Going Home~

My mom's funeral was very nice and just what she wanted. She wanted to go back home. "Back home" is what my mom and all of my cousins always said when they traveled back to Ohio for a visit. So, even though she spent many more years in California than Ohio, Ohio was always home and where she wanted to be.


We had a good visit. It was good to share this part of the country with my kids. They saw my aunt's backyard that I spent so much time in when I was 10 years old. I spent hours hiking through the strip fields behind her house (coal country, you know) and picking wild blackberries.


It was cold but not terribly so. The kids and their dad took a walk "up the road" to the church and cemeteries. They read headstones from the civil war era, just like I used to when I was their age. Only they went with an adult and were told firmly to "Watch out for the coal trucks!"

They saw a lot of their heritage.

The old church sits on the "back road". There are never any street signs around here, but everyone knows what you're talking about when you say the "the back road" or Hollow Rock or Hammondsville Hill.

My Grandma Larkin started going to this church when she was 16 years old. It has seen many family weddings and funerals.

Everyone should have an Aunt Margie. We all gathered in her home for family time and reminiscing. And the food! The whole town brings you a dish at times like this. We had no shortage of yummy things to eat, all laid out on a long table in the living room and kitchen.

My nephew and his adorable family came from Oregon. We were happy to celebrate Annabelle's second birthday while we were there.

Sitting around and talking, talking, talking was the order of the day. A few days, actually. Hubby with my cousin, brother in law and cousin's hubby.

Even though all of my cousins are older than I am, I have special connections and memories with each one. It was good to see and talk to them. My mom was such a good aunt and they were always welcomed into our home when I was a kid. My cousin Merrilee spent several summers in California with us.

There's a funny story about my cousin Cyndy. (Well, I'm sure there are LOTS of funny Cyndy stories!) When I was 3 years old she came to California after she graduated high school to live with us and go to cosmetology school. She also spent a lot of time baby sitting me. Almost 20 years later, I moved in with her and her 11 year old and 3 year daughters while I attended cosmetology school. I spent some time helping out with her 3 year old, but I'm sure she was a better babysitter than I was.

My dad, sister, brother and I after the funeral. We don't have very many pictures of us all together like this. This could well be one of two photos in existence of us. Glad to have it.

We did get some snow which made a few of us very happy.

Like this crazy girl with the snowball.

It was a tiring, exhausting, memorable, healing, sad and happy time. I'm still processing and decompressing. It was a very nice tribute to my mom that we could all be there. She was a great lady and many people were influenced by her. The most important thing to her was family and home. I'm glad we were able to take her home, surrounded by her loved ones. I'm especially grateful she is now in her heavenly home surrounded by many more loved ones that have been long missed.