A Couple Of Days After My Mom's Funeral

I am so proud of my children, all of whom sacrificed to pay their respects to their grandmother. Lydia drove from Reno with two of her children. Tommy couldn't make the trip, because state testing was during that brief period of time.

My son-in-law also was unable to attend. It's important to note how difficult it has been for him and my daughter during all the years of medical school. They have lived basically on a pair of shoe strings during years of additional training.

Finally Jeff finished, applied and secured a job. The beginning months were difficult, because it's what happens when you begin. At last that's how it appears to me. It's like anything you do as a career.

Although I hoped the funeral would be on the weekend to lessen the difficult time I knew my children would have, the planning centered on some other situations. Due to the date, Jeff and Tommy were unable to attend.


Everyone else traveled and made the trip. But for Jeff, he visited my mom, when we most needed his advice. In the fall after the stroke, I hoped he could give us different news about my mom's potential recovery.

In spite of the financial sacrifice he and Lydia made, in a time when they weren't earning a lot of money, they made the trip to see my mom.

Jeff's news was not optimistic. The truth of the situation basically said what would actually happen, and having heard it from Jeff made the tragedy somehow easier to prepare for inevitable in the next few months.

One thing for sure is that mom was so happy with the visit. She enjoyed seeing the grandchildren. She seemed to feel motivation to work harder during physical therapy.

During that stay, we spent the night at a hotel in Layton we always enjoy. A young man, whose name is David Thomas, is the manager there.

Ironically, each visit seemed timed perfectly, always happening when he was at the desk. He knew us each time we visited--either on a trip south or on a visit to see my mother.

The funeral happened this past week, and Cles and Leslie were to fly out early Saturday morning. Lydia also planed on staying through Friday. She would spend one more day before driving to the spot, where Jeff''s brother lives.

As long as I remember, the highlight of traveling for Jack is about swimming in the pool.

It was nice that Lydia and Cles and Leslie were still there. I was sick after the funeral, so it gave me a day to recuperate before returning home. Jack loved the swim. He loved being with Anna and Sammy.

What I find so fun about grandchildren is the fact they never notice how small a pool is. They have fun in spite of the conditions.

They savor the moment.

Now it's important to note that I had uncles--some who were fun, but no one has an uncle like Uncle Cles.

He is childlike, so kids love to be around him. It's also important to note that childlike is not childish.

Believe me, I have childish relatives, and I know the difference. I think everyone does.

The excuse doesn't make miserable wretches easier to stomach, but one thing for sure, Uncle Cles and Aunt Leslie are fun.

Being childlike means knowing what little ones find funny. For example, Cles says something like this to all of them: "Where's your buttfer?"

Automatically, one will ask the inevitable. What's a buttfer?

"Poopin'." Cles has this trademark laugh and his brown eyes sparkle each time he uses a joke like that. Little ones laugh, but more importantly, I laugh and smile days after the fact.

I still am smiling as I type it into my blog.

Each one finds it difficult not to climb into his lap, in spite of teasing, tickling, joking.

Cles brightens the day.

When I look and Cles and my daughter-in-law Leslie, I am excited, because I know they will make great parents.

I know they will raise their "dragon baby" to be successful and magnetic and intelligent.

It's what you do for children, when you truly love them.

The stay was a number of days, but it all passed so quickly. Things change.

It once was a situation, where Cles and Leslie could travel to see us, would travel to see nieces and nephews, but now they begin a transition: one all parents eventually find in front of them.

In late June or early July, they will have their own little one.

And at that time, Cles will have learned more fun things to do to tease and cradle his own little guy in a home, where children feel the warmth and love they need.

It's what all my grandchildren have experienced.

And this weekend, in spite of tragic times and a serious event, was one that allowed us to have moments of fun.

Plans change. The weather seemed threatening, so Lydia left for home early Friday, but not before taking some incredible pictures and a few movies. The moments we spent in Layton this past weekend were great times. They were things that distracted us from sadness and loss.