The Memorial

We worked a half-day on Friday and headed up to Chicago. It was kind of with mixed emotions. On one hand, I was looking forward to spending time with family. On the other, it was definitely not for a joyous occasion. I was starving when we pulled up to my parents' house, but it was probably another hour before we all agreed on a place to eat and pulled up at Baker's Square in Lansing. I hadn't been to this location in YEARS, possibly a decade? I definitely used to be a frequent customer. As per my tradition, I got a slice of pie before the meal [Chocolate Hazelnut Silk] and dug into an old favorite for dinner [Veggie Stir Fry Pita].  My mom had Fish & Chips, and my dad had Salmon Teriyaki.

After dinner, my mom suggested we stop at the Edward P. Robinson Community Veterans Memorial in Munster. She had stopped there with her sister before, and she thought it would be a nice place for a short walk. It is very well done, and it made for a nice stop to walk off a bit of our dinner.

We finished the night with some family games at home. We saved some more time for games in the morning before we headed to my Aunt Jean's house in Chicago.

Grandma

Aunt Mary

I don't even know when the last time I saw my Aunt Mary was, so I was happy to spend some time with her. And of course, my dear cousin Bethann. I probably hovered a bit too much by her side, but I wanted to be as supportive as possible at this memorial gathering to honor her mother. Overall, it went well - as well as these things can go, I suppose.  It was good to see the family whom I don't get to see nearly enough.  

There was a lot that could be said about Aunt Jean, and unfortunately, I got too choked up in my speech to say much of anything. She was a solid presence in the family, strong-willed, generous, and caring. I've spent weeks at her house, countless holidays with her, and she's been on my mind plenty. We will miss you, Aunt Jean.