This Part Done

Hi, Barb.

I hope you are safely home, after a good visit with W and a rejuvenating day in Boston.  I'm glad you took the time to go. One of these days you'll have to send me some pictures...

So, the memorial service is over and this part of our new journey is over.  J, C, JJ and I went out to lunch afterwards, while M went back up to his dad's house with a bunch of his friends and the family from Mississippi. When the four of us got home, a buddy of JJ's came over and the two of them disappeared; within minutes, C, J and I were all sound asleep on the couches with the TV in the background.  It was a much needed nap and absolute downtime.  After about an hour or so, the kids came in wanting to go to the movies and when I said no, Jack gave me a big hug, a kiss, and said, "ok, I love you, mom."  That kid, I tell ya.

We will wander over to K&R's later for a drink or three, and tomorrow we plan to spend a quiet day with just our "new" family. I'll do the traditional ham, and, when asked what vegetable we should have, JJ chose coleslaw.  Well....ok, then. S and T made us two huge pans of breakfast burritos and french toast casserole, thinking we might have a houseful of people, but I'm looking forward to just the five of us, reconnecting again, trying to start over.

M did so well today.  He even spoke at the service, telling a really funny story that highlighted some of his dad's neuroses. He ended with his own interpretation of his dad's actions: that he acted like that "because he loved me so much, and he just liked to brag about me, and he got so excited about everything I did." I was really proud of him.

I don't know why I was surprised to see many of our friends there, people who haven't seen Matt in over a year, but who are willing to welcome him back with open arms. T&S, K&R, Bro J & CC, people from wine club, CK, her kids, and her mother, who has been "Grandma J" to every kid on this corner since day one.  It meant a lot to see his girlfriend and all his friends there, too, all dressed up in and dress shirts and ironed pants, with Converse sneakers and their dads' ties.  He's a lucky kid. We're truly a blessed family.

It will be nice to start a new chapter tomorrow and see where this takes us.  You know I'm not a religious person, but if I ever believed it to be true, I believe it today: the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Happy Easter, B. Hug your family today, ok?

Love you,
A