Saying Goodbye

Last Friday I attended a funeral for a beautiful woman, Rebecca Wingo.  She was one of those people who was beautiful not just on the outside, but on the inside.  Her smile would light up a room and she was a self-proclaimed hugger. 

I left early for the funeral so that I could pick up a couple hams that had been donated by the Honey Baked Ham Company.  I found where we were to set up food and met one of the other ladies bringing food coming in.  We got a ham ready to be served and went out to wait for the others bringing food.  While we were waiting I was asked if I would let people know they could have a t-shirt.  Rebecca's favorite color was purple and there were purple t-shirts with a beautiful RW logo and her picture on the back.  So I spent the next hour and a half greeting mourners, handing out t-shirts and memorial cards, and letting them know where to find the food.  I did not know many of those who I greeted, but we all knew Rebecca.  I received many hugs.  I shared tears and smiles.  I was thankful to be able to help out in that small way. 

Once the funeral was ready to begin I slipped inside the doors.  It as standing room only and so I waited in the foyer.  When a member of the Air Force honor guard played taps as others from the honor guard handed folded flags to Rebecca's daughters and her mother it really hit home.  I was going to sit on a sofa in the foyer, but another friend found me and took me back to the room where my MLM friends were.  For those who do not know, MLM was a mom's website which was shut down last year.  While it was up I met many amazing women who I call friends, those friends included Rebecca. We had the funeral piped into the room we were in, but mainly spent our time remembering Rebecca in our own way.  We shared memories of her, we smiled and we laughed.  We felt that was how she would have wanted to remember her.  At the end of the funeral purple and silver balloons were released and swirled off into the distance.  We fed many more people, received many more hugs, we said good-bye one last time to Rebecca.  At the end of the night we packed up all the leftover food which had been donated and it was taken to feed Rebecca's family for the next few nights. 

At the end of the night I was one of the last few people to leave the funeral home.  I was exhausted, both physically and mentally.  However, I was also comforted and uplifted.  I am glad that I went to pay my last respects to Rebecca.  I am glad that I was able to help in my small way.  I am glad that I was able to know Rebecca.

Her Smile
Though her smile is gone forever,

And her hand I cannot touch,

I still have so many memories,

Of the one I loved so much.
Her memory is my keepsake,

with which I'll never part.

God has her in his keeping,

I have her in my heart.
Sadly missed,

but never forgotten.

For those who may want to help out Rebecca's daughters, their father has asked for all donations to go to the girls 529 fund that he and Rebecca set up before her death. 

‎529 Fund for the Wingo Girls - checks must be made payable to Nebraska Educational Savings Trust. In the memo line, include the account number

Nebraska Educational Savings Trust
NEST Advisor College Savings Plan

P.O. Box 30277
Omaha, NE 68103-1377

Account Number: 748788940-01 only checks please or Paypal acct 529 for Wingo Girls.

Milestones and Tears

This past week was the last week of the 2011-2012 school year.  It was filled with milestones and quite a few tears.  Some tears were of the good variety, some of the not so good variety, but I'm only going to talk about the good variety.

Archer officially finished up his years as an elementary school student this past week.  He is growing up WAY too fast!  He's over 5'2" tall, only 1/2 a shoe size smaller than me (and I have BIG feet), and is just becoming an amazing young man.  However, he should still be my little baby boy.  I keep telling my kids they do not have permission to grow, but they just do not seem to listen.  Off my tangent now....Archer's last week of school was all about fun and celebrating the milestone.  There was a social with pizza and dancing, a breakfast, a morning of fun at the Brunswick Zone, a clap out (can we say tears?), and then finally a continuation ceremony.  I have never attended a clap out for the 6th graders before and it is a tear jerker for parents, teachers, and students alike.  The 6th graders are taken through the school (in our case both school buildings) where the halls are lined with the younger students, teachers, staff, and parents.  Everyone there cheers and claps for the 6th graders.  The 6th graders are given a couple flowers they can give to their favorite teachers.  Archer had me get flowers, white roses, which he handed out to each of the teachers he had had.  As we walked through the halls saying goodbye he looked at me and said "Mom this is my LAST time being here as a student".  He held back the tears as the nostalgia hit him hard.  At the continuation his teacher talked about each student individually and what they had, and did, mean to him.  Then he was done.  No longer in elementary school, but a middle school student.  I know that he will do well in middle school, that he can handle anything that is coming.  I am just not sure that I am ready for it yet.  A couple more years of him being little would be fabulous!  He is still my little boy though and he knows it. 


The second milestone we reached this past week was Princess's kindergarten graduation.  It was our fourth and last kindie graduation.  Our school puts on a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom program for the parents.  Each kindergartener is given a letter which they paint on their shirt and make matching hats for.  They learn the story "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" and sing it with actions.  It is so incredibly adorable!  Then off to the classes we all go.  Princess's teacher does a sweet little program and she cries every year (she has had 3 of my kids in her class), which makes me cry!  My oldest is done with elementary school and my youngest is just starting her journey through it. 

A mother should not be required to sit through a 6th grade continuation AND a kindergarten "graduation" within 12 hours of each other.  It is very tear inducing! 

If that were not enough to make me weepy, I spent the last 45 minutes of the school day in Angel's third grade class.  Both Angel and Archer had Mrs. V for 3rd grade.  She is an AMAZING teacher and we just love her to pieces.  This was her last year teaching at our school as she needs to be closer to her family.  I am very happy for her that she was able to find a new job closer to home, but sad that she will no longer be at our school.  I understand that she needs to do what is best for HER kids and not stick around just in case my kids get her as a teacher.  It would be incredibly selfish of me to think otherwise.  We will still miss having her here at our school, but will continue to stay in touch.

The journey continues for us all through these changes in life.  They are all GOOD changes, even if they leave us with tears in our eyes.