Monday, April 14, 2014

It's All About Adam


Ray Adam Mangiafico 1992-2014

So it's been a rough week. I'm wondering how long it will be before I start experiencing some type of normalcy. As mentioned in my last post, we lost my nephew to a terrible accident. He was a grandson of Joe's.

I have had my share of mourning over loved ones, but somehow this feels more intense. Apparently death due to a sudden or traumatic accident or disaster can raise a number of complex issues for the survivors. I found this helpful blog post about the physical and emotional responses to grief. Well enough about that, this is all about Adam!

Recently I started a monthly family get together and dinner that will take place the first Saturday of every month. April 5th was the second one we had, and the only one that Adam was able to make it to. I wanted to share my last experiences with him because it's not only family history, but it will also be therapeutic for me. 

Hubby heated the pool that Friday night so the nieces and nephews could enjoy the pool. I know Adam was excited to come over and hang out and do some splashing around. The kids were having a blast in the water. Adam went out to the shed and got the basketball made for swimming pools and the kids took turns shooting hoops. Adam was towing the little one around the pool and he dubbed him the "Bus".

I remember one moment when I couldn't find Adam any where and then all of a sudden he appeared from the bottom of the pool.

It was a smorgasbord. I made a chicken enchilada casserole and a yummy jello mold. Hubby made his famous potato salad. There was a veggie plate, chicken salad, homemade salsa and chips, plenty to drink and cupcakes.  Of course he had seconds later on after everything was put away. As I handed him things from the fridge I asked, "Do you want some more potato salad?" "Definitely," was his reply.

I remembered that I had a couple of pumpkin ales in the fridge and offered him one because he is the only other person I know that will drink anything pumpkin. He enjoyed eggnog as much as I did as well. He mentioned that a while ago he was in a bar somewhere and he consumed the last pumpkin something or the other and said something like, "Just think, this is the last pumpkin drink this place will sell this year." Maybe one of his friends knows where he was and what he was drinking. For the life of me I can't remember.

We talked about the Jacksonville Apostles, the minor league football team he was on. He said that their first game was in June and he would email a schedule to me when it came out. I was so looking forward to watching him play!

After he grew tired of the pool he came in and played a few games on our Playstation 3.

When it came time to enjoy a cupcake he was teasing me because I bypassed the one with purple icing. Everyone knows that my favorite color is purple and I love pumpkin anything. I had one with pink icing because the one that turned out to be purple, I thought was blue.

Before they left, Adam and his uncle (my hubby) were making plans to bring his car over here so they could start working on it together.

When we were all sitting around the pool and he came outside and was standing on the porch, I felt this strong desire to invite him to spend the night. But, I didn't. I didn't listen to that inner voice, or feeling, or whatever you want to call it. I so regret that. I want to kick myself in the butt!

More to come......





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