I just thought I would write my blog posting while I wait, wait, and wait for the newsletter to download to the e-mail for sending off to the members of my church. It takes a long time with dial-up service and while I rejoice having connectivity of any sort available to me, it does get to be frustrating waiting for things to happen. In fact, I am writing this in a Word program and will copy/paste it to the blog in hopes that it will speed the publishing process somewhat.
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Little has been said about the funeral service for my father-in-law, Arno, which took place on Wednesday but I will make up for that now. My sister, Lynn, managed to get Justin and me picked up right on time from the airport and off we zoomed to the church, making it in plenty of time for the family prayer service before the official visitation began. Justin and his father did a quick change of their wardrobes once we delivered the awaited suit and thus began the evening and half day on Wednesday of funeral events. It was great to see everyone again, although we agreed wishing it was different circumstances. Why do we so often do that? Wait until someone dies before getting together??? A wedding, well, that is a good thing, but a funeral is not always ideal.
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It was also great to see an old friend, Dennis, the owner of the funeral home, again. He always has such nice things to say, always asks about my family, although he sees them more than I do, at F.G. When the visitation was about wrapped up, Justin and I, both a bit weary from our travels and such, were given a ride home by Allie, my niece. It was blowing snow and icy cold outside but Allie had nearly bare arms and drove fearlessly down the country roads. She asked if we minded stopping at McDonald’s as she was picking up food for her parents and brother as well. Sure!!! Justin ran in and got our soda from the mini-mart/McDonald’s as I waited in the car with the heater running. He did not buy any food at all, just the soda. We were delivered to Grandma K’s door where Lynn had already dropped off my suitcase. Justin had his in tow since he needed some items when he did his quick–change at the church. Thanks, Lynn!
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We got settled in at Mom’s, happy to be warm and cozy with family, but Justin did not stay that way long. His cousin, JR, called to see if he wanted to go out for a while yet that night. Sure! Evidently I was more tired than Justin was from our travels…Actually, he relished the opportunity to hang out with his cousin, who would soon be deploying to Germany and then to the war zone, eventually. I was glad to have them take this opportunity. Justin had a key from his grandma to let himself back in again since Mom and I would certainly be asleep by that time! And we were!
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Wednesday we were to be at church by 9:30 for a family devotion before more visitation time and since it was snowing and windy, allowed plenty of time for the drive. Ugh! But we made it safely, and were not the first ones on site. Nancy and her family were already there, and I surprised Tabitha by returning her denim cap, left at my house since summer!
*
The service was lovely, of course, a good “Lutheran” funeral, which was appropriate since Arno was a strong, Lutheran man, faithful to his last breath. We sang “Just As I Am” and “Abide with Me”, the closing stanzas of the second one tearing me up, of course. Dennis, the undertaker, did such a good job making sure Arno looked like he did the last time I saw him, perhaps even better, and I thanked him for that.
*
Mom and Lynn came out to Newtonburg for the funeral service and stayed to enjoy the fellowship meal afterward. I was sitting with the family but my cousin, Rochelle, who is Sharon’s caregiver, sat with them and others they knew. The committal service was held in the church instead of graveside due to the inclement weather but a few of the hardy and close family went along up to the cemetery, adjacent to the church. Justin was a pall bearer, and quite the handsome one at that! He received many compliments on his new appearance and not a few saw fit to tell him he looks like his mama! Excellent!
*
As things wound down after the meal and the clean-up was underway, somehow we managed to herd these cats into a group for a family photo. Heaven only knows when they will all be together again, and only Marian was absent, oh, yes, and Diane. Justin had thought it should be family only but it did not quite work out that way, and Harv had thought I should be in it, but I sat this one out. I get together with folks up there often enough, they won’t forget about me. I won’t allow it! In fact, Barb’s mom, Clara, with whom I sat on Tuesday night for a bit, asked me if I thought the family would ever get together anymore now that Arno was gone. I told her I could not speak for the others but in my case, no matter what they have tried in the past, they just cannot shake me!!! I pray that remains so!
*
Little has been said about the funeral service for my father-in-law, Arno, which took place on Wednesday but I will make up for that now. My sister, Lynn, managed to get Justin and me picked up right on time from the airport and off we zoomed to the church, making it in plenty of time for the family prayer service before the official visitation began. Justin and his father did a quick change of their wardrobes once we delivered the awaited suit and thus began the evening and half day on Wednesday of funeral events. It was great to see everyone again, although we agreed wishing it was different circumstances. Why do we so often do that? Wait until someone dies before getting together??? A wedding, well, that is a good thing, but a funeral is not always ideal.
*
It was also great to see an old friend, Dennis, the owner of the funeral home, again. He always has such nice things to say, always asks about my family, although he sees them more than I do, at F.G. When the visitation was about wrapped up, Justin and I, both a bit weary from our travels and such, were given a ride home by Allie, my niece. It was blowing snow and icy cold outside but Allie had nearly bare arms and drove fearlessly down the country roads. She asked if we minded stopping at McDonald’s as she was picking up food for her parents and brother as well. Sure!!! Justin ran in and got our soda from the mini-mart/McDonald’s as I waited in the car with the heater running. He did not buy any food at all, just the soda. We were delivered to Grandma K’s door where Lynn had already dropped off my suitcase. Justin had his in tow since he needed some items when he did his quick–change at the church. Thanks, Lynn!
*
We got settled in at Mom’s, happy to be warm and cozy with family, but Justin did not stay that way long. His cousin, JR, called to see if he wanted to go out for a while yet that night. Sure! Evidently I was more tired than Justin was from our travels…Actually, he relished the opportunity to hang out with his cousin, who would soon be deploying to Germany and then to the war zone, eventually. I was glad to have them take this opportunity. Justin had a key from his grandma to let himself back in again since Mom and I would certainly be asleep by that time! And we were!
*
Wednesday we were to be at church by 9:30 for a family devotion before more visitation time and since it was snowing and windy, allowed plenty of time for the drive. Ugh! But we made it safely, and were not the first ones on site. Nancy and her family were already there, and I surprised Tabitha by returning her denim cap, left at my house since summer!
*
The service was lovely, of course, a good “Lutheran” funeral, which was appropriate since Arno was a strong, Lutheran man, faithful to his last breath. We sang “Just As I Am” and “Abide with Me”, the closing stanzas of the second one tearing me up, of course. Dennis, the undertaker, did such a good job making sure Arno looked like he did the last time I saw him, perhaps even better, and I thanked him for that.
*
Mom and Lynn came out to Newtonburg for the funeral service and stayed to enjoy the fellowship meal afterward. I was sitting with the family but my cousin, Rochelle, who is Sharon’s caregiver, sat with them and others they knew. The committal service was held in the church instead of graveside due to the inclement weather but a few of the hardy and close family went along up to the cemetery, adjacent to the church. Justin was a pall bearer, and quite the handsome one at that! He received many compliments on his new appearance and not a few saw fit to tell him he looks like his mama! Excellent!
*
As things wound down after the meal and the clean-up was underway, somehow we managed to herd these cats into a group for a family photo. Heaven only knows when they will all be together again, and only Marian was absent, oh, yes, and Diane. Justin had thought it should be family only but it did not quite work out that way, and Harv had thought I should be in it, but I sat this one out. I get together with folks up there often enough, they won’t forget about me. I won’t allow it! In fact, Barb’s mom, Clara, with whom I sat on Tuesday night for a bit, asked me if I thought the family would ever get together anymore now that Arno was gone. I told her I could not speak for the others but in my case, no matter what they have tried in the past, they just cannot shake me!!! I pray that remains so!
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