Happy Things from Home

Yes, they're a couple of weeks old, I know. But here are a few happy things from the weekend I was home for Grammie's funeral . . .

 

• A miracle plane ticket, thanks to a thoughtful and persistent friend
• The friendly familiarity of the Manchester airport
• Clyde picking me up from the airport
• Seeing all of the uncles and aunts, and most of the cousins again
• Genuinely missing Melissa, the missing cousin, because I feel like I got to know her better at our last family reunion
• Singing together with all the cousins during the funeral
• Inconspicuously surveying the congregation during the funeral to see who came
• The neat quotes and pictures in the funeral program
• Uncle Hudson's tribute during the funeral
• Most of Grammie's Abram nieces and nephews being there (and the excitement when I realized that Uncle Bill had come all the way from Washington State!)
• Getting to see Aunt Ellie again-she's as beautiful as ever
• Seeing Jim LaF and recalling happy times from Bible School
• Chatting with Jayna and Jared
• Maureen J. driving down from Nova Scotia with her parents to be there
• The Mosher girls coming
• A warm hug from Mae M.
• Seeing Uncle Sterling again for the first time in too long, and knowing that of course he would greet me with a hug
• Relatives from Dad's side of the family coming to the funeral, too
• Chatting with various and sundry people, from Jill and Evan to Uncle Ron and Aunt Vangie to Roger W. to Jason A. to Neil C.
• Cyndi telling about her Bible School days escapades
• Cyndi putting Uncle Bob up to telling the story of drag racing Ivan S. down Rte. 101 near Chestnut Hill many, many years ago. The police picked him up, then took off after Ivan. When it was all over, "I think we lost our licenses for six months or something," Uncle Bob explained. When we exclaimed over the seriousness of the penalty, he continued: "Of course I never stopped driving."
• Catching up with Bob and Carol, albeit briefly
• Sitting next to Kris during the funeral
• Aunt Gwen's kind words
• Staying up late Saturday night to catch up with Sherri, John, and Karen over Dunkin' Donut holes
• Exchanging thoughts on working with teenagers with Sherri and Karen--me from a youth worker's perspective, them from a mom's perspective
• Covering over the empty feeling of being back at Fairview with Grammie not there by visiting with Uncle Elwin and Aunt Paulette and the others after the funeral
• Going to church at Fairwood again-enjoying watching the little kids devour the snacks (déjà vu)
• Chilling with my family on Sunday
• Clyde recording a cell phone voice ringer for his number: "Darling, this is one time I don't want you to shut up. Pick up the phone and talk to me."
• Playing the Mad Libs game with Mom and Kay again