March.... my least favorite month of the year. And for the last 2 years it's come to me with such sadness and stresses for those around me. 2007... Jane Bierwirth, a surrogate aunt to me, passed away. Fran lost one of her doggies... both Courtney & Fran pregnant with their second children and having to go through these stresses.
This year has not been any better... if possible, has brought such sadness. As you grow into your 30's you know that at some point you will have to endure the death of parents, and your friends parents. I have been so fortunate to grow up in an environment where my parents made so many close friends when they first moved to Newburyport in 1969. These people are akin to many aunts, uncles and cousins. Some that I am closer to than others, but all the joys and sorrows are met the same.
Late February started with a call from Courtney that her father wasn't going to make it through the weekend. Fred II passed on March 3, 2008 - 50 weeks after Jane. Her father was my father's best friend and Jane Bierwirth's husband of 40 years. Bierwirth-Newbert weekends were something that all 4 of us kids made sure that we could make. At least for a night and then let the parents go off and have their time! Our families have grown, but with that there was so much hope that we could have big Bierwirth-Newbert weekends with David, Fred, Lillian & Jane serving court to all their grandkids. We can still do it, and we will still do it but there will be some big empty spaces. My parents will do anything to make sure the Bierwirth grandkids remember their grandparents.
That same weekend my Mom and Richard were away at the Philadelphia Flower Show, which they were supposed to be until March 10. On Feb 29 Pat collapsed in my father's arms with what we later found out was a brain tumor. Pat has become a very special aunt to me. Over the next few months she will be undergoing radiation and chemo therapy to shrink the tumor.
When Mom got home from Philly she got news that a very dear co-worker was in a coma. Linda Latime was just one of the most wonderful women to grace us with her presence. She cared about everyone, took time to know about everyone and put her heart and soul into so much. Linda passed away this past Tuesday and we celebrated her life this afternoon.
What's so hard for me is knowing these girls, Courtney & Kim, that will have to go on without their mothers and in Courtney's case both of her parents. Both were so incredibly close to their mothers. It has made me appreciate so much the time that I have been able to have living with my parents. At 30 I wouldn't be able to appreciate it this much. I would still have my own agenda. I don't doubt all that I have gone through in the past 5 years allows me to appreciate this, but I also know watching these girls with such poise and strength. Obviously recovering from an accident showed me that strength comes no matter what, but I am still in awe.
I can't let this post go without mentioning that my brother, Eunice & Matt lost a very dear friend last week also. He got pancreatic cancer in his 30's. We've already lost a friend to cancer at 30 so we know how unfair it all is.
This lay-out that I am showing here is about being thankful... I wrote a little blurb about all that I am thankful for - family, being around while my first nephew was born and his first years, getting to know my brother as adults, meeting Keith and having faith that love really is true, my closest friends who stood by me no matter what, my little doggie Skippy, and at a point when I never thought I would be able to use the skills I worked so hard to develop in my 20s and early 30s, I have found a company that is a perfect match for me.
