Yesterday

Thank you to everyone who took the time to view the slideshow and read my previous post about my mother-in-law, and thank you to those who commented and sent cards.

The funeral was yesterday and was a beautiful tribute to her in every way. The service was packed full of the gospel, at her request. She knew that most of her very large, predominantly unsaved family, as well as a few special friends whose souls she had prayed for for years, would be there. It was a full house. I haven't heard an exact number yet, but it was estimated between 250 and 300, with about that many at the viewing the previous afternoon and evening.

I am at a loss for even recounting the events of the day, or week, it is all still such a blur. There were just so many neat little details, but I don't even know how to do them justice or provide enough background in this space to help my readers understand their significance. So many people who came who we would not have expected. Such an outpouring of love and support from people who hardly know us. Neighbors we hadn't even met yet brought meals and desserts when word spread down our street. (Remind me to tell a tale of a not-so-very nice neighbor who made ITSELF known this week in another post...and don't be surprised if you see me on COPS sometime for aggravated assault.)

An acquaintance I made just in the last month, the mother of one of Andrew's new friends, has proved to be such a support. She brought us a meal last week before this all even happened. She and another one of Andrew's friends mothers brought a couple of snack trays with fruits, veggies, and chocolate, and water bottles to the funeral home on the day of the viewing to have in the lounge for the family. She communicated with Andrew's teacher to get his homework and brought it over when she watched my kids for one of the three shifts I had lined up that day AND best of all she brought over her son's Guitar Hero III game for Andrew to play while we were gone. Much to our great pleasure she left it. I don't know if she meant to or not, but it was here last night when we got home. It was the perfect stress relief for the evening. We were exhausted, but we played it as a family for a few hours, and Jeff and Julia stayed up till 11:30 playing it while Andrew and I fell asleep on the floor. We are closet rockers, I cannot lie. I pretty much have no skills, due to my lack of eye hand coordination, or coordination in general...I fell down the stairs this morning, but it is a TON of fun! I am working on perfecting The Seeker by The Who, but so far I am getting whooped by my kids.

I will leave you with one special story. It seems special, anyway, it made the day for me. Jeff's sister, Meridith, had the idea to get white balloons for the grandchildren to release at the cemetery following the burial service. Kind of like blowing kisses to Gramma. Some of the grandchildren had prepared notes to attach. On cue, they were released and up, up, up they soared. Within a minute they were all nearly out of sight, all but two. Two got caught up in a tree nearby. None of us knew whose they were, but it was heartbreaking to me to see them left behind. Most people had already gone back to their cars and were leaving, but the family stayed behind to wait to see if they broke free. Slowly one was liberated, but the other one seemed hopelessly stuck. The breeze seemed to have no effect on it. The others were long gone. I prayed. And waited. I did not want to leave, but it was time. As I started to get in the van, I heard some commotion and looked up to see it had come loose and begun flying upward. Kind of silly, I know. It isn't as if any of them would actually make it to heaven, but it seemed like a little miracle, or a little blessing anyway, for our family.

Here is a little slideshow from last night. There is no audio.

It's a long way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll!