It Won't Be The Same this Year...

What did you do the day after thanksgiving? Go Shopping? Visit family? Eat leftovers? Sleep after last night shopping? My day after Thanksgiving was spent in the cemetery decorating Heather’s grave for Christmas. I have been planning and preparing for what specific decorations were going out there. I have ideas in my head but when I see them actually turn out the way I planned it makes me smile.

Buying supplies for Heather's tree

This is the first Christmas to have a grave for Heather. I am not sure what is normal or right but I have to do what I feel deep in my heart to be the right thing. I knew she had to have a Christmas tree with solar lights and decorations. She also had to have a stocking. Unfortunately there are people out there that think it funny to take decorations at Christmas from the cemetery. So everything I place I have to be prepared that it might get stolen.

Ashley's decorations

I wanted poinsettias as flowers, lots of red and for it to look very festive, or as festive as it can be for a cemetery. I also needed to get some Christmas things for Ashley’s grave as well. People are beginning to notice the two girls markers are decorated similarly. I had a very nice lady come ask us to tell her the story of the two girls. She was deeply moved by the story of the two little girls in 1^st grade and how after all these years they are so close together. She also thought it was quite special that I was willing to make sure Ashley had new flowers and decorations as well. I have to say I was a bit sad that I couldn’t really see getting two trees with lights and decorations this year. It was kind of spendy. But Bill reminded me it was ok that Heather has something special or different on her grave that Ashley doesn’t have.

Heather's tree and stocking

Heather's spot all decorated

I finished decorating and felt very satisfied with what I had done for both Heather and Ashley. We went back later that night and crawled over the fence to see the tree lit at night. It was really something to see the snowflake changing colors and the tree with all the lights glowing in the dark. What was even more amazing was that the solar lights had not been charged enough. They only lasted long enough for us to see it and then it went out. Of course now they have plenty of charge to last the night. It was blessings to have the lights allow us to see it that night.

First look at night

There are more Christmas decorations going up around the cemetery. Each time I go out I walk around to see all the new things. It is very important for loved ones to decorate out there at Christmas. It is very impressive to see. The cemetery has a candle lighting remembrance ceremony on Friday. I can’t wait to see what it is all about. I used to drive by and see the signs for events like that and wondered how people can go to something like that. Now I “get it”! Bill and I went and decorated an ornament and placed on the tree in the lobby. We get to take it home on Friday. I am not sure I will go every year, but for now, this feels like the right thing to do.

Christmas ornament for the candle lighting ceremony

Her favor time of year was always Christmas,

We’ll reminisce about the days gone by,

Oh how I wish that she was still here with us,

My memories with her will never die.

When that stocking are hung,

Silent night has been sung

And Christmas is finally here,

It won’t be the same this year…

~Vince Gill~

This song was written by Vince Gill after the sudden death of his brother Bob Gill in 1993 from a heart attack. Bob was Vince’s big brother.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22hABeVNDcc