strange weekend

This weekend has certainly been different to what I expected, it was fun hanging out with family and friends but the beginning and end was marred with tragedy and sadness. Firstly we found out that my sister-in-law's boss (1 of the 5 Australians) was killed in the recent plane crash in Indonesia, then when we arrived in Canberra we found out SP's Grandma has suffered a mild heart attack. We managed to continue having a good relaxing time - we spoke to SP's grandma in the hospital over the phone and she was doing well. We played tennis, ate exceedingly well and had a fun time.

We arrived home last night, had dinner with our friends who had come to Canberra with us and then as we got into the car to head home I received a phone call from my Mum. I was telling her about the weekend and then she said those words you dread to hear, especially when you live on the other side of the world, "I have some bad news". I immediately burst in to tears and knew that it was my Aunties Mum (who I had asked for prayers about last week), she was still in the hospital and her little body was not recovering very quickly. They put her on a breathing machine but turned it of, she passed away this weekend after developing a chest infection and then kidney failure - there was nothing they could do. It's been an interesting weekend, death so much at the front of my mind as I saw my sister-in-law grieve her boss and as I hear another friend talk how she also knows someone who lost a relative in the same plane crash this week. Then to arrive home to a phone call and to hear someone you loved is no longer here. I cried so hard and barely slept last night, the feeling of being so far away from family, from people who knew Mrs S is so so so hard and makes the grief even more intense.

Mrs S was like another Nan to me, she spent many Christmas' with us and had no other family but her daughter and son-in-law, so we chose her to be part of our family. She always remembered my birthday, sent me cards for Christmas, and always asked my Auntie about me - she really cared and took an interest in what I was doing. There are many fun memories we have of trips and Christmas lunches with Mrs S - she will be sadly missed but I will still giggle at seeing this little lady - with her little bottle of Guinness at the Christmas table, mis-hearing what everyone was saying - she didn't have the best hearing in the world, I will miss her calling me 'pet' and getting my birthday and Christmas cards in the mail.

I am so glad that I got to see her on a few occasions when I was home this Christmas, one last Christmas drink together, a Guinness of course and an opportunity for SP to meet her. Then a family lunch before I came back to Australia.

You will be missed Mrs S!