the facts of life: death and all his friends.

bib and i have been offline for a bit, dealing with some harsh doses of reality.  a couple of weeks ago, while going through our honeymoon photos with bib's parents, i learned that my french uncle was sent to the hospital.  the following day, my egyptian grandmother was sent to the hospital.  both within a day of each other... it was a lot.

we spent the following week ping-ponging phone calls between france, the u.s. and egypt, receiving grim updates.  my mom was able to make it to france to see her brother.  and my father and brother came to egypt to our grandmother.  the day they arrived, while sitting in the hospital waiting room, my mother called.  my uncle had passed.  and the following day, while sitting in the hospital waiting room, the doctors told us our grandmother had passed.  she was surrounded by every one of her children and grandchildren.

the most recent pic of my grandmother

death is a fact and a reality that we sometimes tend to deny.  but then it does happen, and it reminds us of what is important in life; who is important in life; what matters, what doesn't; how to behave; how to love; how to show and give thanks.  death is a bittersweet experience where you mourn, remember and celebrate a loved one, while gathering in the comfort of friends and family.  i hadn't seen my brother for two years, and he hadn't been to egypt in five!  you see relatives you hadn't seen in years, even decades; you see friends and colleagues make the effort to show they care.  it's a life-changing experience in so many ways that isn't just sad and depressing.  it's destiny; it's reality; it's life.

had to photoshop haddy in there (he took the pic!)

in the days following my grandmother's passing, we went through some old family photos, relishing in all the wonderful family history we have.  but i found a photo that was insanely ironic.  she kept a photo of me and my father, with my uncle who had just passed.  it's not like she had any other photos of my mother's family, besides this one.  so strange! they went to the hospital within a day of each other, they died within a day of each other, and then this.  they were yet again connected through this photo.  i couldn't get over what a random coincidence this was!

here are some more oldies but goodies... when we were very young!

i was such a nerd!!