A Bit of Raw Emotion

Hooray for post number 25! I wasn't sure if I had the stamina nor ability to get this far. I suppose ability is irrelevant as blogger.com does not require a resume, education background, or proof of any actual talent to start a silly blog and put words on the screen. It's fun to hammer out a few details every now and again and allow friends and family to keep up with the happenings.

And now for a few happenings.

I've discussed in the past how emotionally freeing it has been having a child. I laugh more, show more frustration, have a tendency to raise my voice on occasion, and cry a whole lot more. Mostly tears of joy. Last week the tears were that of sorrow and mourning with the death of a dear family friend. A lady who helped us buy our 1st home here in Oceanside and gave us the encouragement to make it great! She is great and will be missed. I attended the memorial service last Friday and it was just perfect. Exactly as Joan wanted it, on her favorite beach with her very closest friends and family. No pretense and no formalities. Just a raw show of emotion as those close to her shared and grieved as one. Joan was a woman who was passionate about life which she did her best to instill in her four sons. Her death, although difficult, ended a courageous and painful fight with cancer and for that I'm thankful.

At one point during the service, a song was played at Joan's request. The song was "I Hope You Dance," and as the chorus started two dolphins jumped out of the water right in front of our group of mourners, swam a couple hundred feet up the coast, turned around and swam back by, then disappeared. I was already in tears but now with a big smile on my face and I could feel God's presence right there among us.

Joan was a woman of great faith and loved her Creator. I was told that she was ready for her time on Earth to end, however painful it was to leave her children and grandchildren, and ready to be with her husband, and the Lord, in heaven. It speaks volumes about a person's life when at their weakest, they are able to strengthen everyone around them and so she did. I ask that we all say a prayer for her four sons who are hurting beyond imagine. God Bless.

Let is also be said how amazing little kids are. Later in the day on Friday, I was sitting on the living room floor playing with my cute little girl. Pretty normal stuff. Although I wasn't showing it, I was still feeling quite sad and weepy inside but having fun playing with playdough and my daughter, who is not the most affectionate of little people. Completely uninitiated, she walks over to me and gives me a big hug and turns around to go back to playing and with her back to me says, "I wuv you." I needed that.

Joan's last request: Go feed the birds. So we did and we all left smiling.