Goodbye Nan

Today was Nan's funeral which was really lovely. We got there early so we could go and view Nan's body. Aaron chose not to, but the boys and I went in to say goodbye. She actually looked really beautiful laying in her white coffin, with her white dress on. She would've been really happy as she even had her nails done and her lipstick on :) Nan always liked to look nice.

The boys were really good about seeing her and Kobe even wanted to go back in after we left. He kept crying and I asked him if he wanted to go back and see Nan and he kept saying yes. Just before the funeral started, Jalen came up to me and said he had been in to see Nan three times - twice he went in on his own, and one time he was in there by himself for a couple of minutes with her. He had tears in his eyes as he told me he felt the spirit in there and really wanted to go back in there with me again to see her one more time. We quickly went back in and Jay said goodbye one last time. Aunty Marilyn told me she walked in there and Jay was just standing there staring at Nan on his own, deep in thought.

The service was really nice with Uncle Chayne and Uncle Howard sharing lots about Nan's life and memories that they had of her. Nan wanted all of us grandchildren and great grandchildren to sing 'I am a Child of God' which we did. It was pretty emotional as I stood up there with 26 of my cousins and all their kids singing together, knowing that Nan had asked us to do it and would be listening. There were lots of tears as we sang, but also lots of smiles as I could hear Simone's girls singing really loud right next to me as they sang the chorus.

In true Deloraine style it started spitting just as the service was ending. Chrish and I were saying on the way to the cemetery that Nan actually wouldn't have minded the rain but would've said it would be good for the gardens.

It's hard to believe that it was only four months ago that Nan was sitting next to Uncle Arn saying goodbye to Pop at the same spot.

Nan's coffin looked beautiful and Aunty Wanda even put some butterfly and flower stickers on the side. Nan would've loved it.

Harri and Jay kept asking where Nan was going to be buried and we told them that she was going to be buried in the same grave as Pop. Harri couldn't get over that Nan would go in the same place and kept saying 'she's going to squash Pop!'. When we got to the graveside Harri looked down into the grave and said 'Pop's not in there!!'.

Dad dedicated the grave and then the coffin was lowered down.

When it was finished lowering Kobe let out this big 'yay!' and gave it a clap! I don't think Nan would've minded as she always said she would be happy when she died.



The great grandkids threw in flower petals and flowers into the grave, just like we did with Pop.




The boys wrote Nan a letter each to put in the grave with her, like they did with Pop. I told Harri it would be nice if he could draw a nice picture of Nan while she was alive, but he insisted on drawing Nan in her coffin with the flowers on the top. He made it a brown coffin as Pop's coffin was brown, so he was quite upset when he saw Nan in a white one!

Jalen wrote her a lovely note saying he hopes she has a good time with Pop and drew her walking up the stairs to Heaven to meet Pop.


By the end of the graveside service everyone was very wet, but it was still a really lovely time and I know Nan would've loved seeing everyone with the flowers and being together again.

Afterwards we headed back to the chapel for food and to mix with everyone. It was so nice to have the whole family there again. It's rare to get a photo of Dad and all his brothers and Aunty Wanda together, so everyone took the opportunity to get one.

I think Nan would've really loved the whole day. We love you Nan and can't believe you aren't here anymore. We were really sad when Pop passed away but now it feels so much more final with both of you gone. It's hard to believe that we can't visit you whenever we want. We are glad that we know where you are though, and that we will see you again one day.

In the meantime we will keep making your sponges and remembering all the great times that we had together and will keep telling our boys all the great stories of growing up with you. Jalen even asked me to make some carrot jelly for him today, and I think I may just do that!