A week ago Saturday 8/24/2013 my Mother was found at 5:30 am to have died. We got in the car sometime that evening and started what turned out to be a whirlwind of a week getting together with my brother and his wife to bring closure to her death. We arrived at his house Sunday afternoon and started the planning and reminiscing. We stayed up late doing both. Monday was a final viewing before her cremation. The girls planned and cooked for the people who would come over after the services Tuesday morning, and as always, the response from friends and family was heartwarming. I learned that as I spoke at her service, that I am not supposed to look at anyone in the audience and it pays to print because my handwriting is not very legible through tears. Fantastic arrangements were made by the funeral home to have both Mon and Dad’s ashes interred in the Leavenworth Federal Cemetery Wednesday morning. The Wednesday morning spreading of the flag, taps, the refolding of the flag and a presentation to my brother and I a flag for both was a real double hit. We were finally getting closure for both Mom and Dad’s passing. The final piece was the Thursday afternoon ceremony at the cemetery of members of many branches of service, both retired and active duty, and the Patriot guard, of a reading of the names of those who had been interred in August and a firing of the guns (a 21 gun salute). We returned home early Friday morning after discovering again that parts of Iowa and Illinois are very dark late at night and early in the morning. We affirm that Chicago land never sleeps. Coffee was my BFF. As we try to resurrect our lives that we left that Saturday, we are both dizzy with so much to do, people to contact, and getting everything out of the car to be put away. I have discovered that I am out of underwear and breakfast food. Coffee remains this morning my BFF. I cannot say Thank You enough to all here in Chicago who said “Sorry for your loss”. It was reassuring to know the thoughts and feelings of our friends and our ‘brothers and sisters’ were with us as Judy and I left for Kansas to bring closure to the recent deaths of both my Mom and Dad (16 years ago). While the closure in Kansas is finished, the final closure will occur when Judy and I are back into the lives we have here in Chicago. It is no wonder that we are both dizzy this morning. Coffee IS my very BFF.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 04:43:56 +0000
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