Weekend

This is my favorite picture of my Grandma, isn't she beautiful? Friday was my Grandma's funeral. It was really so nice and perfectly her. Each of the talks were totally different but all so good. There was lots of music which is what my Grandma wanted. There was a gorgeous Chopin piano solo called "Raindrop Prelude". When my uncle called the woman who was going to play it she first thought they wanted her to play "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head". Close call, we've all had a good laugh at that. The next musical number was a grandchildren choir I figure there were 42 of us up there with two cousins on missions and two of them too little to sing. We sang my Grandma's request "I Often Go Walking" and then "Love is Spoken Here". It was so powerful and emotional, but most of us managed to at least sing some of it. The final musical number was "O Divine Redeemer" sung by my brother, Braden, and cousin, Ashley. It was the perfect thing to end on, truly sublime.

Here are all her children, yes my aunt has 7 brothers and then had 5 sons.

A definite highlight of the weekend was having all my parents' grandkids together.

Hanging out at my parents' enjoying Bradens' family.

My oldest brother and his sweet family live in TN and we rarely see them. Their oldest kids are significantly older than the rest of the kids, but aside from their size, that was never apparent. They were so sweet and fun and interested in the little kids. Ben is obsessed with Spencer. All of my kids were EXTREMELY bitter when they had to say goodbye. One of my greatest joys is having my kids love their cousins so much.

Friday was kind of a marathon day. We got up and got ready and headed out for the viewing before the funeral. As we closed the casket my tender kids were so sad and emotional. It broke my heart, but I am so grateful I could look them in the eye and remind them how happy my Grandma is and that that was only her body taking a rest for now. Her spirit is joyfully reuniting with Grandpa and loved ones and our Savior.

After the funeral and the cemetery we went back to the church for lunch. Those poor Relief Society women had quite a crowd to feed, but did so wonderfully. After lunch we gathered at my grandparents' home for probably the last time and sat around sharing our memories of her. Then all of my siblings and our families and my parents gathered at my parents' home. We had dinner and played games. It was so nice just to be together. I loved that my older kids were old enough to play with us. I remember being "old enough" to learn those same games with my uncles and aunts and it was a huge deal.

Saturday, Christian, Rebecca, Oliver and Amelia went home. Later that day we gathered for a giant soccer game and then the pumpkin patch. They came home and each got to decorate their pumpkins. We left our kids, except for Joshy, at my parents' with Braden and Eliza's kids so that all the adults could go out to dinner. It was so much fun to enjoy a night out with some of my very favorite people.

Sunday Davis and Melissa left and after a nice Sunday dinner with Braden's family at mom and dad's we said goodbye to them.

We have so much to be grateful for.