today we said goodbye to my aunt francie. as i've found with most funerals, it was a mixture of bitter-sweetness. i got to see my aunt jesse's family including sandra, brenda and their husbands and families. i also got to see my cousin courtney. i haven't seen her in such a long time and i've been missing her dearly. she lives in colorado now, and i think her wedding about ten years ago was one of the last times i've seen her.
penni dawn came in from tennessee. i only get to see her about once a year to once every two years -- which is more than we used to see her. the last time i had seen her was her mom's funeral. i hate the idea that the only time we're all going to see one another is when another member of our family has passed away.
the funeral was heartbreaking. courtney gave the eulogy and it was perfect. she talked about aunt francie's bunny cakes, which were exactly some of the first memories of mine that came to mind when i first realized she was gone. she used to make the most incredible bunny cakes at easter.
my heart broke for sonya and brad. and for sonya's girls. i think i would have been much like bradley was if i had just lost my mom. i wish there was something i could have done.
my parents didn't go to the burial and i almost didn't, but karen and penni dawn convinced me. i think i would have regretted not going. i hopped in the car and followed penni, karen, and brad in the rental penni had. when we got to muskogee, i parked my car at justin and lindsay's house and hopped in the truck with the three of them, and we drove on to sonya's house. everyone met at sonya's and hung out there for a bit.
all day long we kept getting the question of whether courtney or i am the taller one. we looked about the same height, but i had one three inch wedges, and she was in flats. we hung at the house for about an hour and then headed over to the grave site for the burial. it was one of the hottest days we've had this summer, so the burial was very quick. they already had the casket in the ground. since we'd had a service, the local minister just read one verse said a quick prayer, and then let everyone give the final handshake. it was a little awkward at first because instead of people just taking a handful of dirt, they all started dumping the entire shovel. it was terrible sounding and made me shudder a little bit.
travis wasn't able to go with me today. he's only recently gone back to work full-time, and still has some days he's not able to go in. having missed so many days, we just didn't feel like he should ask his boss for a day off to go with me. i didn't think i would need him so much today, but i really wish he could have been there.
after the burial, we went back to sonya's for just a few minutes before driving over to arkansas {the closest town} to grab dinner. aunt joyce and courtney had gone home, but sonya and her whole family, bradly, karen, penni dawn, tiffany and her boyfriend, uncle chester, my aunt's good friend lisa, and i all headed to dinner.
on the way back through muskogee to get my car, we pulled up to this little cutie. my heart melted {the little bit that hadn't already melted in the oklahoma summer heat}. penni dawn hadn't gotten to meet him yet; lindsay was still pregnant the last time she was here. she also got to see lindsay's cute belly with this new baby. none of us stayed long because we were afraid of becoming parker's next target, and because we were just completely exhausted from the events of the week.
at the end of the day, i am so grateful i went and had this precious time with my cousins.
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