The viewing

 

My sisters and I went to the funeral home early, so we could get all of the pictures arranged.  When we first got there we discussed whether we wanted to see Mom first or to do the pictures.  I agreed I wanted to do the pictures first, but as I thought about it….I wanted to see Mom.  I wanted to be alone with her and talk with her.  I talked with the people at the funeral home, and they kind of wanted for us to wait until Dad got there.  Then I think they wanted me to not go in alone.  I told them that was what I wanted.

I walked up to the casket and saw her.  She looked beautiful.  It had been a long time since I had seen her all dressed up and with makeup on.  The last time was on Valentine’s Day weekend.  I enjoyed spending time alone with her.  As I leaned over her, a tear fell from my eye onto her dress.  Even though she could not hear me, I had a conversation with her.  I told her how she was a great mom.

Her Bible was laying opened on the casket to the 23^rd Psalm,

“The Lord is my shepherd;

   I shall lack nothing.

  He makes me lie down in

   green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet

   waters,

  he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of

   righteousness

  for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

  through the valley of the

   shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

  for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

  they comfort me.

You prepare a table before

   me

  in the presence of my

   enemies.

You anoint my head with

   oil;

  my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love

   will follow me

  all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house

   of the Lord

  forever.”  

There was a spray of flowers on her casket.  Mom did not want the flowers that way.  She wanted five single roses all gathered together.  One stood for each daughter and one for Dad.  We added a few other flowers to it.  One different colored rose for each grandchild and a tiny bud which represented her grandchild that was not born yet.  We asked the florist to fix the flowers, and when they brought the flowers back, they were bundled together with a pretty white ribbon.  Dad was still not satisfied, so Aunt Julie told me we should take them into the next room and fix them.  I asked Dad how he wanted them, and he said he wanted them in layers.  We fixed them how I thought he wanted them, and he said, “That is how your mother would have wanted them.”

Dad wanted us to have a receiving line at the viewing.  The line of people that came in seemed like it would never end.  We saw people we had not seen in years.  It was good to meet all of Dad’s friends, and to see so many people that loved Mom and my family.  The hardest people to greet were Brenda and Angie.  Tears came to my eyes when I greeted them.  Several times I bit the inside of my mouth, so I would not cry.  A lady came by and said, “Your smile looks just like your Mom’s…..so keep smiling.”  As the other people came by, I shook their hand and taking my left hand, cradled the back of their hand.  I don’t know why I did that, but I wanted to.  I was very strong during the viewing, several times reminding people she was not suffering anymore, and she was with Jesus in Heaven.  It was not a mournful time for me.  I greatly anticipated Mom’s funeral, because I wanted my loved ones and everyone else in attendance to hear the gospel presentation.

Before we left that night, I wanted to see her one more time.  Joann and I saw one of the employees that worked there.  He said we could go back in there.  We both spent a few minutes with her, and then he tucked her in by tucking the lining in around her.  He said he called it, “Tucking her in.”