grandma's funeral

Well, what can I say. Today was my grandma's funeral. The weather was crappy. School let out at 12:30pm. We're in a Blizzard warning, or something like that. So all in all, today wasn't a great day by any means. But it still came and now it's nearing the end. Thank God.

I walked into the church and could feel my eyes welling up, but wasn't about to lose it that early in the process. I was able to clear my thoughts, dry my eyes before any tears rolled down my face, and talk to family. My mother and father-in-law came too, which was a surprise! A good surprise. I mean talk about a wonderful set of caring people to come to my grandma's funeral.

The final peek in the casket was hard and that's when the tears rolled. Listening to the pastor talk in our family service was initially hard and the tears rolled even more. Death is hard. Like I've said before, I know grandma is in a much better place where she feels no pain, she can see, she can hear, and she came be with the Lord, but it's still our grieving here that is hard, missing her spirit, her smile, her stories and the way she would light up when I walked into the room.

The service was nice. I learned that my dad sported a fancy pair of white jeans and a baby blue shirt way back in the day, for a night on the town....that made me laugh. There were tears of happiness that she had passed to a better place and tears of sadness for missing her here with us.

We went to the cemetery for the burial immediately after the funeral. Only immediate family. The van carrying the pallbearers in the front got stuck rounding a curve. They tried to get out, but ended up backing up out of the way to try to let the hearse through. The hearse couldn't make it up the hill in the cemetery, so the pallbearers got out and pushed the hearse up the hill. Then my uncle Doug's car couldn't get up the hill. More pushing. Lots of pushing. The next few vehicles were 4x4's. They all made it. Finally, the last car just parked in the first aisle and walked through the snow and reversed it to get out of the cemetery. It was a short 10 minute service. Dad showed me the other stones and who's they were and showed me where their plots are.

Back to the church we went and ate a very enjoyable meal with sandwiches and salads. I ate way to much grape salad, but it was so delicious! I visited some more, gathered the flowers I was taking with us, and headed home.

I came home and went straight to bed. I was/am emotionally exhausted and needed a nap. I foresee bed in my near future as well. I loved my grandma and will miss her dearly. But at least now I know she is finally in the place where she has always known she was going someday.

And now, now I'm ready for the New Year to begin and for life to get back to normal. Thank you everyone for your kind words, emails, prayers and cards. It all means so much to me.