Of funerals and snowstorms

"I hope the limo driver didn't see me in my underwear."

That's a direct quote from my hubby the morning of his mother's funeral. I'm pretty sure in Heaven, she was cracking up as hard as I was. Leave it to her son, my husband... :)

The morning started out rough. I set my alarm for 7:00 am and thankfully woke up at 6:58 as the power went out. It was storming something fierce. I begged God to turn the power back on. I had to get dressed, we were already running a little late, and I couldn't go to a funeral with wet hair. The power came on, I praised God, and ran around getting dressed quickly as the storm continued to rage. I pleaded with God to next stop the storm. My grandma was coming out to our house to watch Little Miss for us, and that was going to be strange enough for her, much less with the threat of thunder outside. (Little Miss is terrified of thunder!) I finished drying my hair, turned the hairdryer off and voila - the lights went back out.

"Really, God?? Really? Today?" I was stressed.

Hubby got up and tried to get the generator going to give my grandma and little miss power to watch and tv and keep the fridge cool, etc. He couldn't get it going for awhile, and kept running outside in various stages of dress to try next tactics (hence the opening line to this blog)

I meanwhile was in my closet, reading outloud from Matthew where Jesus calmed the storm. I figured I'd try everything I could! Slowly the storms subsibed, thank you Lord, and hubby got the generator to work (though he could have flashed the limo driver at some point in the process)

We finally left, just a little bedraggled and only ten minutes late.

We got to the service early enough, thankfully, and the rest of the morning remains a blur of hugs, love, tears, sobs, music, encouragement, and hope. Everything was done so beautifully, the flowers were gorgeous, the music perfect, the testimony from my MIL's best friend lovely, the mini sermon from our pastor so encouraging and heartfelt.

The day before the funeral, Hubby had gone with our music minister to the church and recorded himself singing "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns. Hubby's song was then played during the service (the same song he sang to his mother in her last hours) and I think I used every tissue in the place. So touching. Not a dry eye.

And it even snowed at the gravesite :)

I wore a dress and a thin sweater wrap and wow, it was cold. But it still seemed appropriate. There were many jokes and teary laughter about "leave it to Cindy to have this done on the day it suddenly and shockingly drops 30 degrees in an hour" :) She'd have liked that. She's gotta go out with some drama...

I think it was all a success.

Here are some pictures I took of the visitation of the flower arrangements and some special touches. I wish I had pictures of other special moments but some things are too sacred to mar with film.

This first arrangement one was sent to us by our SS class at church and made by a sweet friend with super crafty talent. I love the butterflies incorporated and the bird on the stand. Flowers and animals - that was SO my mother in law. The other one with the purple flowers is the one my Little Miss "sent" to her Mimi. All the grandkids "sent one" even though they're young. I thought that was a special touch and great idea my sister in law and her aunt had. The third flower arrangement is a beautiful one my grandparents sent to the funeral home. I love the purple. So cheerful!

The picture of the boots are my MIL's boots that she wore the day of the accident. They didn't leave my husband's truck from that day until 19 months later, the night of the visitation...