A New Week.

Following my grandfather’s funeral, Kim and I spent the day with my family at my grandma’s house. You know how many times I’ve said, “Mamaw AND Papaw’s house…?” My entire life, that was how you referred to “that place.” It’ll take a while to reprogram that.My grandpa’s cousin Owen and his wife Lola May came by to share lunch with us. I never knew them before this day, and found I regretted that. Owen is 90-years old. Yup. NINETY. He’s outlived my grandpa by 15 years. And this guy is SHARP. I quickly learned his daughter is Anita Fay, whom I already knew lived in Leadville, Colorado. I’m hoping to connect with her after we move. Kim and I were both glad to learn she and her husband have a herd of horses and lead trips. We love riding horseback and think it an absolute blessing that we learn this after committing to move out there. Owen surprised me–he himself still owns 10 acres in the mountains, with a hunting cabin! I don’t think he goes elk hunting any longer, but he did promise to show me all the places worth visiting (sites for seeing, hunting, AND trout-fishing) if I’d bring a map over. I’m bound to do that before we set out.In the wake of such a tumultuous couple of weeks surrounding my grandfather’s death, I’m relieved at first, his peace, and secondly, new shoots of growth “family-wise” in discovering these other relatives. And it continues.Tomorrow, I’m heading back to the Hospice. Word traveled after my eulogy to other distant relatives I haven’t met yet. It appears one of my grandpa’s other cousins was admitted last week to Hospice. Her daughter called me and explained not having strong church ties and wondered if I’d visit and consider conducting the eventual funeral. I agreed. I have been quite honored by that request. I’ve been appointed “Family Chaplain” through this and accept the mantle with respect.This week, I feel like I’m in a different place. I’m very near being done with my local client work in Columbus. We’re moving closer and closer to having enough (though not nearly ALL) of our financial support in place to make the move to Colorado, and I’ve felt an incredibly strong connection with my family in the past 6 months (from the birth of my niece, and the death of my grandpa).And though such a script, I couldn’t have written for ourselves, I don’t think I’d change a single scene.