The Departed

We laid mom to rest today at an 11 a.m. service.

The day did not start out as planned. About every 6-8 months...I get a case of vertigo. I woke up and the room was spinning. I stumbled to the bathroom. I yelled at my wife to bring me a waste basket...thinking I was going to throw up. I didn't. She called the doctor, and went and got me a prescription for Anti-vert. I stayed in bed for as long as I could, and rolled into the funeral home at 10:50 a.m.

It was a different kind of service. In 2004, we lost my father-in-law. In 2005, one of their longtime friends...Don... lost his wife. Don't get ahead of me...but in 2006 they were caught holding hands at his condo. She was 81, and he was 86, and they have been together for the last 5 years. The card in his flowers read...To my friend and my companion. Touching.

Besides our pastor speaking...Don's son spoke, and one of my daughters read some poetry, and said a few words. Both did a marvelous job. Then it was my turn.

I thanked her for being a wonderful mother to her 3 girls. I thanked her for being so accepting when she welcomed me and the other son-in-laws into the family. I talked about her farm-girl roots, and her job as a realtor...back when houses were selling. About being a grandmother and golfer.

I finished up with talking about how hard it is to watch loved ones suffer. You always hate to see people leave this world, but I am happy that she left the pain behind.

Purple was the color of the day. She was dressed in light purple, and a lot of the flowers had purple accents. Even her casket was lilac colored.

The burial was snowy, windy, and cold. Maybe as it should be. Thankfully...no one fell.

My church family put on a baked-potato and salad lunch. It hit the spot after a morning of mourning.

To my mother-in-law. To mom. To Paula. To Pauline. Get some well needed rest...and we'll see you soon.