A funeral a party and some family

On Friday morning I got up early as usual to get Megan out of her room and down stairs for some Ovaltine.

I had an appointment to get my car serviced. In a bizarre twist or reality Kiernan chose this morning to have a sleep in.

Thank goodness mom didn't have to be into work too early. I went in with David and was able to use his car for the rest of the day.

The rest of the day was rainy. It has been raining and raining hard for about 4 days now. Too much rain. There are flood warnings in my area and poor Jessica and her family had to drive up in that mess.

For our morning it meant doing some fun indoor stuff.

We went to Paradise Fun and climbed and jumped and ran around in the indoors before nap time.

Kiernan showed Megan how to do the obstacle course.

Nice technique eh?

I went to work in the evening as usual and fought with robots and did some school work. This time it was my final exam for Forensics and a paper for my workplace learning program. Cross your fingers...I haven't gotten the grade back yet for forensics and though I had an A before the exam it was a low one and I could easily now not have an A.

On Saturday morning I went into work for the annual inventory. See these CD's that I am counting? See that box behind them that I forgot to count right after. Oh gracious. Guess who did a recount.

After work I went home and cleaned. I know I should do a big clean every weekend but I don't manage it nearly that much. Every time we have people over, I am so glad for the excuse to dedicate some serious time to the house. We had a smaller group than usual but it was wonderful. I got to go look at a baby/maternity consignment shop in Mt. Airy with Pammy (that was great!) and Kiernan got to try his hand at game night.

Chris and I had a be but I think very important aside about whether or not to give Kiernan some preferential treatment in the game, whether or not to knock him off the board. I decided to let him die a noble death and get knocked off. I think it will make him a better player and 'get' the rules more but more importantly it will help him understand himself as a part of the group and not as a special member of it.

He is inestimably special of course but he will not get a prize just for showing up.

In the midst of play we saw Mike pull in to the drive way. It was a few more quick games and off to bed at that point.

Special thanks to Daryl for his loan of Telestrations, the hit of the evening.

On Sunday morning we got up to head out to the funeral.

Mom and Katie watched the kids while we were there. It was so great to have family all around this weekend.

Here is a picture that didn't work out due to too much squirming on Katie and Megan's part, but I love it. I love seeing all these girls together. I love that we hung out and had pancakes and I love how relaxed and happy we all were. 

David and Mike and Jessica and Shawn and I left for the funeral.

It was hard. It was beautiful too. David and I burned some music for part of it and it went over well. I am so glad to have been involved even a little bit in the whole thing. I feel that way about the life of my Cuban family. 

I am not sorry that my parents got divorced. They had no business being married in the first place. I am very sorry for all the long lasting hurt it caused. I am so grateful to have Mary in my life and by extension her family. Her sisters and brother are absolutely my aunts and uncle and her parents are incontestably,my grandparents. I was glad to be with them and to hug my cousins and to hear Spanish. 

Here are some pictures of my Abuelo in his youth.

I knew so little of the story of his life. This is a great write up. Jessica nudged me and made me read it. Thanks Jessica. What a wonderful story and how sweetly written.

I think the hardst part for me of the whole thing was not being able to reach people I wanted to reach. Mary and her sisters were sitting up front with their mom and they were crying and I just wanted to go hug them and give them tissues and comfort them. I was physically uncomfortable sitting still and not going to them. and then my poor cousin Evie was sobbing just one row back and I wanted to go to her but I sat still being appropriate and useless in my pew. Ug. I love you guys I am so sorry for your pain.

Here are some pictures of a more recent nature. 

I wish I could see more of the people I saw yesterday, Mary's family and Dads, more often and in happier circumstances. (Hear that family? We have a hot tub come visit us!) 

This morning Mike and Jessica and Shawn and Katie drove off into the sunrise for TN. I am hoping very much to see them again at Christmas.