Life in the fast lane... or passing on the right :( Or funeral, wedding,funeral...

When I went to work yesterday I was only going to visit, not work. On my way there I received a phone call that one of my favorite residents had passed during the wee hours of the morning. Yes nurses have favorites and yes like parents they have to try not to show it... This was one exceptional man. The love and kindness he showed to all was only surpassed by his deep understanding of humankind and his love for his wife and family. His apartment was decorated with pictures of family, artwork he had done and one very special charcoal sketch of him giving his wife a "last kiss". His love for her was reflected in everything he did. She passed away some years back but the love he held in his heart for her never faded even one iota.

Some days were harder for him than others, but he plugged along, never complaining to staff of anything and thanking everyone without fail for whatever they did for him. His daughter spent her days near him and the reality of losing him is as hard for her as his was for his true love. The devotion he had to family lives in his children and grandchildren. He has gone home and I am sure he is rejoicing with the saints and his true love.

When I started this post I had no idea what the month February had in store for me. After this dear resident passed I took as much time off as I could possibly scrounge up.  I had already planned to take days off for my daughter's wedding so this just made an extended break from actually being at work for me... Then two days before the wedding my mother in law passed away. We had wedding arrangements to finish and funeral plans to make.  It was going to be a very busy month albeit short. The flight details couldn't even be made right away as it was a holiday weekend and the base was closed on Monday for flights and Montana would be just too long of a drive for the little ones in the cold.

My dear sister in law was so kind and said DH should go to the wedding they both agreed there was no changing those plans and the funeral could wait.  So we proceeded to finish the wedding week and then move ahead with the rest not telling any of the kids until after the festivities were over. Festive it was! Everyone had a great time and well, I am glad we did it this way.

I made 90 or so cupcakes to go with a two tier cake. Two days before the wedding I had my older daughter pick up eight bags of powdered sugar for frosting.... I used a cup and a half lol! The bride wanted whipped icing on the cake but the bakery said it wouldn't hold up to the travel time, so she settled for me putting whipped on the cupcakes and the bakery just icing the cake not decorating she would do that herself. She did a great job! (see the cake table picture below)

Two little flower girls admiring their dresses, tiaras and the red Minnie mouse purse!

The struggles! Getting into that dress was challenging and fun and best of all She was Beautiful!

It was a warm day but a cold evening and I forgot to bring coats for the little ones but they survived and had a great time! I didn't get any pictures of the ceremony as I thought it would be frowned on but there were plenty of people taking pictures with their cell phones. The dancing, started by the littles lasted until way into the evening.

A picture of most of the wedding party. The matron of honor and a junior bridesmaid are missing. The important folks like the bride and "broom" as my four year old calls them, are there.

The cake table was very pretty, too bad the wedding cake was never served! Not sure how that glitch happened but she was charged $100 as a cake cutting fee and they never did it!?

In the end the little ones crashed on the way home and only one thought it was just a nap!

I think I will close this now on the happier note of the wedding and save funeral stuff for another day! Thanks for stopping by!