Michigan and Family

Flew to Michigan last week for my grandfather's funeral. It was joyous and sad at the same time, if that makes sense. He was 93 when he died, so he had a good life. At the funeral I got to see cousins I hadn't seen since I was 12 or 13 or so and one of my favorite aunts whom I hadn't seen in 10 years. The funeral procession went past his old house and slowed as it passed. One of my cousin's girlfriends was making a journal of best memories and mine was when I was 15 and just learning to drive in Pittsburgh. We had a truck with manual shifting and I was having trouble starting up on hills without rolling back, so when I went to Michigan for the summer my grandfather took me out on the dirt roads around Fair lake and taught me how to work the clutch to hold on hills. The day after the funeral my brothers, sister, mom and myself got together at my sister's house (picture) for dinner and drinks. I had gone running earlier that day in 80 degree heat for 4 miles over gently rolling hills, so I ate a ton. Flew back Saturday and went to Easter service in Gresham where my friend's son played Jesus in an extremely moving and well sung program. Later I went to Easter dinner at their house where including my daughter and I there were 17 people.