family time

hola! from a very well-rested girl who's so thankful to be back in her homey-home-home. :)

we left last-minute for southern louisiana sunday night after we got a call that my great-grandmother, etra dupuis, had passed away around lunch-time that day.

we weren't surprised; still sad, though. she had been in the ICU for the last couple of days with breathing problems. she was 86.

it was really hard to be too sad though, and i know that sounds weird. but, she seemed very lonely in the last few years of her life. i felt excited for her, that she was finally free and in the presence of God.

she was a very devout catholic, ever since my mom can remember. so, naturally, we had a full mass after the wake, and before the funeral. it was my first mass ever, and i was really looking forward to it! obviously, though, it was not because i believe exactly what the catholic people believe. it was more because i was curious, and i found it educational. :)

she was buried one grave away from where my paw paw leroy was buried. have i ever mentioned him?? i doubt i have.
he was my mom's daddy. he died in his 50's, back when i was 8 or 9 of a heart-attack. he had nicknames for all of his grand kids. :) he called jordyn michael jordyn, brantley squirt, and me shrimp. :)
i don't know if i've ever talked about my hope chest, but he's the one who made it for me! that why it's super special to me. needless to say, i miss him alot. :)

anyway, all of maw maw etra's 8 kids were able to come to the funeral, except of course for her two kids that have already died- paw paw leroy and uncle vorest.

after the funeral, we went back to the old house, as everyone calls it. it's where maw maw etra raised her 8 children. (it's a teeny-tiny, little house, by the way!) it's also where my paw paw leroy lived for a little while before he went into the nursing home because of his failing health.

because my paw paw leroy was the last to actually live in the old house, there were photos of me, my brother and sister, and my two other cousins, all over the house, out of 37 total great-grandchildren! we felt pretty special..... :) of course, there were photos of other people too, though. :)

after that, we headed home.

i'm so glad we went. i think paw paw leroy would have been disappointed had we not.
plus, for the last month, i've been writing letters to maw maw etra. in them i've just been giving updates on our lives and what's been going on with her family living in alabama. i also would include things about my faith, the saving grace of Jesus, and such as that. remember, she was catholic.
i figure with 8 kids, 15 grand kids, 37 great-grand kids, and 3 great-great-kids, she probably would rather information sent to her instead of her going to see each one of them, or even just sit around wondering about them, which was the case most of the time. like i said, she was kind of lonely; she lived in a nursing home and had just a few friends. she played bingo and stuff, but mostly liked it when her family came to visit.

all-in-all, it was a good trip, as far as that goes. ;)

now, it's wednesday! and i'm home! :)

i don't know if i've mentioned it or not (i seem to be rather forgetful...) but i submitted another story to the HLQ, and it was accepted! actually, it will be published tomorrow!
i know! i'm late letting y'all know..... :) but check back here, and here, tomorrow and friday for the summer edition of the HLQ!
p.s.-- check here to read my last published story, before it's replaced with the new one!! :)

all right, well, i'll check in later maybe. i'm sorry for not blogging a whole lot lately! :(
it'll change though! trust me! :)

happy wednesday, everybody!
i love you all!
and it's good to be home. :)