moms burial

This post is coming over two months late but I did want to post about it to remember it. This post is about the day we buried mom.

We celebrated moms life on Friday October 28, 2011, 8 days after she left this earth to gain her new heavenly body and be with her Jesus. It was a beautiful service with many family and friends present. Her service was held at my sisters church located just down the street from where I live. After the main pastor spoke, there was an open mic session where anyone could speak. Several people, including myself, spoke about the wonderful person mom was and through periods of tears, there was much laughter and joy as we remembered many of the wonderful funny moments spent with her.

I wasn't planning to speak as I was positive I wouldn't be able to but when the time came, I just did. And I'm glad I did. I shared about two separate times I'll always remember about my mom. Both times where when I was in high school and playing basketball. The first one was when I went away during the summer for basketball camp at Stanford University, I believe the year may have been 1994 or 1995. I stayed at a cousins house in Palo Alto during that week and I was going through a crush on a boy and was very sad at the time. The first night there, I opened by gym bag and found a card sitting on top of my belongings. It was from mom. It was short and sweet but she just told me how much she loved me and how proud of me she was. I cried when I read that. It meant a great deal to me and I've appreciated it ever since.

The second time was during my senior year and it was the evening of my very last basketball game as a high school student. I again was very sad and before the game that night while in the locker room, I again opened my gym bag and found a card sitting on top of my belongings. It was from mom. Same as before but meant so much. I knew how much she loved me and how proud of me she was, but it was just so nice to hear it. I really appreciated that.

I managed to get through all of that without crying....until the very end when I said how much I was going to miss her. And I really will and already do. As time goes on, it gets harder it seems. It wasn't uncommon for us to go without talking for several days or maybe even over a week over the past few years but never longer than that. So as three months comes up since her passing, it's getting harder for me to realize I won't speak with her again on this earth and it's just hard some days. I miss her.

I haven't shared these photos before except to family but I thought I'd share some moments we shared together while she was in the hospital a few weeks before she passed. I had no idea at the time that my husband was taking these but I'm so glad he did. Thanks Ben.

These were taken on September 14, 2011, just over a month before she died.







And these were taken a couple weeks later, not sure of the exact date, it was a Sunday.





After her service, we had a time of fellowship at my house and a lot of the people from the service attended. There was a lot of food brought in by family and friends and it was just a nice time being together talking about mom and reconnecting with people we hadn't seen in a long time.

A week later, we had her burial and those who couldn't attend the service came for this, not everyone, but some family and neighbors of my parents. My dad had her cremated and we chose a beautiful area beneath a beautiful oak tree to bury her. It's nice and quiet and just very very pretty. If you were to lie down and look up, kinda like how I imagine mom doing, you see the beautiful blue sky and oak tree. It's so pretty. We're all glad we chose it and we know mom would love it.

I like to think that this is what she sees everyday when she looks up...

Dad holding mom...

Me holding mom...

Just before the burial...

My uncle and my dad...

The burial...

 

 

After the burial my dad read some scripture and I think he did a fantastic job.

I think the burial was beautiful and my mom would have loved it all. The burial plot will fit my dad as well so he's glad that's all taken care of and he really loves the spot so much. Obviously he visits often. 

Mom,

I miss you. I miss hearing your voice. I miss your laugh and your excitement about almost anything. I miss that you aren't around to spend time with Evan. Each day is harder when I can't talk with you. I love you so very much and I'll miss you until I see you again.

Love,

Ronica