Happy 75th Birthday Mom

Today Beverly Joyce was born to Violet Elaine and Lloyd Garfield Brown. I wonder what was going through Grandma Vi's mind. She had Betty Jo and Barbara Jean and now a third daughter, Beverly Joyce! Whose idea was it to name their daughters with B's and J's?

I'm finishing up the first quilt that mom started. She made it for Sam. I'm enjoying working on it, my first machine quilt. I need to find some fabric for the border and then I'll be able to finish it up. I was telling Sam how grandma made each of the heart blocks and that she made them just for him. He thought that was pretty special.

Today is Father's Day and Tony is working a 12hr shift. The kids got up early and made him breakfast; cheese & veggie omelet, spam and rice (a Hawaiian thing), cinnamon toast and fruit cup. We'll surprise him with a picnic lunch after church. Emily wrote the sweetest poem for her dad. In general we just spoil everyone rotten on their special day.

We are off to church. Hope your day is blessed.

Memorial Service

The services for mom were lovely. Reverend Beaty did a wonderful job presenting the truth from the scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep (means to die), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven (hallelujiah), with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Reverend Beaty encouraged us to remember that we do not grieve as the world grieves because we have the hope of Heaven! Yes we grieve, but it is not over yet, we will be reunited again one day, I hope very soon.

We read the Lord's Prayer, sang In The Garden, a favorite of moms and had a photo tribute and open mic time. We sang Blessed Assurance and then prayed. Sarah provided prelude and postlude music from a selection of mom's favorites.

The pipe organ and stained glass window above the alter were lovely. Boone is a beautiful church. Guests wound out the front of the church as we only had one guest book. As I walked down the line, I greeted faces I haven't seen since childhood and hugged necks of people I am related to but haven't seen in 15 years. It was wonderful.

The reception consisted of deli sandwiches, veggie trays, 3 bean salad, pasta salad, pea salad, green veggie salad, watermelon, carrot cake, cream puffs and 108 chocolate chip pecan cookies (baked by yours truly). I do so enjoy cooking, something mom taught me.

The deacons were terrific and helpful with setting up the food and cleaing up after our reception. Sylvia is a gem!

A few family members came home to visit with us. We had leftover reception lunch to munch on when we got hungry again. A friend of mine from high school happened to see mom's memorial service reminder in the paper and was in town from Jerome for a wedding and stopped by the house after the service. It was great to catch up.

It was a quiet evening and when everyone had gone home, it was very quiet. Dad retired to his chair to unwind a bit. I spent the evening reading cards and putting the guest book info into the computer.

Sunday I had planned to go to church at Boone, but ended sleeping in! I think the total of all the weeks prep caught up with me. With only two days left I still had alot left to do.

Cousin Babette invited our family to her house for dinner Sunday evening. She has a lovely home and a 7 acre dirt bike track in her backyard. Sam had heard about cousin Taylor and Marty's dirt bike racing and was excited to go. After dinner Sam suited up and had a great time. The boys are incredibly talented and I'm sure I've got a few new gray hair after watching them sail through the air. I enjoyed chatting with Aunt Sandy and meeting Babette's dogs...I'm thinking Brannon needs to send me one of his miniature/toy schnauzers....they are SOOooo cute! Left uncut they have very soft fur and the sweetest faces!

Monday we interned mom's ashes at Canyon Hill Cemetery. Mom was placed next to her daddy, Lloyd Garfield Brown. The tree next to Brownie didn't allow her stone to be placed beside his, but set behind the tree. This is just like mom, she wouldn't have wanted to remove the tree, but humbly her stone sits behind everyone else. Her life, sacrifical in nature, never putting herself ahead of another, humble, gentle, sweet.... my precious mother.

Dad, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Don, Melissa, Stan, Tony, Sarah, Emily, Sam and I prayed at mom's grave site, talked, laughed, put Curly and Colleens pink roses (mom's favorite) beside her headstone and said our good-byes. Melissa put a fan in with mom, and we placed a hankie that we found in her bureau with a note attached that said "I would like to be buried with this hankie, I used it the most and it will keep my nose from dripping." Mom always had a hankie with her, a symbol of her femininity.

Monday afternoon was solemn. I puttered around doing laundry, packing, cleaning, staying busy as usual. After hearing we don't have a Krispie Kreme donut restaurant in Alaska, Melissa ran and picked up some for us....what a treat! Oh my, what a treat!!!

Tuesday morning came early. We rose at 4:30AM and after 5 showers and last minute packing ,and a tearful good-bye with dad, we headed to the airport. Tony turned in the rental car. The flight was uneventful, I shed numerous tears thinking of dad alone now. The girl sitting next to me was on her way to Bristol Bay to see her fiance. She had never been to Alaska before...and I was thinking how life goes on. Here a new couple about to be married, and my dad grieving for the wife he shared his life with for 47 years.

And Life goes on.

Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.