Feb 6, 2010 Funeral

This is suppose to be my picture blog, but today is bonus. We attended Grandma's funeral today and I wanted to put my thoughts someplace. Thank you for bearing with me.


Today I sat next to this man at his wife's funeral. It was during the family viewing and upon entering the room, he collapsed into the arms of his two daughters, Betty and Judy. I stood there with tears in my eyes, feeling the heartache. I felt the love too. To have the love that he and Jewell shared is a legacy. Later, we were sitting together while people visited around us, I was crocheting and I looked up and asked, "Are you doing okay, Grandpa?". I really was expecting the standard reply, the reply given for form, but that isn't what I got. Instead he looked at me and I saw his red-rimmed eyes and he quietly confessed, "I cannot stop crying." All I could do was put my arm around him and hold him and I quietly said, "You go ahead and cry, I'll cry with you." And I did, I sat there with tears falling down my face, the first I had shed today.



I was trying to stay calm and collected, I had my two children that needed mommy calm as I walked them through their first encounter with death in the family. Grandpa got me with four words.



It was a day of family, of visiting, of meeting, of hugging, laughing and crying.



At the end of the day, I was in the kitchen with my mother-in-law, cleaning up the dishes. She mentioned Carolyn. Aunt Carolyn whom we lost three years ago around this time of the year. I told Betty, I had thought of Carolyn today (Carolyn was my favorite aunt) and asked when she had passed. Betty stopped what she was doing and came over and leaned on the sink to look in my face. I paused in my washing and she said, "January 30th, the same day as Grandma."



This is Aunt Carolyn on one side of me and Grandma on the other with Betty on the end, Jon behind and James in my belly. I believe in the power of numbers and when Betty said January 30th, I got chills. Just a few days before while gathering the pictures for Grandma's funeral, I showed this one to Jon and said something to the effect of "I'd be a little freaked out if I was the superstitous type. Does death surround me?"


I don't believe it does. I've always believed I have a strong life force, but I swear to God, if I die on January 30th, this little nugget better make somebody some moola.

Grandma had a beautiful service, elegant casket and family surrounding her today as we laid her to rest. I will miss her. I am so glad I got to know her.


Much Love.