So, school lately has been mostly just life lessons.  After a day of baking in reponse to my grandmothers passing, we packed up and headed to northern Louisiana.  Eight and a half hours later, having stopped at a rest area to make ourselves as presentable as possible, we drive directly to the church for the viewing.

Sofia, the 3 year old, is facinated by Great-grandma's lifeless body.  She wants to touch her.  I explain that she may gently touch her but, that her body will be cold since she took her heart with her to heaven and that is what makes us warm.  I think to myself that we will talk about the difference between heart and soul when she has grown a few more years.  She touches her and asks me where did she go?  I tell her she went with Jesus.  She looks around and asks, "but, where is Jesus?"  Realizing that she is looking for a crucifix, I look for a cross so that I can explain that he isn't there (non-Catholic church) because he is escorting Grandma to Heaven.  However, I discovered something that had escaped my notice for all of my nearly-forty years!  There was not a cross to be found in this church.  Everywhere that I would have expected a cross there was a tounge of fire.  Needless to say I was a little taken aback.

Sofia was fine with everything except for the sadness that was being expressed by the people that she loves.  THAT made her sad too.

Zac is a little sad but, mostly his is enjoying his new-found cousins who are equally as mesmerized by him.  He and  his male cousins (he actually has cousings that are not girls!  Who woulda thunk!) had a great time being guys.  We promised to try and make a trip to Georgia for the Woldwide Lego Robotics competition wether or not Zac's team makes it to the finals.  That's where all the male genes in the Fillingame family landed, well most of them anyway.

Emily was very sad at first.  She mourned for an appropriate amount of time and then rediscovered her Austin cousins.  Yeah!  She and Elena had a blast telling ghost stories and generally just being girls.

After the funeral on Saturday afternoon we ate some more!  And, then Uncle Bubba (not a joke!) make a great big bonfire for the kiddos who roasted hot dogs and marshmellows.  We sat around the fire singing old gospel hyms that would make Grandma proud and then digressed into scout camp songs and scary stories.  All in all it was absolutely the most fun ever had at a funeral!  Grandma always knew how to have a party.