Some days the world goes dark. This was a tough week for mommy. My Aunt Leta passed away. We knew it was coming but it still cut to the core. Good person, even better soul.

I have a lot of awesome memories with Aleta  Here are a few:

Hearing the word “Yucka” when describing gross things.

The way she said Michelle when everyone else called me Shelly

Calling her Gretus or Leta, nicknames of love

Being escorted to a wide variety of treats at her house

Sitting next to her at church for the Butterscoth Lifesavers

Laughing over spills on her top

Devouring her Christmas cookies, they were unreal

Unwrapping a more appropriate toy at reunions because she knew I hated girl toys

The memory of her waving goodbye as I left for LA, bawling like she lost a kid

The pride she had watching me graduate.  One of my proudest moments and my aunts and cousins were there.  Pretty special

Speaking of LA, the wonderful memories from that trip  “Jim, you can’t hold your liquor”, still one of my most favorite quotes EVER.  And yes, she was responsible for Carl’s Jr. and Michael subsequent pit stop on the way to Vegas

I could go on, but I wanted to share how Zachary reacted to the news  “mommy, I know you’re sad but now we have a good person to watch Trojan when she goes to heaven.  And I told him, I was pretty sure that we have another angel watching over us.

It takes a village to raise a child.  And I was super lucky to have an amazing family there for me, Leta was an important part of it.  As we finished at the church, I couldn’t help but think Leta would be happy.  I stood in a group of cousins and aunts/uncles laughing about the old days, each of us sharing in that closeness that only families know. Somewhere up in heaven Leta was smiling too