Grandpa's Funeral

What an emotionally draining week. Thanks for all your prayers, messages, cards, plants and flowers. My Grandpa lived a very full life. Sometimes I think I've taken for granted how truly remarkable it is to have been blessed with Grandparents through my adult life. I was even able to know and have memories of three of my Great-Grandparents and my children have been blessed by the same.

I am so thankful that God has blessed us with a very close extended family. I love each of my aunts, uncles and cousins very much. I couldn't imagine going through this ordeal in any other way. I have so, so many memories of playing downstairs at Grandpa and Grandma Feine's house while they adults were upstairs. My Grandpa was a pack rat and there were many treasures to explore in that basement. Not to mention my Grandpa was an over the road truck driver and later a school bus driver. He would allow us to play in his sleeper truck cab and school bus. How fun is that! I will forever remember saying goodbye to Grandpa before the service embraced with 3 of my cousins.

Here are the memories I shared with my Grandma:

I love that Grandpa always got choked up at our special events (he did at every and anything us kids did). It wasn't until I was a parent that I understood why--It's because each of us is made up of a piece of him. We all represent the family Grandpa and you created. I have a great memory of Ross and I getting to ride in Grandpa's truck and hiding back in the sleeper. What a thrill! Getting to ride on Grandpa's school bus route and having all the kids tell me, "You'll be in my class." (I didn't have the heart to explain that we were just riding the bus with our Grandpa for fun) is an extra special memory, too. Having Grandpa in our lives has been a blessing and a privilege.

When I was really little we lived for a short time on the original family farm. At the visitation so many of my mom's cousins and my Grandpa's siblings could pick me out from those days. How fun to hear those stories. They all loved the fact that there is a little Clara in the family, too. We also learned that Braeden plays hockey with a boy whose Grandpa use to drive Semi with my Grandpa. Small world.

It was a new experience going through everything with the kids. Braeden never says much, but you can always tell when things weigh heavy on his heart. I think Brad and I did a pretty good job of explaining what they would see and what the emotions of the two days would be like. Preston had questions about why Grandpa's body stays behind and Laken asked Brad questions about the burial. Preston was very sensitive to the fact that we will need to visit Grandma Feine more often now.

Grandpa's funeral service was beautiful. I had the honor of being a pallbearer, along with 5 of my cousins (something I've never done) and helped carry Grandpa to his final resting place. Again, my cousins and I were all embraced during this moment. I am so thankful for living all my life near my extended family. I can't imagine growing up any other way. Sharing holidays, baptisms, confirmations, graduations, showers and weddings. I have so many wonderful memories with every single one of them. I wouldn't have it any other way and truly feel blessed because of it. When we got home I received a gift from heaven from Grandpa. The Serenity Prayer was read at his funeral and in a mailing we received from Food from the Poor (We are on there mailing list because when Sheila Meixner's Dad died we donated to them) was the Serenity Prayer engraved on a cross key chain.