Sad News

That's how the email was titled on January 2, Saturday morning. I'd seen this title before and knew it would be sad indeed.

I learned that my nephew John Kruggel and his wife Heidi lost their baby girl whom they named Lorelei. Heidi has had more hardship than most young women, losing her mother to cancer a few short months after her marriage to John in 2008. John lost his best friend and older brother Alex only two years ago in 2007. My heart genuinely aches when I think about the profoundly sad New Year’s eve they endured and the cruel physical tricks that Heidi’s body continues to play on her (she had to endure a long labor and delivery knowing that the baby was dead and now she’ll have to lactate). This loss puts our minor disappointments in perspective: I’ve cried for John and Heidi but have remained more stoic about Beth. I think my emotions reflect the relative sorrow of the events. I will continue to pray for them and hope that Heidi, like John's mother Claudia, will be blessed with many beautiful children in the years to come.

The bitter cold weather and sharp gusty winds are blowing and whistling through our apartment. We are warm enough but the sounds are eery. I'm happy I'm in the third pigs brick "house" because that wind wolf does threaten to huff and puff and blow our house down.

The sky and skyline have been putty grey all day, but at 4:41 I watch an amazing gold/red sunset. I’m sure I’ll see many more.