On Saturday we attended the memorial service for my brother's mother-in-law. Attending a service at this time of the year brings back memories of those who have gone before us. Two of whom died during the month of December.
This first picture is of my husband's parents and that baby is my husband, the first of 8 children. My father-in-law died 10 years ago today. He was 77 years old at the time. Way too young as far as I'm concerned. Today is also the birthday of one of my husband's brothers. So David if you are reading this, Happy 50th Birthday. It was hard to have his father die on his birthday. That date will never be forgotten. My father-in-law served in the Air Force during World War II and he is wearing his uniform in that picture. I am grateful for having the chance to know him. I am also grateful that my children had a chance to know him. They joined us for holidays several times over the years. Went camping with us several summers. We visited them fairly often after he retired and they lived a little closer, making it easier to visit. They were there when my daughter was baptized. There were there when both of my children were confirmed at our church. They came to my grandfather's 90th party in 1994. They came to my grandfather's memorial service in January 1997. They also came to my grandmother's 90th party in 1998. And little did we know that was going to be the last time we saw him.
For some reason, my mother said to us, "Let's get a picture of the four of you." This turned out to be a special picture that I keep framed on my piano. It was the last one taken of him before he died. Picture was taken on November 15, 1998. He turned 77 on December 2, 1998. He died on December 8, 1998. What a shock! I was working and going to school at the time. I still had to get through a paper and two finals before we could join my mother-in-law and spend some time with her to help her go through things.
Now, my birthday is December 10. At the time we used a P.O. Box for our mail. On December 9 after getting word the day before of his death, I checked the mail. In the mail was a birthday card to me, in his handwriting with a check dated the day before he died. Also in the mail were the pictures from my grandmother's 90th birthday party which included the picture I have above. I tell you, I sat in my car and lost it. I cried and cried after seeing those two things arrive. It just overwhelmed me at the time.
This next picture which is above is of my grandparents, taken just after they were married in 1928. My grandfather has hair in that picture. He never had much while I was growing up. He died January 16, 1997 at the age of 92. The ironic thing is my dad's father died January 16, 1966. Same date, 31 years apart.
This next picture above shows them in their later years. Probably during the time when they were still square dancing and round dancing. They used to have a blast dancing in their clubs. My grandmother would make her twirly dresses to dance in every week. This is the grandmother whose party we were celebrating in 1998. My mother's mother. She died on December 1, 2002. On a Sunday. I was the substitute organist that day. My daughter was in the play "A Christmas Carol" at the college she was attending. We had planned to take Grandma to the play after church. But first we were going to bring some lunch to eat together before we go. While I was busy playing the organ, my husband kept trying to call her to find out what she wanted for lunch. Never got an answer. After church we went straight there. I had a funny feeling something was not right. When we got there, my husband asked me if I wanted him to come in with me. I told him "Yes!" Just as I had feared, we found her dead. She had been gone at least a couple of hours. She was living in a assisted living facility at the time. The people there told us she had been to breakfast, so we know she died sometime after she got back to her room.
We called the church, because my parents were still there. They came right over. After making sure my mother was okay, we left to go to my daughter's play. I remember she looked worried until she spotted us in the audience. Good thing we went anyway. Besides I wanted to tell her in person. We told her after the play of course. When she did not see Grandma with us, she figured that Grandma changed her mind. She had done that before.
This next picture above shows my godmother who is my grandmother's sister. They were the last two in a family of 10 children. My aunt here was the youngest. We took this picture because realized we had godmothers and goddaughter's here. My aunt was my Godmother, and I am my niece's Godmother. This the same niece that was in the Bathroom Diva pictures with me that I posted in November. This picture was taken in Spring of 2001. My aunt died on March 7, 2002 just a month shy of turning 91. She never had any children of her own. She considered all of us her children.
One thing I noticed is that my grandmother died on the anniversary of my niece's baptism, not the one pictured but her younger sister. My brother's mother-in-law died on the anniversary of my nephew's baptism, the younger brother of the niece pictured above. And yes, these are my brother's children. Not only was I the substitute organist the day my grandmother died, but I was also the subsitute organist last Sunday, the day my brother's mother-in-law died. My life is weird in that way sometimes.
I have lots of memories of these loved ones. Somtimes it makes the holidays hard and kind of sad that they are no longer with us. Life goes on whether we want it to or not. But we are better and enriched for having known and loved these people. Instead I try to think of the happy times. There are lots of those too. I just need to remember those and smile at them instead of cry. Thank you for sharing my memories.
God be with you.
I got another Angel for Christmas! I guess this is an Angel Christmas for me. This one above arrived in the mail yesterday from my husband's brother. The same brother who gave us the blue stained glass angel I had posted for a Blue Monday once. Notice this one is blue too. I just LOVE this angel. I am keeping it out all year. I can't stand the thought of putting this pretty angel away for the year until next Christmas. 
This beautiful nativity scene was on display at church on Christmas Eve. It is not out anymore. I noticed that when I went to the church last night to practice the organ for today's service. Isn't it gorgeous?
The church was also decorated with poinsettas. People donate them in memory of loved ones. It is posted in the bullentin who donated them and who they are in memory of for this year. They are displayed so nicely this year. Well, actually they are every year.
Here is the tree at church which is also still up. The tree is decorated with Chrismons. Some are made out of styrofoam and beads and gold foil. The women's group made them one year. Quite a few years ago. Okay a lot of years ago. They are still holding up well. The small round ones are cross stitched and in small embroidery hoops for frames. One year when we were adding those to the collection my daughter, my mother and I all helped to make a few of those. Each of the Chrismons have a meaning. One year we did a program where each one was described and what it meant as they were put on the tree.
On this first Sunday after Christmas we are doing only one service of lessons and carols. So today as the organist I have lots of hymns to play. It will keep me hopping on the organ bench for sure. I spent over two hours practicing last night. And this morning we will get over there at least one hour early so I can warm up my fingers for the service. As soon as I finish this post, I will need to sign off and start getting ready to go. I made or rather my husband made copies of each of the hymns I will be playing. That way I don't have to be flipping through books. I will just arrange the copied hymns in order and go for it. Also today everyone is supposed to bring goodies to share after church. I am bringing mine in the pretty tree shaped dish. This was another gift from a secret sister in a previous year. I do remember who this one is from. If she is there I will have to show her I am using her gift.
Here it is filled with the goodies I made. Yum yum yummy! This time I used Christmas colored M&M's for the centers. These are the same goodies I made for my co-workers that I posted about for Blue Monday last week. So Happy 4th day of Christmas!!
