Until We Meet Again, Little Brother

It breaks my heart to actually be writing this blog, and I keep hoping this is just a nightmare. One of my best friends and heros, my little brother John Harold Alley, passed away on May 24th, 2008. His amazing wife Emily is expecting their sweet baby boy, John Harold Alley Jr. in October. I want to eventually tell the details of the past few weeks...the 4 day search for him, finding him, my hospital stay, the memorial service, and the funeral. Some of that may come out over the next few blogs, but for now...it hurts. It hurts to wake up and fall asleep. It hurts knowing what an amazing person he is and that his baby will have to learn that from others. It hurts knowing he's done touching lives on this earth (and he touched oh, so many) and is now working on the other side. And from what I have read on grief, it's going to hurt for a while. And I'm supposed to let it hurt, darn it. So for right now, this thing we call eternal progression is painful.

My favorite thing to do is celebrate his life, so here are a few of my favorite pictures of our Uncle John.


He loved our little Kali girl.



He and Trenton are kindred spirits.

And the best present he's ever given me was marrying Emily, one of the most amazing people I have ever met.

I'll miss you brother. I'll miss our talks, how you always left me inspired to be better, to reach my full potential and do the best in everything I am doing. I'll miss your voice, your smile, and your laugh. Until then watch over me...watch over your Trenton, Kali and Blake and your sweet Emily. I love you. Until we meet again, little brother.