Hot and Cold

Hello Friends! The weekend is here! For us it's a 3 day one. I am excited to see what kind of adventures we will be able to find.

Yesterday I hosted a super fun Valentine's day party (I know it was a little late, but we were flying high above the Earth on the 14th). The moms and their kiddos were happy to be there. We had morning tea and decorated sugar cookies!

Those are Destiny's masterpieces.

A few that I decorated!

I had to post a picture of our delicious dinner. Chives was the theme. I'm not a huge chive eater, but we got a whole bunch of them in our box of fruits and veggies from the farm this week. We enjoyed some trout seasoned with garlic, chives, seasoning salt, pepper and lemon juice served with a hollandaise sauce, baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, salad of kale and chives in a balsamic vinaigrette and cucumbers from the garden! It was amazing!

Let's travel back in time for a bit this morning. The more I think about our trip back to the states, the theme of "hot and cold" really resonates with me. We left HOT Australia to return to COLD North Dakota. My emotions were HOT while seeing much of my family and enjoying being back in the states, but COLD because I had lost my Grandfather.

Today I want to share a bit about the funeral.

As we drove to a tiny town where my Grandmother lives and my Grandfather lived for many years, the snow shimmered as the sun beamed down. It was cold! Very cold!

My Grandfather's funeral service was beautiful. We sang songs that meant a lot to my Grandfather and a song that is particularly meaningful to me. On the Wings of a Snow White Dove has been sung at nearly every funeral I have ever attended including my Great Grandmother's and my Grandmother's on my dad's side.

This is my Grandmother and I. My Grandmother and Grandfather cared for each other so much through the years. My Grandmother is an exceptional lady and I am so happy she was there to help celebrate my Grandfather's life with us.

Here are the kiddos. The three older kids are my cousins. Jenae, Josiah and Caelic. Destiny is holding her dress up in front of her face and Addi is looking down! Silly kids!

The guest book and Programs. The programs told about my Grandpa's love for fishing and his time in the military.

My mom and Matt holding roses to be placed on the casket.

Destiny carried a rose in honor of my sister (who was unable to attend).

My cousin Jenae and her brother Caelic played a piano piece. Jenae also shared a verse. Their brother Josiah accepted the flag during the military salute to my Grandpa.

The military salute was an amazing honor. My Grandpa served in Korea. A honor guard troop did a special ceremony that involved the folding of the flag that was on my Grandfather's casket and shooting guns outside the funeral home door. There was not a dry eye in the place. What an honor!

Addi playing in the funeral home as we ate a little lunch after the service.

My mom and her brothers, opening cards after the service.

It has been great for me to have a chance to come back and look through these pictures. It helps me relive and comprehend all that has happened. It is still a very strange thing to think that my Grandpa has passed. I still feel the urge to write him a letter every now and then. He will be missed but I am SO happy he doesn't have any more pain!

I'm off to enjoy some time with my family.

Enjoy today!