For Memories
Well, it's all over. I'm back in Idaho and I feel depressed.
My Grandpa Ek died earlier this week and my family and I went to California for the funeral. Now I have no living grandfathers. I barely remember Grandpa Woodall's funeral; I certainly don't recall the service, just the viewing. It completely creeped me out.
I've never been particularly close with any of my grandparents, and I wish I was, but it makes me feel cold-hearted because I'm not as sad as others. But when we lived near them I was too young to make any lasting memories or get to know them in a grown-up capacity, and by the time I was old enough, we'd moved away.
But apparently Grandpa Ek requested years ago to have me sing at his funeral. I never knew till last weekend. That really touched me. I never knew he had that much faith in my singing abilities. I stressed so much over picking a song. Grandpa had some favorite hymns that we would be singing as a congregation at the service for opening and closing hymns, but he left no instructions for me! I ended up choosing "Come Follow Me" because the woman in my grandparents' church ward who agreed, without even meeting me, to accompany me, had a really pretty version of the song.
I've never been so nervous before or during a performance. Normally my butterflies come after. I know, I'm completely backwards.
But the lady showed up late & I didn't know there was going to be something for just the family at the same time she & I had planned on warming up. I wanted to be in two places at once! So I missed a bit of the family thing, and I missed a bit of Uncle Russel's talk and all of Raquel's talk. I kept hearing great things about what was said & I missed it. Too bad I needed to practice.
I didn't sing great, but I got plenty of compliments after and I wished I could crawl in a hole, except for when Grandma thanked me.
Then there was a police escort to the funeral home and since Grandpa served in the military, he got a gun salute and an American flag and everything. Grandpa (and his twin Uncle Dick) lied about their age to sign up for WWII.
It was so great to see so much family again. Half the people I had to be reintroduced to because I no longer remembered who they were; it had been that long. Somehow I became designated my family's photographer. I took LOTS of pictures. Who knows when all those people will be together again?
Even though it meant a crummy spring break, I'm really glad I was home at the time all this happened.
My Grandpa Ek died earlier this week and my family and I went to California for the funeral. Now I have no living grandfathers. I barely remember Grandpa Woodall's funeral; I certainly don't recall the service, just the viewing. It completely creeped me out.
I've never been particularly close with any of my grandparents, and I wish I was, but it makes me feel cold-hearted because I'm not as sad as others. But when we lived near them I was too young to make any lasting memories or get to know them in a grown-up capacity, and by the time I was old enough, we'd moved away.
But apparently Grandpa Ek requested years ago to have me sing at his funeral. I never knew till last weekend. That really touched me. I never knew he had that much faith in my singing abilities. I stressed so much over picking a song. Grandpa had some favorite hymns that we would be singing as a congregation at the service for opening and closing hymns, but he left no instructions for me! I ended up choosing "Come Follow Me" because the woman in my grandparents' church ward who agreed, without even meeting me, to accompany me, had a really pretty version of the song.
I've never been so nervous before or during a performance. Normally my butterflies come after. I know, I'm completely backwards.
But the lady showed up late & I didn't know there was going to be something for just the family at the same time she & I had planned on warming up. I wanted to be in two places at once! So I missed a bit of the family thing, and I missed a bit of Uncle Russel's talk and all of Raquel's talk. I kept hearing great things about what was said & I missed it. Too bad I needed to practice.
I didn't sing great, but I got plenty of compliments after and I wished I could crawl in a hole, except for when Grandma thanked me.
Then there was a police escort to the funeral home and since Grandpa served in the military, he got a gun salute and an American flag and everything. Grandpa (and his twin Uncle Dick) lied about their age to sign up for WWII.
It was so great to see so much family again. Half the people I had to be reintroduced to because I no longer remembered who they were; it had been that long. Somehow I became designated my family's photographer. I took LOTS of pictures. Who knows when all those people will be together again?
Even though it meant a crummy spring break, I'm really glad I was home at the time all this happened.