I know some of the women here have already lost siblings, and I'm so sorry. My dad just lost his last living sibling and I'm finding it so sad for him. He was one of five, and extremely close the his two sisters who were the last two to go. I can't fathom what he's going through. I honestly can't. I can't tell you how often I pick up the phone and call my sibs, or email them. Heck, I see them very often too, except the one who lives in NC, whom I see a couple times a year. His world keeps getting smaller. I guess this is what happens as you age, but it sure is tough.

Just sharing the grief...

My mother recently lost her husband of 30 years. She lost her mother 10 years ago and her father and brother last year. She was not close to her father who had remarried about 45 years ago. He had 3 children with his new wife and together they chose to pretty much sever ties with his prior children. She has only seen her half-siblings a few times. I know she is lonely. My sister and I are not close, but we are being civil since our step-father's passing on November 4th. We encourage contact with our step-siblings.

I understand, it is tough.

I pass the hospital where my step-father lived the last 3 weeks of his life everyday to/from work. I'm glad that my mother does not.

All my grandparents are gone, my father and stepdad are gone along with my middle sister. I have also lost numerous aunts, uncles and a couple of cousins. Funny how they add up when you start thinking of them all. Sad!

At least, your father, Dotsie has comfort of his children and grandchildren, at least some family.
I and my siblings never knew any of our grandparents. They all stayed and died in China. It's probably very strange and alienating when each of my parents immigrated in 1950's and couldn't afford to go back to visit family or my mother to visit some of her sisters in San Francisco until 40 yrs. later.

The closeness/bond gets broken when siblings live all over the world but each family is different. though I am sad for my parents now, I am also very grateful that they did each, grew up with siblings. Such relationships contributed to shaping each of them as individuals /adults in a positive way. I can see that...through how they expect us, their children, to make amends and have civil, if not, also cooperative family relationships.

Interesting, how when we were quite young, we were sometimes bored by sibling(s)' company and how much back then, we took for granted their presence in our lives!

How very said indeed. Nor can I imagine losing a sibling. I thank the Lord that we all four are well.

As my sister used to say, the cycle has begun...meaning that the passing of our loved ones that we thought would always be here, had started. I found that statement to be riveting. It took me by surprised and struck me hard. I've never forgotten it. I knew I couldn't stop time.

There's a cute children's book by Mercer Mayer, "Me Too!" that I bought as a gift for the youngest niece. Giving it, because she will have a new sibling in about a month.

It's a picture which shows a grumpy, but willing older brother who looks after his baby sister. Baby sister follows him around and wants to emulate him. And he teaches her grumpingly meanwhile fuming away because he can't play independently. There is this friggin' baby sibling tagging him along. In the end, baby sibling innocently offers him a candy.
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307119414

It's very cute, but it nearly made me tearful.
Siblings can be friends for life.

Cute book...
my family is not close and spread out all over but I would be sad at the loss of a brother or sister. I can't imgine what it must be like to be always around each other..it must be nice.

orchid, oh my gracious. My two oldest were such Mercer Mayer fans. I think we had everyone one of them, and still do. There were some children's books I couldn't part with and that was one of the series. I love those illustrations, and the book topics were always right on with my kids. Some of our favorites were Just Me and My Dad, All By Myself, When I Get Bigger, Just Me and My Mom, and several others. They also had good books about kids and emotions. We had several of them on tape. I can still hear the cute little voice and the songs from the tapes. What fun memories. Merry Christmas Mom and Dad was another. I can still sing the little tune from that tape.

Make sure you check out other titles by the same author. I have a feeling the kids will relate to them too. What fun!

I lost my brother in 1990. He was only 45. He had a sad life and alcohol actually killed him. That really hit my parents hard. Dad really never got over it. He blamed himself for not being able to have helped him. That left me the 'only child.' My mom started down the road of dementia which was another burden that my dad has to shoulder. Dad was a proud man and didn't like me giving my two cents about things. As a result, Mother had to have a 2nd mastectomy at 85 years of age. He did not think she needed to have that yearly check up. And, when she had a stroke, having to have caregivers in his home 24 hours a day was the last straw. He died on Easter 2005 and mother followed in August of 2005.

So,outside of a niece and nephew and a few cousins (which I am not close to) I'm on my own now.