Something that really stands out about my mom’s brothers, and the men on that side of my family, is how much they let their hearts show. They love SO big. So so so big. They love fiercely and if they love you, YOU KNOW.

I’m writing this now because we lost one of them this last week and as my heart has been broken I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting, a lot of looking back at what a large part my Uncle Sam played in my life since I was a little girl.

Some of my first memories are of Christmas at his house. Or helping him with decorations, or him walking me around and showing me the pretty little special details to something that he built.

The man built me a doll house from scratch . We’re talking wooden walls, carpets, working lights, real shingles, teeny beds and staircases and even little toilet paper rolls in the bathrooms. The pure love that went into everything he did was extremely obvious and I gotta say, it’s something I’m beyond grateful to have had in my life.

The day he gave it to me, it was like he took me on a tour of the place. Showing me all of the little treasures he put inside. My Uncle Sam had this calmness about him, the way that he would lean in, and talk just a little bit softer so you knew he was sharing his heart just with you.

Another thing that stands out about my uncles is how much they love their wives. My Uncle Sam’s love for my Aunt Cindy is nothing short of awe-inspiring. There was never any doubt that she was, in his eyes the perfect woman for him. Even a stranger could see that.

One time in my life when I was super into Marilyn Monroe he started collecting photos of her for me. He had a way of finding things, unique things that would have maybe otherwise been lost in time. He found me an actual photograph of her that had been blown up and framed and another find was a hand painted image. Both still hang in my house because of how much love went into finding them.

And let me tell you, the man could fix ANYTHING. It was incredible.

I feel like I could tell a 1,000 stories and point out endless amounts of ways that my Uncle Sam has enriched my life, and maybe I’ll keep writing them as they come to me but for now I just wanted to share a little piece of the gift this man was to this world with you.

This feels insanely unfair and I’m still not sure I fully even believe it’s real. Rest in Peace Uncle Sam. We will miss you so much.