry.

My Aunt Diana passed away.

2 deaths within 4 months is hard.

2 deaths of people who held very special places in my heart.

The service was beautiful.The weather was perfect. The number of people who's lives were touched by my Aunt was amazing.

It is heart breaking to see such an amazing, wonderful, loving person leave us.

I missed a day of work.

When I returned I asked my manager how I was supposed to record my bereavement.   He asked the administrative assistant to check on it.

She replied "Bereavement is only for immediate family.   An Aunt does not qualify.   PTO needs to be used."

I was heart broken again.

Diana was my only Aunt in town.

We spent holidays together.

She watched me the night my mom "planned" on having my little sister.

We spent summers together hanging out in the pool.

I borrowed books from her.

I loved her cheddar broccoli rice.

I admired her Christmas tree and hundreds of ornaments.

She watched me grow up, playing sports.

She was at my college graduation.

She was the one who could get Leah to burp when she was 6 weeks old and I had yet to discover gas drops.

She took care of my grandmother after she had her stroke, and was taking care of her things since she had passed away.

She was one of the most kind, amazing, strong, and dedicated women I know.

To me, she is my immediate family.

And I hope she knows I loved her that much.





*** My amazing boss used his "managers discretion" and allowed me to use bereavement days.