Today was a tough day….

I buried a 20 year old girl, whom been shot in the head by her boyfriend.
(supposedly accidentally!!??)

Her family was so nice, my heart was breaking as her father was telling me stories about his little girl, I could see the glow in his face when he mention her name.
I can’t even begin to understand how her family must feel.
The pain of having to bury their baby girl.

The father told me how proud she was of being in the Navy.
She turned down up scaled collages to join the service.
And also that she had made this arri comment to her father, if something ever where to happened to her, she wanted to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

When we went over how the headstone was going to read, I asked since we had a couple of speared lines to use, if their was something special they like to inscribe after all her military information.
They told me, every time Caitlin signed of on an e-mail or a letter she always put down a quote at the end;

"Happy are those who dream dreams, and are willing to pay the price to make them come true"

May she rest in peace.
My heart goes out to her wonderful family and friends.


Sailor who shot former girlfriend says he didn’t know gun was loaded

Winterland

Today was a beautiful day at work, it was cold and snowing, remind me about home (Sweden).

The day started like any other day, of the 30 funerals we had schedule, surprisingly only two was cancelled.

The first one a had was a full honors service, my Air Force troops called twice to inform me their bus got stuck in the snow and sled.

Funeral home called and said they where going to be on time, family had flown in from Hawaii, looked like a good start, until....

Funeral director called, and told me the coach had broke down on the exit ramp going to the cemetery.

He had no way to get the casket there on time.

NIGHTMARE!!!!

We got hold on the cemetery's funeral coach...me and my collage located the funeral car, I stopped traffic and Spencer backed our car in opposite direction down the exit ramp onto the highway, we parked in front of the funeral director, pulled out the heavy metal casket, and placed it on a wiggly little cart, diffidently NOT made for being used in the snow, then we pushed the casket, till we could place it in our car, this while cars where driving by in the middle of a rush hour snowstorm, I didn't know if I should laugh or cry!!

We made it to the grave site 20 minutes late..

Colonel Harris is now safe and sound sleeping in his grave, despite the last little adventure out on the highway ;-)

Georgetown Cupcakes

Had the best cupcakes yesterday!! :-P

(Better be for $3 a pop)

~Peanut Butter Fudge

~Mint Chocolate

~Strawberry

~Chocolate & Vanilla

http://www.georgetowncupcake.com/home.html

*Hoping for a good night sleep*

Back to some times that really have stuck in my mind over the almost 10 years I have been having the honor to work in Arlington National Cemetery.

This was sometime last year, I had a funeral for a lady who's husband was already inured at the cemetery.
When I sat down with the daughter to go over the necessary paperwork, s
he gave me a strange look, and asked me a favor.
She handed me a purse, and asked me to please take it and place it in the niche together with her mothers urn,.
She told me, her mother would be devastated if she didn't have her purse with her,
I smiled and said of course.
She took the purse and opened it up and said;
-Mom could never find her eye glasses, so I made sure I put them in here as well,
and she always loved a shot of whiskey in the afternoon, so I got her a little bottle of that to,
if that's OK.

I will make sure not to disappoint your mother I said.
she gave me a big hug, and smiled back.

So, I thought I should go ahead and share some of my most memorable moments at work.

First and foremost this is for a very special person Mr. Al may you rest in peace my dear friend,

I miss you dearly.

Our long conversations about history, German music, photographs, guns, , headstones,

John Wayne, and of course all that military stuff, that's close to both of our hearts.

They told you, you had only six more months to live, you always use to ask me if you should bother making another dental appointment, I catch myself smiling just thinking of it.
-Well, you put the dentist off for about a year, and you where still living.
I remember when you called me one day, your voice sounded irritated, you had finally got a cleaning done. Since you where one of the lucky one in that age with all real fangs, you felt a little "cheated" by the doc's, you where not ready to loose your teeth because, they where expecting you to pack your bags any day.
You told me, you wanted me to do your funeral, when the day come, and it did...

On February 13th, 2008 I did your funeral with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, it was a cold and rainy day I will never forget.
I caught myself smiling beneath my tears as the military rendered military honors, and taps where being played. I was so honored and privileged to have known you.
They gave you six months to live, you hung in for almost 3 years, until your lungs gave up.

I go and see you sometimes, I sit by your grave, and think about all those great times we had.

You truly where my hero, my mentor, my friend....

I miss you dearly.

Just back from the movie "Coraline" http://www.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK//video/imdb/vi513934105/
It was a happy surprise!!!
I didn't feel like I was watching a kids movie, and I hardly saw any there either, even thou the theatre was packed..with big once LOL
Long live Coraline!!!