Grandma Bullocks Funeral Weekend

With my Grandmas health on the decline these past few years, Jason and I had been preparing our selves for word of her passing. In the long run, it was the best for her to be released of her body here on Earth and return to her Father in Heaven as well as seeing Grandpa once again.

It was pretty incredible that she had held on to say goodbye to all of them. The weekend prior too her passing Aunt Tracey from Oregon had flew down to spend some time with her, uncle Vic from California drove over to see her, a few weeks prior uncle John from Texas was here to see her and uncle Bill from Utah had made it just in time to give her kiss and tell her he loved her before she passed away silently in her bed.

Shortly after, the news had spread and we received word of her passing. Due to funds, Deacon and I were the only ones able to fly back to Arizona for the funeral. We found a good flight and made our way home. With Jason working non-stop, Deacon and I decided to stay a few extra days after the funeral to spend time with family. We packed our bag and hitched a ride with a friend to the airport as we flew out Friday June 18^th. I was betting on using clothes I had left at home and only packed 1 bag for Deacon & I. Traveling alone with a baby was pretty stressful. I didn’t put much thought into it before going, thinking, “no problem, I can do this.” It was pretty rough. We didn’t bring Deacons stroller with us to Alabama, thinking that we would just buy an umbrella stroller if we needed one, so had to carry Deacon the whole time. I had Deacon, his car seat, my handbag and our carry-on bag---that didn’t have wheels, just my shoulder. After I got his car seat checked on that lightened my load for sure. But that little guy sure is getting heavy. We checked in, letting the agent know that I was flying alone with him, hoping for an empty row. And that’s what it was looking like we’d get. Turns out the flight before us got cancelled so some of those passengers got on our flight and the flight became completely full. No biggie right? Wrong. Our flight actually had a lay over in Atlanta, Georgia, so we were on a small plane due to the short flight. Deacon and I were put in the very back to the plane. Isle seat. Picture this—someone at the window seat, us, the flight attendant, and then another 2 passengers and all of us shoulder to shoulder. And I still nurse Deacon during take-offs and landings so his ears pop. Lets just say it was a good thing I packed some formula just in case. He ended up sleeping the whole time, thankfully. And it was only a little over an hour flight. And the women sitting next to me was very kind. We arrive in ALT; I immediately go the gate agent verifying the gate for the flight to PHX. She directs me to the correct gate. Or so she thought. That airport is HUGE! I walk down the super long corridor, down the escalator, take the tram to the next terminal, up the escalator, down another long corridor to the gate, verify that we were in the correct spot and was told, “sorry, its been moved to another gate.” I turn around and walk down the super long corridor and to the other gate. Talk to the agent making sure I was in the right spot and wanting to ask how the flight looked (to see if Deacon and I could get a row to our self). But the flight heading out before us was delayed so she couldn’t even help me until she got that taken care of. I take a seat to finally put my bags and deacon down and catch a breath. I’m practically shaking because I’m so thirsty and hungry and exhausted with hold D and our heavy bag. I quickly eat my cold pizza I bought at the Birmingham airport, the one I thought I would get to eat on the previous flight. I notice that the agent is still trying to figure out the flight and so Deacon and I head to the restroom and then to grab some water. By the time I’m done changing him, getting he & I cleaned up we make our way back to the gate and it’s practically deserted! WHAT?? Did they board our flight already?? I’m freaking out, quickly head to the counter and ask a gentleman in line if they boarded the flight to PHX. He was kind enough to let me know they hadn’t and actually had moved the flight back to the original gate. Oh my! So I tread back down the super long corridor to the other gate. I made it. I went immediately to the gate agent to check on the status and occupancy of the flight. She put me in a middle seat. Lovely. Now I’m praying that it doesn’t fill up. While waiting to board an older gentlemen offers to hold one of my bags, seeing that my arms were full. I let him, but kept a watchful eye on him. You never know. He was very kind and helpful. We boarded and another kind woman offered to hold Deacon while I got our stuff all situated. She was traveling alone, but turns out she’s done the traveling alone with kids a number of times, her husbands in the military. We got ourselves in place and waited to take off. With every passenger finding his or her seat I got more and more antsy, just praying and hoping that no one was sitting in our row. Finally, the flight attendant came on the intercom to let us know we’d be taking off. PHEW! And thank heavens; we had our own row! When I was able to finally let out a sigh of relief I get a tap on my shoulder from a woman behind us…she just wanted to inform me that she had been watching Deacon and I while we were waiting at the gate to board, she said Deacon was so well behaved, adorable and looked like a sweet heart. She’s right; he was wonderful the whole time. Loved to people watch and was happy to walk back and forth. He was a trooper!

When we took off Deacon was mesmerized with watching everything ‘fly’ by, but he was exhausted so ended up falling asleep rather quickly and ended up sleeping the remainder of the flight.

We arrived in Phoenix and the rest of the trip was kind of a blur. My cousins and aunts and uncles all arrived within the next few days and with us all living in different states it was great to be able to see them all again. There were some that I hadn’t seen since my grandpa died, about 17 years.

Sunday was Fathers Day, so we all got together and went around telling something about our Dads, a story from growing up, something that we learned from him, something that reminds us of him. It was great to hear stories and be together as a family. Unfortunately, Deacon and I missed being with Jason on his first Fathers Day. We were so bummed for that. But got to chat and take some pictures to send of little D.

Monday the women of the group-my aunts, mom, sisters and cousins went to ‘Dress’ Grandma for the funeral the following day. We put her in her temple clothes, did her hair and makeup. We talked of stories of Grandma, of memories we had of her and made with her. We talked about the way she would have wanted her hair-she loved it big and curled. When we finished she looked natural & beautiful. And then we each got a minute or two to say our last goodbyes. Although it was only her body, with her spirit having left it, it was a wonderful experience. Later that day the siblings talked over Grandmas affairs-none of us wanted to be there so all the cousins went swimming. We had plans of having a BBQ in the evening followed by a FHE with everyone. Plans soon changed. The meeting with all the siblings ran a little long so we went to In-n-Out for already made burgers. We met up at the condo afterward for the FHE but Josh was looking pretty bad, he ended up throwing up a few times. My stomach had been bothering me, and I also ended up throwing up as well. With the combination of heat and not drinking enough water, Josh was not doing well at all, Trevor and Dad gave him a blessing and ended up taking him to the ER., they pumped him with fluids as he ended up being severally dehydrated. As for me, despite what people were thinking-that I was pregnant. I think I had a 24 or 48hr. flu bug. I just drank lots of fluids. And the next day still wasn’t feeling great, but a bit better. Turns out my cousins daughter had to also be taken to the children’s ER that night due to a urinary infection.

The next day, Tuesday, was the funeral. We were all suppose to be there early, but with me not feeling that well, I showed up just before the funeral and just before they closed that casket. I am glad I got to say my goodbyes the day prior. Although I spent the majority of the service out in the lobby with Deacon, it was a beautiful service for Grandma. Wonderful stories and memories of her by Uncle John and Aunt Tracey and Dad, as well a song that Kendilyn (who is serving a mission), recorded and sent to be played. It was perfect.

After the service we headed to a brief service at the gravesite. Brady played two wonderful songs on his saxophone, more memories were shared and Uncle Bill said a beautiful prayer. With the Arizona temperature, it was brief and we headed back to the church building to spend more time together as a family. Josh’s flight back to Alabama was actually right after the funeral, so Trevor, Nikki, deacon and I took him to the airport. I was starting to not feel very good once again, and Trevor and Nikki weren’t either so we headed home to rest. That flu bug was rather contagious, as it turned out just about every one of my family-immediate and extended ended up getting sick.

I was able to spend a few more days in Arizona to spend time with family. It was great, as we hadn’t seen each other in a while. We relaxed and told stories and went through Grandmas stuff.

I am so grateful that families are eternal. I am grateful to know that I will be able to see my Grandma and Grandpa once again.

Deacon and I were also able to have dinner visit with Jasons family. It was so fun to put Deacon next to little Luke. I can’t believe Deacon was once that little.

Josh forgot a lot of stuff in Arizona that he wanted me to bring back to him when I flew back to Alabama, and because he did he offered to pay for a bag to be checked. That was a huge help not to have to carry my bag like on the flight to Arizona. And I borrowed my parents’ umbrella stroller to help lighten the load with carrying Deacon as well. But my flight back to Alabama was just as much as an adventure as it was getting to Arizona. We once again had a middle seat, so of course my hopes were high that we’d have the whole row again. That hope was shattered as I learned the flight was completely full. Deacon was pretty tired, so I once again hoped that he’d sleep the whole flight. Once again that also didn’t happen. He slept for just a short while, which wouldn’t have been a problem except the flight ended up being longer than expected. With a storm moving in over Atlanta, where our connecting flight was, we were sent to Chattanooga, Tennessee. With many other planes also sent there, we waited on the jet way for a gate to refuel for over an hour. Deacon was getting fussy, hungry and tired of sitting in one spot. I was getting overwhelmed with being stuck in the middle and trying to deal with him. Thankfully I was sitting by some nice people that offered food and for us to walk around. Jason was on the phone as soon as he heard our flight was delayed to check the status of my connecting flight, hoping that we wouldn’t miss that one and be stuck at the airport overnight. If our plane made it back to ATL we’d have to book it to the connecting flight or we would be stuck. Our prayers were heard and finally we were on our way back to ATL. As soon as we got off the plane Deacon and I ran to the connecting flight, they were calling the last few rows before taking off. Thankfully for us our connecting flight had been delayed for a few hours so we made it just in the nick of time! That flight was really empty so Deacon and I got to sit wherever we wanted with a row to ourselves. After watching the lights while taking off, Deacon slept peacefully the whole time to Alabama. Once we landed, of course we went to get our bag as well as the car seat, and like a cherry on top if it all, of course neither of them made the flight. After dealing with the luggage and getting a car seat to borrow we were on our way back to the hotel with Jason. It was nice to be on the ground and especially nice be with him once again.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one that had a hard time getting home after the funeral, several of my extended family also ran into problems, with cars breaking down to flights being cancelled or redirected. We all joke that of course all of us to have problems getting there and leaving. Ha. Ha.