Tonight you'll find me sitting quite tiredly on the couch. Zzzzzzz.
I traveled to Tennessee for my grandmother's funeral over the weekend. It was a sweet time of visiting with family and a sad time of mourning those missing from the gathering. While I certainly am sad my grandmother passed away, I sometimes wondered if my tears were more for my parents who weren't there. It's times like that when the pain of who's missing feels stronger.
After the graveside service on Monday morning, family and friends enjoyed a meal together. This is the third time in four years I have gathered in this room for a memorial meal, being there only 9 months ago for my mother's burial. Sigh. I've buried my father, my mother, and my grandmother. Surely, I've reached my funeral quota for awhile.
Below are pics from the luncheon:
This is the best shot I got of all my first cousins on my father's side. This is a feat!
These are the flowers sent in Anna Zane's name:
My twin and I. If I was told once, I was told a gazillion times that I looked like my Aunt Charlotte (which I will NEVER complain about; she's a pretty lady!). I was really surprised when I talked to her over lunch and learned she was getting the same comments!
Special thanks also to my dear, dear friend Lori, who drove all the way from Nashville before dawn to attend the burial service with me. It meant so very much. When I said goodbye to Lori that afternoon, I traveled for a quick visit with my aunt and uncle (mom's brother) before I got on the plane. As I got in my car to leave their house, I received a text that my plane had been further delayed.
Long story . . . very long story short, my 6:20 p.m. plane arrived in Knoxville at 12:40 a.m., and I was not on it. The agents thought--as did I--that the flight was going to be cancelled. Even though it ended up taking off around 1 in the morning, I wouldn't have enjoyed getting home at 3 a.m. just to drive 30 minutes to my house. Now my direct flight was a layover in Chicago with a 55 minute turn around time in which I had to go from gate H to gate K. Of course, on Tuesday, my Knoxville plane arrived 30 minutes late, leaving me roughly 20 minutes to make my connecting flight. Bryan, who saw that my flight was late into Chicago, called the airline while I was en route. They told him I'd never make my connecting flight so he rebooked me on a later flight. When I landed in Chicago and jogged to my gate, arriving just in time, the agent said my boarding pass was no good now. Sigh.
BUT he put me as #3 out of 26 on the standby list, and I MADE THE FLIGHT! Whew. Home at last. Talk about an emotional weekend.
Here's my aunt and uncle who saved me, and allowed me to stay the night on Monday. We had a great visit!
I'm ever so thankful that I attended the weekend events, but I am ever so glad to come home to my dearest man and sweetest girl. (Kudos to Bryan. He had roses, creme brulee, a chocolate bar, and ice cream waiting on me at home. AND we went out for dinner!)
