It's no secret that the last several weeks have been one challenge after another for the Altman fam. Heck, we could even go back to last fall as a start date.
That said, I think we've rolled with the punches using our best attitudes, our best efforts, and the mantra of "survive and advance" on repeat.
And yet, I expect our little family to continue to encounter more challenges(sick kid today for example) as we all get older, but I also expect fun and good times too.
Jackson and Karson have just experienced their first family death and funeral. Karson is young and has responded as I expected. He's a little clingier than normal but otherwise has been very much himself. Jackson has had a harder time. He's on the verge of his teenage years, and things are already confusing and hard, and losing his Nana was a big hit. We've encouraged him to talk about her, and that it's okay to be sad and miss her.
Anyone who has children older than ours will know that as they get older, the life situations and opportunities for growth, continue on. The first funeral is a thing. A real funeral service is a whole new experience for kids. Luckily, my kids have made it this far in life without losing anyone close to them. This weekend was their first service and provided a lot of opportunity for conversation for all of us.
I was taught to always go to the receiving of friends and/or the funeral. If your friends lose someone, you make your best effort to go to visitation or the funeral. The pandemic changed that for so many people, and I have to wonder how funerals and their attendance will look in the future.
Have we replaced our in-person interactions with the Facebook care button or a text with thoughts and prayers?
Or, is it just situational and dependent on our relationship with the deceased and/or their family, and our own schedules?
The service for Judy was well-done. The Reverand did a great job, and both Jason and his sister were excellent speakers. I'm glad that the boys were able to have their first funeral be one that was uplifting and truly celebrated Jason's mom.
Those that came on Saturday truly made our day, and are in our hearts and loved by the Altman fam forever. We know that a Saturday mid-day is hard (especially in the sleet, snow, and wind), but seeing familiar faces is so uplifting.
We were watching Ozark Saturday night (yes, I am way behind) and one of the characters was saying that we should just be able to say "this sucks" when talking to those who lose someone. It's not that far off from the truth. It does suck. But, at the end of the day, we were able to celebrate Jason's mom and remember her for her love for everyone around her. That's something special.
So, as you go into your week, remember to be kind to one another. Do something nice for someone this week. And if you are presented in the future with the opportunity to support someone during their time of loss, go support them. It may be uncomfortable for you, but I can guarantee that it will make their day brighter during a time that can be dark.
Hugs and love, K
