Thank you! The trip was amazing we had such a wonderful time meeting his extended family and hearing stories of his father's childhood from their memories. They even did research and took us to his mother's old house... It was so emotional for DH to stand in the tiny roofless stone abode with fireplace in the middle of the two tiny rooms and try to imagine a family of 7 living there. With so much chaos from his narcissistic mother my husband has sorely been missing family since the loss of his brother four years ago and this Irish Family was amazing and a connection that was not fleeting,but a renewal of a family that fully embraced us both. It will not be our only visit!
Our Castle tour was a romantic renewal of our marriage after a tough five years losing my mother, then his brother, 11 months later and kids going off to college and so many changes in our lives... A much needed time together that we took full advantage of and embraced with gratitude. Priceless...
There was a slight damper knowing our friend was in the hospital with a stage four diagnosis right before we left. So glad DH had a chance to visit him before our trip. We got the news a few days before returning that chemo was not going well and he opted to stop it and go home, so we knew this was coming. We prayed in two churches, at a family shrine and holy well and at Mercury's Temple on the Dromoland Castle property...It felt good to do at the time... Just glad we are home and able to attend the funeral as it will mean a lot to his lifetime girlfriend and DH will probably do a eulogy if she wants... I hope so, as it would be additional healing for DH who was deprived of doing so for his brother as his mother planned an immediate family only funeral with just 12 of us in the church... it was horrible... and not healing but more damaging... in fact DH went almost catatonic just to endure it.. Just gave me the idea that perhaps DH should write his brothers eulogy and deliver it to our family as a healing... I delivered my mother's and know what that last gift to her did for me...
Pouring out more than I intended... thanks YLF!