So it's been a weird couple of weeks.
We found out on Nov. 8th that my older sister died. We were two years apart, and she was just 33.
Jake met Mary once, when he was 3, so he doesn't remember her. I think this is a bit of a blessing in disguise - were something to happen to my other sister, who Jake is best buddies with, he would be inconsolable.
The day we got the news, Jake spent the night at his dad's house so I could have some time to myself. This was a Monday, and Jake typically spends the night at his dad's house only on Fridays. The next day, my good friend Jen was watching Jake for the afternoon. When I picked him up, I asked how it went.
She told me that when she told Jake was she sorry that his aunt died, Jake shrugged and said "I didn't know her. But Monday I wasn't with my mom and that made me sad. I missed her."
I kind of laughed when she said that, and responded that it was a typical autistic response if I've ever heard one. She said "But he said he missed you! That's good, right"?"
I told her that he didn't miss ME, he missed having a normal day. He was upset that his schedule got disrupted - and do you know, he talked about that Monday being wrong for a full TWO WEEKS!!! I'm pretty sure if it comes up in conversation, he would still tell me that's not the way Mondays are supposed to go.
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I set up a blog with links to our memorials and pictures about Mary; it can be found here: Mary Ellen Strange.
