So my great aunt died. For once there is nothing to be sad about with death. We will miss her, but we are not sad that she is gone. She was no longer happy here, and longed to be somewhere other than here. For some time now, she had been wanting to go home, to see her husband and her mother. She was 103 years 6 months and 18 days old. She was outliving the next generation.
It wasn't until we were at the graveside that I realized that this woman, who lived all those years is buried maybe 200 yards from where she was born. Exactly where she was born, in the old Yates homeplace that was built by her Grandfather, and more than likely where her father was born, and certainly where she was born, with her 2 sisters, Minnie Kate and Myrtie Mae, and her brother William Raymond,
who was my grandfather. It was where my mom, aunts and uncles were all born too--where our family raised cotton among other things.
One thing most people don't know about me--I love to read obituaries. So many people have led such interesting lives. They die so quietly, but at some point have done amazing things or been so important to others. They are people that someone loved.
Back to Aunt Margaret. So she is gone, but her body is in a place that she loved. Our family church cemetary, Pleasant Grove Church built in 1913, on land that borders the Yates farm, and holds many of our ancestors, including her parents, grandparents and great grandparents also in the cemetary. In the middle picture, her grave site is just behind me, and our family farm begins on the other side of the pond. Really, when you think about the whole deal--that's a pretty fantastic ending.
Christmas morning. It was a bit of a hectic day, didn't get to even finish the gingerbread house, but the girls got some nice gifts, including 2 new skuut balance bikes from Grammy. Scott's mom earlier in the week gave them 2 tricycles which they can already ride. The balance bike is a bit tall for Tilly, but she loves to ride on it! Poppy is just about tall enough but doesn't always have the ability to concentrate on the ride. Thanks to cousin Andrea for the adorable Christmas night gowns--dont the girls look darling!
Adorable but so whiny! My little angel has turned into a A++ whiner--and I can hardly stand it. Not with my mom, just with me, sigh. She did really well though, being a only child for 3 whole days!
We slipped in a christmas tree shopping event Friday night even though I've been working 7 days a week. I'm trying to enjoy every day I have the girls, and do fun things even if I'd rather go home and collapse in bed. Time goes by so fast, you know. So we went tree shopping and out to dinner on Friday night--the girls were like wild animals at Firewood while we ate, thankfully all the lovely gay men in the Castro made a HUGE fuss over how cute the girls are so thy didn't seem to mind all the bad behavior.
From the 6 Yates siblings--there are 17 living cousins. My grandparents William Raymond Yates and Mildred Lee Wilson Yates had Robert, Wilson and Frank, then Catherine, Malline and Frances, all of whom go by their middle names and not given names--a old southern tradition. Of course Robert died at the end of WWII, so the remaining 5 siblings had all 17 children. We took a picture at Aunt Margaret's funeral on the steps of Pleasant Grove--missing only 2 first cousins--Barry and Don, even though there are a few extra cousins in the picture (2nd cousins and 1st cousins once removed? how does that go again?)
all to enjoy!
who was my grandfather. It was where my mom, aunts and uncles were all born too--where our family raised cotton among other things.