June....

June is here!  That means summer has arrived...pool time, popsicles, and watermelon.  Just talking about it makes me happy.  :)  June also mean my birthday month so it's pretty much the best month of the year!  Right? 

Right?

June 4th - 8 years ago on this day one of my very good friends, Nikki, was killed by a drunk driver. 

Nikki

She was always happy, always smiling, and always ready to give a witty sarcastic come back so losing her in the blink of an eye was difficult (is that even the appropriate word to use?) I lived in Dubuque for a summer and Nikki was the RA for the entire dorm.  I had only known her for a few weeks, and it was my first (and last) summer to be away on my birthday.  That morning Nikki surprised me with a home made cake...candles and all!  She hardly knew me, but wanted me to have a great birthday.  That's just the kind of person she was.  I still miss seeing her name on AIM chat, and have her say the funniest things.  She had so much planned for her future, and it makes me sad to know that it was cut short. 

June 24 - 5 years ago on this day my Uncle Chris passed away.  His funeral....on my birthday.  To express the loss that I feel would be for me to come out of denial.  I have yet to deal with the fact that he is gone.   His viewing / funeral was in the same place as my Granny's, the preacher who spoke was the same, and his burial was next to her.  I still have a difficult time dealing with the fact that my Granny has passed away so to even think that he has left too....well, my brain has decided it's too much to handle.  My family and I rarely speak of his passing because I think it is just too hurtful for any of us to deal with so I will tell you about my ALIVE Uncle Chris.  :)  He's pretty cool!

My Uncle, Grump, and My Mom

Uncle Chris, or Skunkle, was the laughter in all things.  The stories he could tell would keep us in hysterics.  There was not a moment that you were with him that he wasn't telling his latest stories or ones from the past.  He always had a smile on his face and was ALWAYS there for you if you needed him.  He was a tell it like it is, mover and shaker.  He hated sitting still and always needed to be doing something.  Some days he would just get up and drive to Houston (4 hours) for no reason at all.  He would walk in the school and surprise my mom with a "When's lunch time?"  He always knew the best places to eat, and was always ready for the next meal.  He would drive to Alabama (7 hours) just to take Grump a sandwich from Sam's.  He would tell you "Don't put your mask up!" or grill your boyfriend on the first meeting.    

He's having a party with my Granny right now.  They are talking on the front porch with a sweet tea, and I know he is making fun of me for writing this and would have some sort of smart remark about being in denial.  He has my grandmother doubled over with laughter ... I can just hear them both.  And just so they both know....I am going to stay in denial for a while longer....so there!  :)

At the beginning of this blog I asked.... June is the best month of the year... right?

Well, yes.  I can definitely say that June is the best month of the year, but it also brings with it some very real memories.

June brings the anniversary of the bad memories, but then the good ones come too.  These two very special people were taken from me, but I still have some very REAL, very good  memories of when they were here.  I'll get to see them again....in my birthday month (which Skunkle would think was ridiculous) and I'll be able to hug and laugh with them again.  

June is the BEST month and don't YOU forget it!  :)