Graveside Service

So, Saturday was the graveside service for our little Steven. It was a very rainy day- Doug thought it was perfect for a funeral- I thought it felt like a bad movie. (Have any of you ever seen the movie "Firehouse Dog"- there is a great graveside service scene in that movie.)
This casket was actually way too big, Steven was only 6 3/4" long. I did the flowers for the casket, I actually bought a few tulips, pussy willows and greenery everything else I picked. I got the forsythia from our neighbors tree, the tulips from my mom's yard and the grape hyacinth from our yard. I did take the Button Mums from an arrangement some one gave to us. I loved the button mums because I really wanted to use dandelions (the seem appropriate for a little boy) but I knew they would die, so the button mums look very similar and I decided they were the "next best thing." The big beautiful arrangement was from "Our friends in the 20th Ward" but I think our bishop and his wife actually bought them. The white tulips were from Karen & Jannalyn and there is also an arrangement with white callas (can't be seen) from Shauntel Anderson.

We had a lot of support, way more than I expected. A lot of friends from our ward and friends and of course family. Thank you to everyone who came and who helped! We were so touched and felt so loved! Thanks also to everyone who couldn't make it and for sending us well wishes.

This is a really bad picture of me, ah well, it is what it is, but Maddie looks so cute!

My mom, Juli (sil), Travis (hiding) and Marlene Thorpe (my mom's good friend and she's known me since I was tiny)

A quick run down of the service (once I get the CD of it I may type up a transcript because I print out my blog yearly and I want a copy of it but for today this will do.) First of all, I have to say that one of my favorite things about the graveside service was Bevan. He was so full of life and he had his blue monster umbrella and was walking around acting and growling like a monster. Loved it! It reminded me that life goes on and there will be happiness down the road. I wish so bad we had a picture of Bevan!

Like I said, it was rainy, so in the beginning, it felt a little disorganized, we were all just trying to stay dry and warm. Anyway, our bishop Neal Dewey conducted the service and we started by singing "I Feel My Savior's Love"(three beautiful verses) and then Alesa said the opening prayer. Bishop Dewey then spoke, we asked him to speak about families and temples, I think he did just that. Then because I was still holding it together, I bore my testimony. Don't remember a lot of what I said other than (and this is what was most important) "We don't know why our little baby isn't with us right now, but it doesn't matter, because we know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and he wants what is best for us." At least I think I said that- that's what I wanted to say. I also shared a quote I had heard from Elder Maxwell; "Having faith in the Lord means having faith in His time." The quote was something like that... Then Katie sang "Families Can Be Together Forever", it was absolutely beautiful! She really has an amazing voice! She had been crying quite hard just before singing and I was worried about her, but she said she could do it and she did! Her voice was so clear and strong! I was so proud of her! Then Doug dedicated the grave. That was the end.

We mingled for a couple of minutes and then our family met at the church for a lunch. Our Relief Society president, JayLynn Lewis and our compassionate service leader, Marcia Thompson, put the lunch together and Carol provided French Dip. It was yummy! Although there were no "Funeral potatoes"... ;)