I'm sorry that I didn't get a Friday post written. We left for Florida on Thursday morning, and once there we were busy.
We arrived around 9:00 pm Thursday to the home of our dear friends, now family, Rick and Jane's home. They are always so gracious to fit us all in. Tim and I always get the guest room and this time Kamryn slept on a youth air mattress in our room, Kyle gets the office, Sarah and her friend Mary (who kindly drove with Sarah from their school in SC, which took about 8 hours) slept in the small sitting room. Wes and Rachel sleep in their camping trailer. We are truly spoiled and thankful.
Friday, Jane and I managed to squeeze tea in at The Windsor Rose in Mr. Dora. It is a gift to have time for conversation. Then in the afternoon, we went to Harvest Time International, which is where Tim's mom had volunteered for many years, and was where the memorial service was being held, on Saturday, in their lovely sanctuary.
Tim's sister Esther and a friend, Sue Owens, were there putting the tablecloths on the tables in the reception room. I got to work making centerpieces for the tables with the flowers I took down.
Can you believe I didn't get any photos of the centerpieces? I do have a photo of the arrangement for the food tables though, thanks to my friend Jane. This is it from Sunday on Jane's kitchen counter. Her reward for her gracious hospitality.
These are rose lilies. They have a strong scent, but for the tables arrangements there were just one in each centerpiece, along with spray roses, alstroemeria in two different colors, and baby's breath.
Saturday's service was truly honoring of such an amazing lady.
Here are the programs that I made. I bought a template from Etsy.
One of the things I noticed when I put together Tim's mom's life video was that she took pictures with people. There were a lot of photos that I could have included. It's hard to condense a 100 year life into 10 minutes. But I am determined to take more photos with people in however many years God grants to me!
In light of that we took family photos!
These are the grandchildren, great grandchildren, and spouses of those able to attend. 17 people were unable to attend; 6 grands, 4 spouses, and 7 great grands!
Here are Jean's children - Virginia, Dan, Esther, and Tim.
Here are the first cousins - Crystal, Melissa (Esther's daughters), Anna (Virginia's daughter), Carrie, Shelly, Jen (Dan's daughters) and then Rachel, Sarah, and Kyle in the back row. Missing were Esther's son Andrew and his wife Kate, Virginia's daughter Sara, Dan's daughter Nicole, and Nate and Kayleigh and Klaire, Kaidence, and Kennedy, Lindsay and Joseph, and Emma and Vinnie and Isla, Clark, Von, and Stella.
Grands and greats.
Here is the family who were able to attend!
These three ladies gave her eulogy. They were in a prayer group with Jean for many years, and LOVE her. She loved them, too!
Here are the siblings who all shared something about their mom. Tim shared about the legacy she left them, but also that she wasn't perfect. She wasn't always a good cook! Sometimes she 'modified' recipes, or completely forgot ingredients! (grin)
There was a lovely luncheon after the service and it was a joy to visit with people we hadn't seen for so many years! I'm so thankful.
Virginia's husband Tom mentioned to me that he hoped we would all still get together. I said that we'd have to be intentional, and on the spot I thought up having a gathering every year on Jean's birthday! I'm going to host the first one! They can be at different locations over the years, formal or casual, at the beach or in the city. Doesn't matter.
I'm really liking this idea!
Saturday, after the lunceon, our kids went to the beach, Virginia's family began the long drive back to Missouri, some went to Esther's house, and Tim and I went back to Rick and Jane's and relaxed for a while, then went out for dinner. When we got back, the kids were back from the beach and we spent the evening together.
We hit the road around 7:00 yesterday.
Sarah and Mary headed back to school around 8:00 am, after dropping Wes and Rachel off to pick up their rental car. They spent the day with a friend in Melbourne and left this morning to fly back. Their flight was a 6:00am and I think they are at work now!
I am thankful for the weekend, thankful for the example my mil was to us all, and thankful for precious time together with those we love.
I hope your weekend was good.
Beautiful family photos to honor this beautiful lady! I know she was smiling down on all of you. I get in a lot of pictures because my Daddy told me to. He said that I was always taking pictures of everyone but that I didn't get in any, now I do. Enjoy your day dear friend and thank you for sharing this tribute with us. HUGS!
ReplyDeleteMemorial Services are often such meetings of friends and the clan that one wishes that the one being honored could have been there. He or she would have enjoyed it so much. We always laughed when my father would say that he had had such a good time at this one or that one's service. I can't believe that Tim threw his mama under the bus for being a forgetful cook! Ha! Wonderful photos and I especially love the family all together. Many blessings and much comfort as you continue to remember Tim's dear mother and grandmother to all the children.
ReplyDeleteWow, you drove down and back to Florida? That's a long trip! I was wondering when you said you brought flowers down with you. I'm a not a fan of flying so if I can drive, I do...we've made that trip a bunch of times, but I thought I was the only one! Your gathering looks lovely, such a beautiful family. I bet your mother in law would be thrilled to hear about your plans to get together regularly. We had the same plans after my mom passed. We did it one year and it was wonderful. I had a house full of siblings, cousins, grands and great grands...and then lockdowns hit and well, it didn't happen again. Hopefully, we'll all be able to get back on schedule soom. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the details of Jean's memorial service! Those of us who have read your blog for years somehow feel that we knew Jean too (and we actually had the privilege of sharing a day with her!), and it is good to say good-bye in a small way. I'm glad that many of the family were able to attend! So good to see Jean honored, as her her life spent in service to her Lord.
ReplyDeleteI love that you all will be intentional about keeping those family connections. I also love the fact that there were many photos of Jean with people. (Of course there were!)
It really looks like a meaningful memorial service. Glad so many could come. Lovely program you created. That's a great idea to make gathering intentional. We are so glad our DIL always insists on group photos!
ReplyDelete