Amazing Grace

We have been visiting the cemetery for over twenty years on Memorial Day, Christmas, Ashleigh's birthday, Ashleigh's day, and on many other just... regular days. We've been there when the snow was knee deep, when the sprinklers were on, when the wind blew or the rain poured, we've gone when other burials were taking place and we had to come back later; we've been there with a crowd, and we've gone alone, there have been times when we had to hurry or on other occasions sat there for several hours; we've watched the sun rise and set while at the cemetery; we've gone with family or with friends, we've prayed there silently and alone... or vocally with a small group. It is a part of our lives... a very real part. In all of the years and countless times that we have been there, last Monday night, Memorial Day, is one that I will hold dear to my heart forever.

It was after 7:00 in the evening when our family arrived. The cemetery was overflowing with the beautiful colors of countless flowers that had been left at the graves over the weekend. The crowds had long gone. There were a few lingerers, like our family. It was perfect as Mike and I and all of our posterity stood gathered at Ashleigh's grave. We had brought pink balloons for the grandchildren to send to Ashleigh and they were excited to let them go, and we all watched the sky until we could no longer see them. Not far from us stood a man who was playing the bagpipes. The boys, who had arrived just minutes before us, told us that the man had been playing "Amazing Grace" as they got there. "Amazing Grace" is a special song to us... Michael loves that song and it had been his request that a piper play it at Ashleigh's burial. It has been especially tender to us ever since.

My Jeremy approached the man and asked if he would come to Ashleigh's grave and play it for our family. He very graciously did. It was a spiritual moment as we stood there as a family listening to the piper as he played that beautiful song ... when it was over we just stood there reverently. There were a few tears shed, and some hugs and love yous. For me it was a tender moment of tender moments. I love my family. I'm grateful for each one of them and I will never forget the way I felt during those few moments we spent at the cemetery together.

Memorial Day 2011

Michael and I with all of our family at the cemetery on Memorial Day.

1990 and 2010

This picture was taken in the Spring of 1990. These are my four children; Andy, Jeffrey, Jeremy and Ashleigh standing next to their cousin Christopher's grave.


This picture was taken on Memorial Day 2010. These are my four children; Andy, Jeffrey, Jeremy and Caitlin standing at the graves of their sister Ashleigh and their cousin Christopher.

Memorial Day 2009

It has been a nice Memorial Day! Mike went golfing first thing this morning with Jeff, Jeremy, and my brother Archie. Meanwhile, I got a call from Jeremy saying that someone was coming to look at the house. So I cleaned. Thank goodness it wasn't to much work, we have to keep the house pretty clean all of the time for this very purpose. Mike got home just as our "leave the house for potential buyers" time arrived and we went to lunch. This evening all of our kids came over for a dutch oven dinner and then we went to the cemetery where we had a balloon "send off" to Ashleigh. We all enjoyed watching the balloons until we couldn't see them any longer. I think Ashleigh smiled at all of us tonight.

Memorial (Sun) Day 2008

A tender moment with some of our family as we pay our repects to two precious children.