The Bad -- and the Good

Yesterday was a decided mixed bag. Public and private events mixed in a curious way. Last week of course brought about the news of Elizabeth Edwards' cancer return. Yesterday, it was Tony Snow's turn. Then, a little before 12 yesterday I was on the phone with my mother when we got word that my Uncle Don had succumbed to the cancer he has been fighting for the past two years. He was my dad's younger brother.

I'm sad over the loss of my Uncle, but feel worse for my dad. You expect to deal with the grief of losing a parent, I don't think you expect to deal with the loss of a younger brother. And my dad and my Uncle Don were particularly close out of the five Barker boys.

Then the LTR got word that a family friend had committed suicide, even as a former college friend he hasn't heard from in years called him brought him up to speed on the hard times he has fallen in. Yesterday was a black cloud day.

But, on the positive side of the ledger, Eli, our son is here! He came running up to us at the airport and jumped into my arms. He has changed so much since he was here last November. Talking much more. At 2.5 he's becoming more of a little boy than a baby.

He loves matchbox cars, and we have plenty of them. He would hand one to me and say, "drive, Daddy, drive." So we played cars last night.

He is sleeping still. I expect him to wake any minute.

The photo is my Uncle Don and Eli, taken last November during Eli's visit. My Uncle lived nearby in Delaware, and my parents will arrive here tomorrow and we expect the funeral to be this weekend. Blogging may be light.