Today was the funeral service for Jasin's mother. It's been a crazy few weeks. Planning a funeral and holiday must-do's at the same time is surreal. Honestly. We did our usual traditional Pizza Hut and Christmas tree day. And then the kids and I went home, and Jasin met his brother and sister at his sister's church, to plan the service. Not going to lie. I am completely not into the holidays this year.
Anyhow. We made it through the day, and I got to hug all my favorite cousin in laws. (If I missed anybody, you're probably a favorite cousin in law too. There was a lot of hugs.)
And, my kids all coordinated. I itched to reach for my phone to snap a picture of the four of them together, but I restrained myself. I spend enough time on the Internet to know that pictures taken at funerals end up on "Tacky funeral photo" sites, like Buzz Feed. I can only imagine the conversations.
"OH. MY, GOD!!!! YOUR COUSIN'S CHRISTMAS CARD PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT YOUR AUNT'S FUNERAL!!!!!!! WHO. DOES. THAT???????" Or some such thing. It was so hard not to line them up and get a picture though. Not that they would have stood still long enough. The church hall is a converted barn, and sports a basketball hoop and wood floors. So, half the room was set up for luncheon, and the other half had children chucking balls at each other. My kids weren't going cooperate for a picture no matter how nicely they matched.
At the end of the day, Margie, my mother in law was grieved over, and her funeral is over. She is now sitting at Jasin's sister's home until we can bury her in the spring, I think. It didn't feel quite real to me, seeing a little box, that summed up a whole person. That's all you amount to, at the end. It was the first time I have attended a funeral that the remains were cremated. I suppose it isn't unusual. But, it takes some getting used to. We arrived at the church kitchen, and I was trying to ask politely where Margie was. How do you ask where a body is? It's much easier when there is a big casket draped with flowers. Think about it. HOW do you ask where a body is, without sounding all CSI?
For those wondering: Margie was in a box on the counter. Jasin had built a box to put the remains in for now, thus the awkward moment of inquiring where she might be. I think she would have appreciated the day, as we poured over old pictures and family caught up with each other.
It's been a rough few weeks for Bearded Man. This past week was his first official week as a laid off seasonal employee. The dishwasher has been fixed, there are new wooden wheels on the vacuum cleaner, and he built me a shelf for my spices. Not sure if there are enough projects to keep him occupied till April...
With Christmas nearly upon us, George is concerned. He admits freely that he's pretty sure he's on the Naughty List up North. Not sure where he learned the word "deviant", but, he seems to think it might possibly refer to him. He has requested that we locate a Santa for him to visit, so he can discuss this in person. I can only imagine the conversation. In all reality he will probably clam up and find himself unable to talk, regretting it all and sweating out his present status until Christmas morning.
I have it on good authority, however, that Santa has a soft spot for 4 year old boys who love to snuggle with their mamas. I think he'll make out okay.
Most Christmases we stay home and just Veg. However, this year we are going to my parent's. "Tell Joe we are having pizza! He will be so happy he can eat Christmas dinner this year!" announced my mother.
"Yes. He will likely be starving. We are torturing him with a ham dinner on Christmas Eve." I replied.
Also, one last note, my dog is in big trouble with the next door neighbor. It seems Turbo, my husky, and Rugar, the hound dog next door, have become best friends. Rugar was a puppy this summer, when the neighbor adopted him. From day one, the two dogs have been inseparable. They try to play between fences, and try their darnedest to get into each other's yard to play. Which bothers us not at all, but, the neighbor just cannot deal with it.
The latest trick of the dogs, is for Rugar to climb as far up the fence as he can get, and then Turbo gently lifts him over by the back of the neck with his mouth. The neighbor is LIVID. "YOUR dog is BITING my dog's neck! He is going to hurt him!" I could point out that his dog LIKES it, and that the two of them do this every time they can. But, then the neighbor will remind me of his heart condition. It's much easier to chuck his dog back over the fence before the neighbor (and his heart condition) notice. No, I am not putting my dog on a run, as per the neighbor's request. I suspect that, as much as this does not bother us, nor the dogs, it is going to cause issues with the neighbor. Ah well. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose.
I'm off now. I need to bake cookies for my Sunday School Christmas party tomorrow. I will have precisely one student for this shindig. It promises to be awkward for the poor girl, as we try to figure out fun things to do with one kid for an hour and a half. Because, in all honesty, I have not had time to put together a whole lot this week. Perhaps a small lesson in offering up suffering for the Lord, may be appropriate....
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