It has been an exhausting and emotional 3 days. Family members started arriving Thursday evening with the majority of them coming in on Friday. While I was waiting for people to come, I met Kayden and Joe at the church and we figured out the video camera and the sound system. The camera did well enough with the sound that I didn't need to buy the external microphone. But, live and learn.

I got Bill's Presidential Citation Thursday, and even though in big blue letters it says "DO NOT BEND" on the front and back, yep, you guessed it, our carrier folded it to stick in in the mail slot! Why she didn't just stand it on top, or lay it on the step, or put it between the doors is beyond me, but the citation is ruined. There is a form that can be faxed to get a replacement and Emily is going to do that tomorrow and have the new one sent to her office, but I'm taking this one to the Post Office tomorrow to show the postmaster. It probably won't do any good, but it will make me feel better!

I had a good visit with my sister and brother Friday evening, along with a niece and her friend. Brooke managed to cut my hair and then Larry and Ronna and I went to dinner together. Since they were leaving right after the dinner on Saturday, I told the kids that we would visit after the service, that I really wanted to just visit with my family Friday night, and that was agreeable to all of them.

The service on Saturday was all I could have wanted it to be and I think Bill would have been pleased. He had always told me that he didn't care about his service other than he wanted a military funeral because he wouldn't be there! But, since his ashes still can't be buried, as the pastor put it, "Bill's with us today".

It was mostly family, but when you consider there were 39 family members there, that almost filled half of the church. A former co-worker of Bill's was there, he just happened to learn of the service from the pastor at his church last Sunday. And my best friend said she ran every stop sign to get there, but she made it. The church did a lovely dinner and I don't think there were many leftovers. 

The Illinois family got on the road, others went home/hotels to change clothes and then most came to the house. We looked through old pictures and listened to the kids play. It was so hot they couldn't go outside to play. I was really glad that the cats were at the vet for the week-end, but I miss them now that everyone is gone.

I was totally exhausted by the time everyone left and was falling asleep in my chair, but when I went to bed I couldn't sleep. But, I did sleep in this morning and have felt rested and at peace all day. I know that I did the best that I could for Bill.

As far as his sister and her husband, Don is slightly improving. They are waiting for plasma and the drug they are using to arrive. All Shirley could tell me about that today is that it is in Florida now. They have been taking Don off the bi-pap periodically to see if they can get him to drink some. She also said he is getting agitated when they move him, which is a good sign, and his kidney function is improving. So, the prayers have been heard and answered.

I'm attaching several pictures from this last week, from when Bill came home from his sleep-over and the service. I'm not going to try to caption all of them (still haven't figured that out yet), but they are pretty self-explanatory!

 I have a new plan for this blog now that Bill's journey is almost complete. I want to keep writing, so I working on a new format. There may not be any posts for a bit, or I may get it switched over pretty quick. I wanted to wait until yesterday was over. So, stay tuned!