We lost a loved on a few weeks ago and it made me really look at my family and it’s dynamic, as it always does. I wish we would all slow down long enough and say the things we need to say when we need to say them, tell others how we feel about them everyday and remember all of the blessings our families bring. I wish we would stop waiting until someone dies to get together and we would start thinking about our families’ legacies everyday rather than when someone dies.

As I stared at this balloon I was flooded with so many emotions, thoughts and prayers. Because you see, this balloon represents so much!

It represents a man that lived to know God and spent his life getting to know God more. He lived by the hand of God and with faith that was everlasting.

It represents family. Family that is close knitted and loves the Lord with all their heart.

It represents love. A greater love only known by our Heavenly Father. A love that will pass with us into His Heavenly home.

I have only been apart of this family for fifteen years, but the bond and the love that comes forth from this family is like no other. I’ve been blessed beyond all measure with each person I’ve known and know from this family, MY family.

Thank you Uncle Bill for being a big welcome wagon for me when I came into this family fifteen years ago when I married Chris, for being apart of the prayer group that saw me through ALIVE last year as I went through my own life battle and for being so good to my children. They love you so much and loved the visits they made to see you often with Paw Paw Pete. But most of all thank you for being a role model for so many up until the very end, to the very last breath you took here on this earth.

I feel so unworthy for writing this since I only knew Uncle Bill for fifteen years, but I love this family more than words can express. I’m so proud and honored that I get to be apart of this tight knit family and grateful my children have the privilege of growing up so close.

As I sat down the church pew from this balloon at church the Sunday after you passed (where you used to sit every Sunday) with some of your sister in-laws, your big brother (my father in law), one of your nephews, a great niece and two great nephews, I couldn’t help but smile. So again, I didn’t know you long, I do feel unworthy of writing this cause so many knew you better, but I know the people who love you very well and to know them is to know you.

You will be greatly missed here on earth Mayor Billy Middleton, also known as Uncle Bill.

The intentions of this post is to shed light on the importance of family. People, family is everything! No matter what your family looks like, how big or how small, blood related or not…. Hug them and tell them you love them! Celebrate them while they are here, not just when they are gone. Life is too short! Make sure you come together and share the love as often as possible, you never know when it will be your last.

And most of all, remember you are loved! Someone loves you always! Your Heavenly Father loves you dearly and so do I.

Until next time…

Mandi

The Legacy Of A Family