Thankful

Today is Memorial Day and it always is a day full of lots of thinking for me. My aunts have always been good to go visit the cemetery and clean off the markers and stones that memorialize our dearly departed relatives. For the past several years, I have made it part of my Memorial Day observances to do the same. My Aunt Edrie, as I have spoken in years past, was in the Navy. We have a few things left from her career as a Yeoman in the Navy and are always proud to place a flag and flowers on her stone, as we do on my grandparents' stones as well. Today the girls went with me to place the flowers. It was very sweet to watch them tend to their relatives' stone and clear the stray weeds away. They placed the flowers and said a little prayer before leaving. As we drove around to leave, we came upon an interesting section of the grounds that had more items placed on the stones than others. We stopped to walk around and pay our respects when we found that the particular section we were in was for the youngest of these who had departed this life far sooner than they should have. We stood in stunned silence as we read the heartbreaking sentiments from parents to their children and said another prayer that their broken hearts would know God's love and comfort. Cemetaries have never been creepy to me at all, but more of a calming place to remember and learn about those who have gone before us. The girls feel the same way. We talked about always being respectful while visiting. We talked about the body and the soul and Heaven and complete healing. It was heavy material, but a learning time. We left and went to our church's cemetery to pay our respects to some church friends there. Sweet baby D, who we talked about a couple of years ago, is there and the girls cleared the weeds off his stone. They talked about what a sweet baby he was and how he must be playing with our dog Cosby up in Heaven. It was a heavy morning, but a sweet one.

The kids had their annual homemade ice cream at a celebration for our little part of our fair city. They listened to some music and the boy climbed a rock wall. Not bad for a Monday.

Now I must go destroy my boy in Blokus. He must be schooled. Night all.


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