On the Last Sunday in May ...

After Mass this morning (Happy Pentecost Sunday!), the older boys and I accompanied my folks as they visited family graves. This is a tradition in many families at this time of year. I grew up helping my grandmother attend to the myriad family graves ... I especially enjoyed hearing all the stories about "who was who," and "who lived where" and "who did what." I probably heard the same stories again and again, but that didn't matter ... I was soaking up family history and spending time with my Gram. :)

So our first stop was at a favorite florist to buy plants - next year I *will* make something homemade! - and then it was on to the first cemetery.

It was a beautiful morning to begin with, very bright and mild ...

The boys helped neaten the gravesites by pulling weeds around the headstone ...

Here is where my mother's parents are buried (along with her paternal grandparents). 

And in another cemetery in the next town, we visited the grave of my maternal great-grandparents and beloved great aunt. I never knew my great-grandparents, but I was quite close with Great Aunt Dolly was when I was a very little girl. ...

This statue does not belong to my family, but I thought it was beautiful.

Crackerjack asked if we could stop so he could get a picture of the veterans' graves. My mother's cousin is buried here.

And lastly, we visited the grave of my father's parents and uncle. (Yes, there are Riley's on both sides of my family ... unrelated of course!)

Cemeteries can be hard for people - perhaps children especially - as they are reminders of something painful, a loss of a loved one. But they are also quite beautiful and peaceful ... they offer us a chance to remember those loved ones, and respect the very life with which we've all been so blessed. Goodness knows it goes by so fast ...

❤

I hope you are all having a nice Sunday ... I'm off now to frost feast day cupcakes and mix up a big fruit salad. It's chicken on the grill tonight!

See you all again soon!