gratitude and real life: Back to the norm...

It's been a little over a week since PopPop passed, and I finally feel kinda back to normal. My body is still catching up from the last week, but regular life has resumed, and I continue to make it, day by day, step by step. I once heard the phrase, "I get by with a little help from my friends." That phrase is so true in my life, but I also get by with a little help from my family, a little help from my little ones at school, and a LOT of help from God.

Although I should expect it by now, God surprises me day in and day out. This last weekend in Indy was quite a trip. God came to me in SO many ways. Thursday God showed Himself at my aunt and uncle's house late at night. I was there with my parents enjoying a hot tub, a glass of wine (or two), good ol' gospel/country classics that PopPop loved, and great conversation with family. How can that be beat!?!

Well Friday rolled around and with it came more family time, and it ended with a dinner out at O'Charleys with Mimmie. Sophia sure knows how to keep us laughing... she cracks me up!! I was hoping to post a video of her playing a game on Aunt Nae's cell phone, but it won't work for some reason. She was so funny playing it that night. She knows how to use that thing way better than I do!! Ha ha! Unfortunately, it almost impossible to keep her away from that kind of technology these days! Although Jared and I don't have any new (I guess it's not all that new...) touch-screen stuff, lots of our family does, and she definitely knows how to use it. She is always keeping us on our toes, and I am thankful for that. What a hoot!

Saturday came, and as much as I didn't want to let myself think about it, that afternoon was PopPop's viewing, so the day was tainted for me from the beginning. But God is good, and I cannot believe how many wonderful people came to support our family. We even had a very distant cousin fly in from Switzerland because he had gotten to know PopPop and knew what a wonderful man he was. What a blessing. To top it off, we had another wonderful evening with friends and family after the viewing. Not only that but we ate some heavenly grilled shrimp, and IU won that night! Ha ha! Sometimes it's the little things in life...


Right before the viewing started... I made them take a picture with me before my make-up got smeared. :)

Sunday came and went in a blur. The funeral, burial and military honors all seems to run together for me, but I do remember this... I remember sitting there listening to the song "I'll fly away", one of PopPop's favorite songs, and thinking... I just can't wait to give him a hug when I see him again. Although, God-willing, it will be years from now when that happens, I am so looking forward to that. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about the wonderful reunion that will be. Not only for me, but for each person in my family. What an amazing gift God has given us in that promise of eternal life. It brings so much hope in an otherwise depressing time.

I learned so much this last weekend about my family and Mimmie and PopPop. Although our trips down to see everyone are few and far between, I am extremely blessed to be a part of the Inabnitt family, and I pray that I will NEVER take it for granted.

Sophia and I stayed in Greenwood until Monday, and I found it very fitting when I walked outside that morning, after such a dreary (in my mind) day before, to see that although it wasn't "technically" spring yet, the newness and freshness of Spring had arrived. We took advantage and got some wonderful pictures before we left.