I've just come home from a funeral/memorial service that was lovely. The man who died was my oldest great-granddaughter's great-grandfather on her father's side. He was 87 years old and had been sick for a couple of years. They tell me that after his wife died (before I knew the family), he started planning his own funeral - the hymns, scriptures, speakers, pall bearers, etc. And more recently, he had asked his two oldest great-grandchildren to be honorary pall bearers. Jake is 14 1/2 and Lexi is 13 ( they are each other's oldest playmates). I know that Lexi felt very honored by that. Fred had been living at his daughter's home for about a year, I think. Lexi decided that she wanted to be there for Granddad's last days. They say that one day last week, the only word he said was Lexi.

The funeral was held at the church (Macedonia Church of Christ) he had been a faithful part of for decades, which is as it should be. Burial was in the graveyard beside the church. Then there was lunch in the parish hall (I know that's not what they call it, but I'm Episcopalian.)

Now I'm waiting for a great-grandson to be born.