Thursday, May 5, 2011

Wordless Wednesday... not so wordless.

Today was an emotional, exhausting, fun, wonderful day.

This morning I went to a funeral. My 4th or 5th funeral in the last couple years. To me that's a lot as I had not ever been to a funeral until 2006. I don't like them. No matter how awesome the message is, no matter how beautiful the service is. I DON'T LIKE THEM. I believe in heaven and am pretty certain that of all the funerals I have attended, each person was saved. I am glad that I can rest with that. However the sellfish wordly self wants them here. Here with their loved ones. Here with me. I say all the time that I wish we could all get to a certain age and just stay there. Like I said above I believe in heaven and I look forward to being reunited with these people. I can't wait to see wives reconnected with their husbands. Anyways, back to the funeral this morning. It was for a close family friend, Kenny Ahrens. He has been my dad's friend for A LONG time. Since I was just a little girl. He served in vietnam so his service today was held at the Eagle Point National Cemetary. This is my 3rd military service I have attended. If you have never been to a military service before... they are beautiful but VERY emotional. Kenny was a biker dude. So this morning at 9:30AM a HUGE group of motorcycles led by a local motorcycle group called Old Schools Last Ride Home, Motorcycle Hearse Service, a group of men and women who gather for the funerals of vets and make an honorary motorcycle ride, hold flags at the service etc. met at a local spot and made an honorary ride for Kenny. There were about 100+ people standing on the lawn of the cemetary when all of a sudden you heard harley's and other motorcycles coming down the road. We all started to walk over to the edge where you can see down to the road. The first motorcycle was pulling a trailer with a (faux) casket covered with a flag. Groups of motorcycles continued to roll in. It was so cool. I am an emotional person, but to see this many people show up to Kenny's service, to see his favorite things (Harley's, vintage cars, friends) pour into this parking lot was beyond what I was ready for. The eyes swelled with tears and I cried. The motorcycles parked and all 150+ gathered on the lawn outside the little funeral house. I wasn't inside so I wasn't able to hear what was said or done but since I had been to a couple military services before I kind of knew what was happening. The funeral started with a song played loudly letting everyone know it was starting, then 3 men in uniform fired off shots, then a man in uniform played Taps on the trumpet (this song along with The Star Spangled Banner and Amazing Grace can make me cry at the drop of a hat), then there was a long period of silence..... then Jimmy (Kenny's son) crying. I knew then, the part that was the most heart wrenching, the men in uniform so carefully and so perfectly unfold the American Flag, Hold it up, then perfectly refold it into a triangle. Then (this part kills me each time) one of the men walk the flaf over to the deceased's next of kin. (At Grandpa Caps funeral the flag was handed to my mother in law, At Grandpa Ray's funeral it was handed to his wife, And at Kenny's it was handed to his son) I have to close my eyes when this part happens. It's almost as if that folded flag says. "They're dead" 

At each military service I go to... I cannot stop thinking of all the soldiers whose families have sat thru this service, for all the moms who have been handed that American Flag. Osama is dead. The day after a friend of mine who is in Afganistan lost a friend who was KIA. That mom will be handed a flag soon. Sad. Please pray for our military. Just because Osama Bin Laden is dead, does not mean this war is over. Men and Women are still in danger. More so now than last week. I pray that less and less of those American Flags folded so perfectly into triangles are given to families.

okay... now to more happier times today.

The Oscar Meyer Weiner Hot Dog Car was here today. Dillon and I made a special trip to the Albertson Shopping Center to take our picture in front of it! I took D out of the car and he yells "WOW! That's a big hot dog! Mom!? Do you see that big hot dog on a truck!" It was cute and he loved it and I loved seeing him so happy. It's exactly what I needed after a sad morning. We then made our way over to our friends house and there was a big jumphouse for the little kids to play in. The sun was shining, it was warm, sunscreen was needed, laughter was had. The day ended with a cute photo shoot! All in all today was a good day. The funeral, though sad, was again a reminder that life is short. As cliche' as it sounds and as much as people say it, it's true. We're all getting older, and as I get older I feel like life gets faster. This morning was a reminder to cherish the lifes that I am surrounded by.

1 comment:

  1. Amazing blog Lacie but you I have to admit it made me cry. So sorry to hear about Kenny he was such a cool dude I would see him occasionally after I left Cross creek he would pick up a car from storage an impala comes to mind and he was always so nice a character for sure but very sweet overall.
    So funny about your son and the hot dog hilarious kids say the darnedest things I miss my babies being little now my oldest is almost 20 and Allias 17 they grow up way to fast.

    I'll stay tuned and will be hitting you up for some family photography soon!!

    Take care and God bless you and America!

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