Huge Sunday

This has been a huge day. It started at 9:30 this morning when we all went to church....Keith, Scott, Jerod, Christina and me. Scott and Keith picked up Jerod at Tulsa airport on Saturday night. They didn't get in until 12:30 AM. We were all exhausted. This morning we went to Church School and then church. I had the message. Then afterward we had a basket dinner and then decorated for the Celebration of Life for Bob. Our sanctuary seats 49. We had close to 150. For us,it was huge. All four of us spoke and many from the audience also spoke of what a great guy Bob was. Denise sang "Thank you" and it was wonderful. The service turned out very well.

Friends came that we had not seen for years and years. Our Mission Center President came all the way from Springfield. It was wonderful to see everyone.

After we cleaned up the church (and many of our congregation helped us) we went over to our campgrounds and distributed Bob's ashes just as he wanted. Scott said a fine prayer and Leslie read a poem. We all hugged. It was the end of a perfect day...an exhausting day...but a perfect day. We were all very satisfied that we did exactly what he had wanted.

We got home a little after 9:00. I took a hot bath and am ready to go to bed. Christina will leave in the morning. Keith will leave on Wednesday when I take him to Wichita to catch his plane. Then I will be alone again.

Busy Friday

I've been puttering all morning. I watered the plants and fed and watered the dog and the cat, pulled a few weeds, cut a few weeds, put away some pieces of boards that Bob had left out. I looked over the shed and the garage and both will have to be thoroughly cleaned and organized. I swept out the garage and swept off the patio and walks. I have my work cut out for me...that's for sure. I will wait to start though after the kids are all gone and I am alone again. I pick up Keith this afternoon and Christina will be coming on Saturday sometime. Jerod is supposed to come but no one seems to know when. He was supposed to have come into St Louis where his dad could pick him up. Instead he appears to have made his reservations for Tulsa and I guess his dad will still have to pick him up. I can't leave tomorrow with Christina coming.

I slept better last night. I took one of those little teeny pills and they worked. I hate to rely on meds to sleep though. My philosophy is if you work hard enough, you will sleep. But that does not seem to be working. Last night I was concerned about Jerod's coming. Finally, I gave up and took the pill.

Leslie will get off at noon and drive up with me to Wichita to pick up Keith. That's good.

More later...

We picked up Keith at a little after 4:00 in Wichita and then went to Applebeas for dinner. None of us had eaten. We took Leslie back to her work where she had left her car and came on home. We stopped at Brahms where he got a milk shake. He couldn't eat much of it though so he put it in the freezer.

The notices for the service was in both papers so I will keep them for John. He is getting a bereavement day off for the service.

Keith went to bed at 10:00. I don't know whether he can sleep or not. I told hiom to take one of my pills but he didn't want to do that.

Busy Thursday

I spent the morning changing my things from the den closet to the closet in my bedroom. I put Bob's clothing in the den closet until Leslie and I can have a garage sale. I believe we will try to do that soon. He had a lot of clothes...more then most men. And he had fifteen pair of shoes.

This noon, actually 11:30, I went to the executive meeting of the CMA at the Sirloin Stockade. Then in the afternoon, at 2:00 I will met here with Karan to put together the photo board for Sunday's Celebration of Life. Later I may try to get a nap.

I have been waking up at 3:00am lately and thinking about everything that needs to be done. Last night it was the parking problem at the church. I am expecting 75 to 100 people at this service and we have parking for about 30 cars so any more then that will need to park on the grass. We have pew seating for 49. We will have to put up some folding chairs for any more.

Tomorrow, I drive to Wichita to pick up Keith about 4:00. I will need to leave here about 11:30 to pick up Leslie first and have lunch if she finds they will let her off work for that. I am a little leery of driving to Wichita 2 1/2 hours by myself in my car. I have 139,000 miles on that little Honda. I need to have the oil changed too. And I need to get gas this afternoon.

More later...

Scott called this afternoon and said my grandson, Jerod, was coming in Saturday to the Tulsa International airport. So depending on his schedule, I may be driving another hour and a half to Tulsa and back on Saturday. At this point, we don't even know his schedule. Christina will be driving in on Saturday too from Manhattan, Kansas. Scott is going to have to be in charge of Jerod.

Wednesday Lunch

My oldest and dearest friend, Gay, came over today and took me to lunch. Afterward, I rode with her to Bartlesville to pick up one of her grandchildren who is going on vacation with them. Tony, her husband, didn't come. He wanted us to have the moment together alone.

I appreciated that. It was a good day. She bought my lunch and also the cold drink we shared as her daughter-in-law and the two granddaughters had lunch later.

Aaron, who is the Red Cross director has agreed to speak at the Celebration of Life about Bob's experience as a disaster volunteer for the Red Cross for twelve years. That will be good.

The kids, all but Keith, will also talk about their experiences with their father.

It is good to be home though. It has been a big day for me.

Tonight, one right after another, three friends called to express their condolences. Two of them were my classmates. The other was an old friend from here in town. I have been on the phone all evening.

Tuesday Cleaning Day

I guess I will clean house today. I usually do that on Monday but Monday had it's own busy work this week.

I did get the the ads in our three area newspapers. They were to announce the date and time of the Celebration of Life for Bob. I will be busy this week. Tomorrow I will get my hair cut and done and then Gay will be here. Thursday, I have an executive meeting of the Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance and Friday I will go to Wichita to pick up Keith who will be coming in to the airport there.

I will call and see if Karan is home yet. Leslie and I wanted her to put together the picture board for the foyer. She is so creative. If she can't do it, I will do it Thursday afternoon.

More later...

I couldn't reach her. She and Bobby must not be back from their cruise yet.

I took a two hour nap this afternoon. I have not slept well lately so I must really have needed that nap.

Keith called this evening on his way to the Laundromat. I will be picking him up in Wichita at the airport on Friday. It will be good to have him here again. Scott, I hear, is with Becky and will not be coming back until early Sunday morning.

The photos above show just part of the dozens of cards I have received since Bob died.

Busy Monday

I am supposed to go out to my daughter's home today and we will put together the poster board for the foyer for Sunday. We will also design the bulletin. Then I need to go into Independence and Caney tomorrow and put an ad in the newspaper about the Celebration of Life for Sunday. We expect to have a large crowd.

I need to water my plants this morning. Even though I think it rained after I went to bed at 9:30, it never reaches my hanging plants under the eaves. I woke up at 3:00 AM again. Drat it! I need to get a full night's sleep.

Tomorrow, I will go back over to my sister's and stay with her again so my brother-in-law can go have breakfast with his friends.

As it turned out, my daughter came in town to my house and we worked up the bulletin for Sunday's Celebration of Life service.

Then we went to Wal Mart and bought some groceries. She has invited me out there for dinner tonight. They are having steaks. I am taking brownies.

We will ask Karan, who is very creative, to help with the picture board. Right now she is on a cruise.

I will mow when I get home.

Sunday Church

Today is Sunday and I am going back to church. I missed two weeks over Bob's illness and my weeks are just not right without that fellowship. I awoke at 3:00 AM again this morning and could not get back to sleep. So I am up blogging.

We ended up with 109 birthday cards for Bob. Now I have 45 sympathy cards and they just keep coming. I have them all set up on the server in the dining room and the dining room table. People have been so good to me. One of my neighbors brought me a lovely planter with a plant in it. My doctor sent me flowers. I'll bet I've had 25 or 30 calls.

I don't know what I will wear to church. I lost seven pounds last week and I notice my clothes fit differently now.

I am still supported by the prayers of my friends and the feeling that God is right here with me.

Leslie had her 35th class reunion yesterday evening and they have a cook out this afternoon so Leslie will not be at church.

This afternoon, my cousin and her husband from Houston came by to visit. They had been on vacation and did not know about Bob. They were so shocked.