But last year, since we're blessed to live so close to the Dashingly Handsome Sidekick's family, we started a new-to-us tradition of visiting the cemetery on Memorial Day.
Here's our big family today. (I'm the photographer, so don't go hunting in the picture for me.) The DHS is the dashingly handsome man in the middle of the picture with the orange shirt. I know there are a lot of children in the picture. Five of them are mine. Can you tell which ones? :)
We spent some time together at the DHS's paternal grandmother and grandfather's graves, and then walked across the cemetery to visit his maternal grandmother's grave.
We cried together, especially because just one year ago we visited the cemetery with Grandma Helen, the DHS's paternal grandmother. She passed away last October. Also, my mother-in-law's sister passed away last week. My in-laws, fresh home from a trip to Israel, are driving out tonight so they can attend her funeral tomorrow. We'll miss you, Aunt Irene!
Here are the kids last year with Helen. This has become quite a special picture, because we didn't know when this picture was taken that it would be our last Memorial Day with Grandma.
Memorial Day always reminds me to treasure the days I have with my loved ones.
I'm also reminded to be thankful to our veterans and those in service, who risk their lives for our freedom. Two of our Prosser friends are veterans. It's fun to have someone to look in the eye when I say, "Thank you!"
Beautiful family and beautiful tradition.
ReplyDeleteMemorial Day IS different when you don't have a lot of family around. Mostly, today felt like an extra Saturday to us, but we did take the kids over to the cemetery this evening to walk around the headstones and talk a little bit about death. We also left some flowers on a grave that didn't have any, because when I was talking to my mom last night, she said it's always a little sad to see a grave with no flowers on it on Memorial Day.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family, Amy. Love them, treasure them (as I know you do).
I went about a month ago, when my sister was visiting, to weed and decorate the graves with her. Her seventeen-year-old died in December.
ReplyDeleteYou never do know how long you're going to have with the people you love, so it's best to cherish them while you can. I can tell you do. Thanks for sharing your photos and memories with us.
Amy, it's a lovely tradition. We also went to the cemetery today to pay our respects and listen to our new Archbishop and celebrate Mass. He talked about goodbyes ...
ReplyDeleteMay God bless your beloved dead.
Ooops, I checked and it's over 5K soldiers not 7K.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Amy, it is important to thank veterans who risked their lives so we could have ours in freedom.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's lovely to be able to look one (or more) in the eye as you give that thanks.
Lovely pics of the kids, and sorry about the losses in your family this year. Must've been wonderful for the kids to have great grandparents.
What a wonderful family tradition - thanks for sharing the photos with us!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to have such a big family! Mine is super small (at least locally). And what a lovely tradition for Memorial Day.
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