Regrouping...

Today is a day for regrouping. 

Great-Grandma Hap passed away on Friday morning, after a brief illness and renal failure.  Her funeral service was yesterday, a day filled with family, conversations, memories, and movement (mostly chasing Skye around--18 month-olds aren't big on sitting or conversation when there are new dogs and things to explore!)  Liisa and Zack flew home to MN yesterday as well, and most of my weekend was spent treating them to the site-seeing tasks of what we could fit in over the weekend, keeping the distractions as minimized for my spouse as possible (who was trying valiantly to get homework and end of term tasks done in the midst of family and funeral arrangements), and entertaining.

There were lots of things we had hoped to accomplish over the weekend, none of which were fully completed to satisfaction, but all in all it was a good weekend, and a loving send-off to a woman who spent almost 102 years on this earth.  The neatest thing was that Grandma Hap was lucid and present, even up until she went to sleep Thursday night, when she shared with Mom she was ready to go home to the Lord, and she never woke back up after that.  Her faith was celebrated at her funeral, and she looked lovely and at peace.  Skye wanted so badly to wake her up, recognizing her from the other times she had seen her, and when we said goodbye before they closed the casket Skye waved and said "bye bye" as she does when she goes to bed.  It was rewarding and heart-tugging all at the same time.

I was glad there was no school yesterday for the 18 and under set (some Polish explorer has a state holiday here in IL that the elementary thru high schools give a holiday for), so Rei was able to spend that time with Liisa and Zack, running around with them and riding the train to the airport with them so they weren't completely abandoned by us (they, of course, fully understood and had no problem sharing their weekend with our family emergency/sadness, and I was so glad to have them here). It worked out for us all!

Today everyone is back in school, Eric's parents are here by us, Skye is still sleeping (bless her heart, she is exhausted and off schedule too), and Eric is finally able to relax some with his parents and visit without his homework hanging over his head (he had yesterday and today as bereavement days from work). I have had a cup of coffee, have read for a couple of hours, and am enjoying some much needed peace and quiet as well, although I will head downstairs and be social shortly.

It's going to be a peaceful, relaxing day!