I'm so thankful for my relationship with Bill. He comes across as so hardened, but he has always been so sweet to me. I really enjoy my time with him. He makes me laugh and we laugh together. We have the same sense of humor and we think the same things are funny. He can see people as they really are (like I can) and we would usually laugh about that. We have many inside jokes and funny things we laugh about together each time we see each other. We like the same kind of books. We appreciate a good road trip.
I have fun memories of Bill. When I was very young he had his nose broken by a bull--he was a rodeo clown and the bull won. My Gran'ma was taking care of him and I was her nurse's assistant. I loved it! My Gran'ma always saved Milano cookies in her freezer for when Bill came to visit and she always let me steal from his stash.
My favorite and most recent memory with Bill was when my Gran'ma died. He was in the house with me. He and I were at her funeral. He let me have my space and my alone time with her and I let him have his space (we process very differently). At the funeral--as we were standing in the rain I made him hold my hand. Then later that afternoon as we sat on the porch and told stories (both laughing and crying), I also made him sit there and hold my hand. Bill didn't have girls and I have always felt like I was his girl. I loved holding his hand--knowing that he was both a little uncomfortable and comforted. He probably felt like he was comforting me, too--and he was.
I got the best letter from him a couple of weeks later. It is one of my most special letters and I won't ever let it go.
I love him! I love being around him. I love laughing with him. I love knowing he cares about me. I love how he treats me like a lady. I love how I know he would do anything for me. I love my Uncle Bill and I am so thankful that I have a relationship with him.
My Uncle Bill is dying--probably today according to my Dad. I'm devastated. I'm heart broken. I'm so very sad. I'm sad for me. I'm sad for my Dad. I'm sad for my cousin, Cody. I'm sad for Cody's wife, Lori. I'm very sad for Cody's girls, Ashlynn, Kathryn and Lauren--they love their "Bull" so much! I'm sad for Bill's wife, Linda. She is so dear and I hate to think of her without him. I'm sad for everyone who loves him.
I wish you could have known my Uncle Bill the way I did. I wish you could have laughed with him. I wish you could have admired him. I wish you could have held his hand. I'm thankful I got to do all of that. I love my Uncle Bill!
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