let’s all slow down a little bit, okay?

my aunt, laurie, passed away last sunday. this has been one of the strangest and toughest weeks. on tuesday i drove down to iowa to be with my family. on wednesday we gathered to say good bye. it’s heartbreaking, to say the very least.

laurie was a great aunt. i remember having a lot of fun with her when i was growing up. whether we were singing along in the car to one-hit-wonders (such as the proclaimers) with the windows rolled down or playing board/card games or simply trying to figure out the best way to dye easter eggs, we were always laughing and smiling. she was always smiling.

okay, sometimes she would look at me like i was a crazy kid but then there would still be laughter a few minutes later.

laurie gave me two really wonderful cousins, sarah and jamie. (“double” cousins, in fact — laurie was is my mom’s sister and she married my dad’s brother.) we were often inseparable during extended family vacations. or if my family was visiting the twin cities, i would stay at their house and we would have slumber parties with very little slumber and quite a lot of giggling.

note their “the little mermaid” matching outfits in that photo. we spent so much time trying to sing exactly like ariel after that movie came out. i’m sure i was jealous of those outfits.

for reasons i sort of want to write about on here but i’m not really ready to write about on here, i have been missing laurie for quite a few years. i am sorry for that. i am sorry i have to carry a few ugly memories with me, but hopefully they will fade with time and only the good stuff will be left.

laurie, i hope you’re resting and peaceful now. you left too soon, but your spirit will be carried forward in everyone you met. everytime i’m traveling and looking for thimbles (which are becoming increasingly difficult to find), i will be thinking of you, too.