Family is the Best!

I guess that I missed blogging about Grandpa's funeral too much.  I did have a great time writing about him and posting pictures and memories of our time with him, but I didn't write much about the time we had as a family after he passed.  Funerals are so bittersweet.  It is so great to have time as a family and to remember and laugh about stories of Grandpa, even though we know that we will sure miss him!

Grandpa passed away on my birthday.  As the time was drawing near I could see that it was probably going to be the day he waited for.  He would have thought that was really funny!

Here is the group of our family before the viewing.  It was great for the kids to all get some time together.  We had a really great day together the day before as we booked the gazebo at our lake and headed for a beach day with all of us.  It was so much fun!  Filled with soccer in the sand, hot sun and cool water, throwing kids into the water, food, laughing, and just great time together!  it was so great to have all of the siblings together, hanging out and having fun together,  

Grandpa had asked me to give his eulogy.  This was incredibly stressful for me but I said that I would do what he wanted me to do.  I had begun preparing it while he was still with us.  I had the opportunity to ask him a big list of questions about his life and voice record his responses.  This was a really amazing opportunity that I had been meaning to do for a couple of years and finally managed to a month or so before he passed.  This helped me with the eulogy.  Also having my cousins send me a few memories and being able to hear some of their great stories was also very helpful.

I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that we had to spend so much time with Grandpa, for me and my kids.  We had him everyday for nearly 2 years and he was with us nearly everywhere we went.  We also spent a lot of time with him in his last month.  I had regrets of not getting to see either of my Grandma's in their final time and I was not going to have any regrets this time.  We were there helping to take care of and just be near him nearly every other day.  It was sure a blessing and felt a lot like sacred ground at his bedside.

All of the Grand kids made it for his funeral.  It was good to have family around, some that I hadn't seen in a number of years.

Here is our crazy, growing family!  It is fun and busy but the best way that we could possibly spend our time and energy!  Family is so important and it is these times and moments that that becomes so clear.  I am so grateful for my family and the joy that comes from loving people so much!