Grandma's funeral

So many thoughts buzzing around in my head and not enough time to write them down. Well, I knew this is how it would be but I'm still a little disappointed. So, I'll just jot things down and maybe flesh it out later.

I lost my grandma in March. On St. Patrick's Day to be exact. She was 91. She lived a really good, long life, so I wasn't really sad at her passing. She earned her rest. And, from the sounds of it, she had a really holy, beautiful death. My parents, my sister Maria and her hubby, David and my brother John were able to be at her side as she passed. Grandma had had a stroke at breakfast time and never regained consciousness. She died in mid afternoon. Those at her side were praying when she died. So, I'm not really sad at her passing but I am sad for those who were close to her and who will miss her so much. Namely, Maria and John. And my mom, of course, but that's a whole different ball of wax. Grandma moved to Illinois with my parents about 3 1/2 years ago and that was the last time I saw her. So, I think since I've been so distant already, it doesn't seem real to me yet. Even though it's been almost a month. But for John and Maria and their families who live in Illinois, it will be hard for a while. They had been able to visit her and get to know her again. Plus, John and Maria were always really close to her. So I grieved for their pain and loss.

So much good came from the trip to Colorado for Grandma's funeral. We were able to reconnect with cousins we hadn't seen in about 20 years. And friends we hadn't seen in about that long. Good friends we grew up with who offered us places to stay and food and comfort. That was amazing. Our good friend Jessica gave up her house for us. She went and stayed with her parents and just let us have her place. She is a wonderful person. Our families were really close when we lived in CO and it's nice to know that that friendship has survived.

One of the best things that happened out there was the fact that the seven of us Wiesner siblings were able to spend the night of the funeral with each other. Just us. Mom and Dad were at another friend's house and we were at Jessica's. We were able to talk without the usual distractions of our normal lives and on an adult level. We laughed, cried, teased, hugged. It was awesome. I love my siblings so much and am so grateful that we have remained close. I thank my parents for that, especially my mom. She always told us that we were going to be siblings forever, so we should learn to be friends, too. Well, it worked.

Now I must sign off. I need to go see what the kidlets were doing while I was stealing these precious few moments. Sigh. Probably making more work for me. Oh, well. Someday I will get my rest just like Grandma.