We put the fun in funerals

These are not as deep as I would've thought they should be.

(check out Will...left side of the picture...he looks like he has a little potbelly)

Graveside service

kind of a sad moment...but it was neat to be able to see how it happened.

Observing the interment...

I have so many pictures from the past weekend that it may take me a few days to blog them all. Just so ya know.

We had a really nice time/trip up to my hometown in MI! Yes, the circumstances were sad. But it was a nice celebration of Mimi's life and we are blessed to have been a part of it! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for all of your help, gas, lodging...We really do appreciate it and we hope you know it!

It was really quite blazing hot while we were up in the Great Lakes State. I could always do with out that...I am a refrigerated gal! (ice queen? heck no!!) and memories from my scorching childhood came flooding back at different times, mostly when I was in places with no air. that's cool...not really. :) One of the places we visited was my childhood home on Anderson...and what really stunk was that I had forgotten my camera in the hotel room. My cousin, Ken, his wife, Jayne and their three boys, Noah, Caleb, and Luke, currently live in this house...so that is why we were able to visit the homestead. Can I just tell you how strange it was to be in that house after 17 years?? even though it is filled with their stuff, it was like transporting back in time...and memories came back in ways i was not prepared for...it was so strange to be in that place with my kids...when that is the very place I always dreamed of my future family, what they would be like, how many girls vs. boys I would have...etc. So THAT was wild...I am so nostalgic anyways, and I know Ken, Jaynie and the kids thought I was a bit of a freak, walking around, showing my kids where this or that picture of me from my childhood was taken...sorry guys!! I am so sad that I didn't get any pix but I know my brother did so I will have to steal from him.

The pix from the funeral...ahhh, that steamy funeral. Beck and I missed the actual funeral service because Nora n' Molly wanted to eat and make a lot of noise, stinkweeds! It was a nice memorial and burial...I know it may seem weird that I have posted a pic of my Aunt's burial plot...but the kids and I were quite fascinated with the whole process...we got to watch the gravedigger dudes put her casket into the "vault" thingy...and then bring it to the burial place...it was so sad..and final. But she is right behind Grandma Greenhill and Grandpa, as well as right next to her parents. so that was comforting and neat to see. it was awesome to see the headstones of deceased relatives on dad's side, and to see where they were all laid to rest! My Great Gpa, J. Victor Johnson, had such a cool name...Victor...if I ever had another boy, I think I would have to implement that...for family reasons and for the Victory that we have in Jesus Christ! But alas, no more boys OR girls for this cat....so maybe I could convince one of my kids to use that awesome name. ay? (check out my returning MI accent, back for a limited time). got off on a rabbit trail there, didn't I? forgive me!

Well, there is just sooooooo much to update on here...if you've watched the news at all...you will have seen that the midwest was victim to some serious storms and record rain/flooding...we got some phone calls while we were away from dear friends checking on us...(you rock, John, Dale, whoever else called that I'm forgetting, and thanks to my neighbors for the updates)...to see if we were floating away! We were a little apprehensive to get home last night and see exactly what we had received...some serious washouts, and all the ground work we had just done around the pool is damaged! We are so thankful, though, because if we hadn't done that, our pool would be in the White River. sooooo, nothing too, too serious...I will post those pics another day! we lost a big chunk of our yard and that is a bit freaky! the pics will speak for themselves!

I could keep going but I'm exhausted beyond words so I'll do bits and pieces tonight!

God Bless you, wherever you are...praying that you are safe and dry...and feeling thankful for good health and safety! sorry, so sorry, for the blah, blah post! I have toothpicks keeping my eyes open right now! and dontcha just love all of my exclamation points? sheesh!!

***edited*** I have been trying to post this for over 12 hours now...dunno what blogger's problem is. keeps telling me that