This is your fair warning, it's a long one!
Dad called on Saturday to tell me that my great Aunt had passed away. I am normally an emotional person but I knew her life was long lived and her husband who had passed away back in 1991 was waiting on her in Heaven. When I got the call I didn't think to much of it as they are in North Carolina, I said a prayer for her family and went on about my day.
My dad was making plans to go to the funeral with my uncle and next thing I knew my brother was going too. In my mind I wished I could go, but didn't think we could make it happen. As a child I had spent a summer there when I was probably 10. It was awesome. My uncle Odis and Aunt Claudi Belle would come down every year right at the beginning of the summer and every year my Uncle Odis would ask me to come back to North Carolina with them. Until that summer I guess I didn't really feel comfortable about going that far for that long. This was it though, the time to go! I have great memories of that summer. It was the first time I have ever had slaw on anything and of all things it was a BAR B Q sandwich, as I recall I barely ate a bite. It was the first time I ever tried Cheerwine, a popular soda in the hills. It was the first time I met Amy and Michael. Amy is my age and I was so excited to meet her and spend time with her. Unfortunately, we didn't get too much time that summer. She was busy with different activities. Instead, I spent most of the summer with her brother Michael. Michael and I played ball in the yard. I remember playing in the hot sun and then going in for a cool drink. The memories for me were priceless. It was the first time I had been anywhere without mom and dad for an extended period of time. I was there during fourth of July and went to a fair/carnival. I remember riding the Ferris wheel. I remember playing Pick Up Sticks for hours. Little Daniel Crosby, I remember his sweet voice saying "Hit em sweet," with a little whistle. When his grandpa Odis would leave to play golf. I remember being loved, as if I was one of their own, as if I was meant to stay there forever. But I wasn't. Time passed and before I knew it my dad had came and we were on our way home back to Florida.
All those memories were flooding my head, Mike and I had just spoke about her (Aunt Claudie Belle)a few days prior to the call. When speaking of Aunt Claudi and Uncle Odis there has always been a special place in my heart for them. If I had another son I wanted to include Odis's name in there some how, but a second son never came.
Late Sunday night my dad called and extended the invite. He said, "I didn't mean to leave you out, I wasn't sure if you could get someone to watch the kids with Mike workings nights right now." I spoke with Mike and he said well I can always try and see what they say. To my surprise Mike woke me up at 6 AM the next morning sharing that he "had made it happen." I was able to go. My sweet husband had my bag practically packed. He had picked out everything except my funeral clothes. I was so thankful but couldn't even begin to realize just how thankful I was at that time.
The trip was great. We met with my great Aunt Leila, Joanne, and Lisa, who were going to follow us up to NC. My Aunt Claudia was my Aunt Leila's sister. We made the trip in pretty good time, and it was a fun trip, we laughed alot. Jokes, stories from the past, and well a little bit of everyone picking on each other made for a full trip of amusement.
When we arrived Susan (Aunt Claudi's daughter) shared with us how she (Aunt Claudi) had passed. It was very peaceful and there was no pain. Aunt Claudi was 85. We visited for a short time then went to find a hotel. We all got freshened up and went to the funeral home for the viewing. I don't believe Aunt Claudi had aged since that summer I spent with them. She looked the same. She wore teal, just like granny did. Funny the things we remember. The little details about those days.
I recognized most everyone, you can never miss Perry, he is kinda loud. :) He is a wonderful man, who will tell you the homemade strawberry ice cream is horrible just so he can have more. He reminds me alot of Uncle Odis, except for he is alot taller than Odis ever was.
Bobby (Amy and Michael's father) and his wife Cathy looked great and I wondered if there children were there.
Everyone looked great there were no tears there. No sorrow. More laughs, than cries. As I looked around I could see it was a true Celebration of life. She had lived a long healthy life and she was alot like my granny she was quick witted and told it like it was. Everyone loved her for that. As I scanned the room, I spotted Amy, I had to ask, but it was her. I went up and her face lit up and she asked "Melissa, is that you!" LOL Yes 4 babies later his is me! HA HA. She said "Oh My gosh I can't believe you are here, that is so awesome, it means so much to me." That meant alot to me. It meant even though we hadn't spoken in years that connection was still there. It made me feel even that much better about being there.
The Funeral was scheduled for 3PM on Tuesday the 20th of July. We went to Aunt Claui's house to visit and wait for the time to pass. As I was getting ready I saw the old cardboard canister with tin lids in the closet. It was the same Pick Up Sticks game I had played many years ago. The child in me wanted to grab them down and plop on the floor to play one last game. But the adult in me continued to get ready for the funeral.
The service was beautiful, again a true Celebration of life. The children of Aunt CLaudia, insisted on Aunt Leila sitting up front and Aunt Leila is not one to make a big fuss, and she would rather not be made a big fuss over, but I could tell that she was truly happy about their decision. A poem was read titled For Our Mother. It was beautiful and then Susan spoke of the memories she had of both her mother and her father. She was strong like a tower, who on the inside you knew was ready to crumble. Bob spoke as well and he, well he had a harder time. His words carried the same message though, for the memories they had of their mother and father were irreplaceable and precious. This was and still is a loving family, all of which married their sweethearts and are still married to those same sweethearts to this day.
One of the greatest blessings was the fact that a 67 year old man was burying his mom. Why is that a blessing you ask, or maybe you already know? The oldest son of Aunt Claudi is 67. I don't know many people past 55 that still have a mother or father in their life. So for him to have his mother for most of his life is truly a gift from GOD. Thinking back to my grandfather, who passed at age 66, his parents were long gone, I don't even think they were alive when I was born. Hearing Susan and Bob speak made me think about the memories I have been making with my children, and I definitely want to make those, that last far longer than I do. Some of their (Bob and Susan's) greatest memories were spent out on Hampton Lake, not in a theme park some where. Not eating at a fine dining restaurant, but instead eating bologna sandwiches out of a picnic basket out on a lake. Kids are so spoiled these days they don't know about the simple things in life. Well maybe it's time to take them back to a simpler time and place.
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