Saying goodbye

This morning we got up early so we could get to the funeral on time. The funeral was held at Grandma and Grandpa's church building in Indio, CA.
All of his 6 kids, 17 grandchildren, 16 out of 21 great grandchildren were there. Just Johann and 3 of our kids and my sister Lisa's husband Kent and their 3 kids were not able to be there.
The service was really nice. Papa gave the eulogy, and Paul and Adam sang a song in Spanish. After the service the casket was placed in the hearse and left. Then we all went in and had a lunch. Corrine went off and played with the cousins.
After lunch Corrine went with Laurie and her family back to their house. Lisa and I went to Grandma Jenson's for a while. We stayed for a few hours talking with family. When we left we drove through Hemet where our brother Jake and his family lives. We decided to stop by to see their house. Zach was supper excited to show us his room, dogs and toys. After Lisa and I went to Panera's for dinner. We finally made it to Laurie's 4 hours after they did. Corrine was starting to wonder if I was ever going to make it there!
That night the sisters stayed up talking way too late, but it was so much fun.
Tuesday morning we woke up and sang Happy Birthday to Corrine. We then all got ready to go the burial. We met with all my siblings and their families at the Barbecue Pit for lunch.
When we got to the cemetery we spent a little time in the gathering room, then headed out to the cemetery. We found Grandma and Grandpa Guthrie's grave sites. Today would have been Grandma Guthrie's 100th birthday.
We went to the duck pond and played there for a while. Corrine and Zach were having fun chasing the ducks and watching the turtles.
Since we had the funeral yesterday, today was just the dedication of the grave and burial. We had a family prayer in the gathering room. Then the casket was closed and carried to a hearse. The sons, grandsons and even a great grandson walked with their hands on the car around the cemetery.
Since Grandpa was in the Air Force so he had a military funeral. There were 2 Air Force members there with us. They folded the flag, played Taps and gave the flag to Grandma.
Grandma choose to do a full burial, so right after the ceremony a tractor and dump truck showed up.
I had never seen a full burial being done before, so this was new to me and very interesting to watch.
The men who buried his casket were so careful and kind. They did their job with all of us watching and they did it silently. They would give a hand signal of where to back up to, or when to stop pouring the dirt, but they never spoke to each other. It was a very peaceful time.
It was a very comforting experience to know for sure that Grandpa's body was where it was suppose to be. The casket was closed with us there, then it was walked to the grave site and buried with all of us watching.
Corrine and Aleigha ran off to another section of the cemetery to check out the tall headstones. I was watching them and I'd see them running between the headstones. When they came back over they told me that they had been straightening the flowers on the headstones.
After the burial all the family went to Phillipe's Italian restaurant in Little Italy downtown. This was a restaurant that Grandma and Grandpa liked to go to. It was a party atmosphere with all of us there. We ate, talked, laughed, hugged and took some pictures.
My cousin Amy told them it was Corrine's birthday so they brought her a birthday treat and we all sang to her. She had around 50 people singing to her!
We said goodbye and headed back to Nani and Papa's house in the desert.