A loss

My husband's grandmother, Miriam Poarch Long, died Tuesday and we attended visitation last night and the funeral is today. I did not really know her because she has had Alzheimer's since I met Jeremy, but she does have a special place in our home since Miriam is named after her. When Jeremy and I started dating, he lived in her home, because she had remarried and it was empty (Jeremy's grandfather died long ago). My Miriam only met her once as a baby. At that point her Alzheimer's was so bad that she really didn't even recognize Jeremy. As I said though, I still feel a connection with her. She was constantly a part of Jeremy's childhood- he stayed with her after school and remembers her German Chocolate cake, he attended church with her and remembers getting pinched when he misbehaved (he still does not like even playful pinching). We did not see her much, Jeremy said he did not like seeing her the way she was and I can understand. I always worry about his emotions at times like this. He doesn't seem like it, but he cries rather easily. I was not worried so much about his feelings of lose over his grandmother, but that they would bring up memories of his dad also who died less than a year ago. Of course, he says he is okay!
Onto another part of this story, sometime 20ish years ago, Jeremy's dad and his 2 brother's had a falling out and would not talk to each other. Jeremy grew up not really knowing his uncles or his cousins. Of course, this situation has thrown them all back together and this week I have finally met his uncles and cousins and other family on the Poarch side. I don't know what I expected, but everyone is so nice and took up with us right away. They made a fuss over the girls and the girls took to them also. I really don't understand not wanting to be around your family for 20 years, especially when this thought is passed down to the children (Jeremy and his cousins). One aunt even expressed how excited she had been to finally get to see Jeremy again and meet us. They were taking lots of pictures last night. I know we won't see any of them much, because they live in Atlanta and Nashville, but I do hope they can be a part of our lives from now on.