Not your ordinary trip

I haven't been to the cemetary for quite some time now, not because I don't want to go, but because I rarely get a chance to go alone, or with Ed. Don't get me wrong, I love my children dearly, but I have recently been referring to them as fleas, because no matter where I am, they are always on me! Anyway, not able to get there alone, I dediced to visit Noah's grave with three kids (fleas) in tow. Once there, the visit unfolds like a script from a TV sitcom.

Nate was really checking out his brother's marker. It is my hope that somehow, he will always remember his brother and know that he and Noah shared something very special.

It is kind of tradition now, that every time we visit the cemetary, we stop and get helium balloons to take and let them to so that they will float all the way to heaven so Noah can enjoy balloons just like Grace, Sam and Nate do. So we stopped and got a balloon for each of them to let go.

Being that it was a day or two after Memorial Day, the cemetary was full of flowers. Most of them are plastic nonetheless, but where Noah is at (a special Baby Land), people also leave all sorts of stuffed toys, or other toys for the children/babies. Well, Sam decided to pick every flower he could get his hands on and also thought it would be fun to play with any of the toys that he found. He was mad when I told him that it was disrespectful to take the things left at the graves and that he needed to put them back. Anyway, after a bout of tantrums, I sat down and began bawling. Missing Noah yes, but also so wanting him to be here to play a part in our circus of a family. Sam must have thought it hilarious to see me crying on the ground, so he comes and starts cracking up laughing in my face. Well, I think it was about time for us to go!

After we loaded up to leave, Sam tells me he needs to potty. There is not anywhere to go at this point, so I ask if he can wait until we get to Hyvee. After all this, I still needed to go grocery shopping with 3 kids! He says yes. About 5 seconds pass, and he reports that his car seat is getting wet. I pull off the road in the cemetary, snatch him out of the van, yank his soaking pants and underwear off and tell him to pee right there on the side of the road. I am so thankful there was not a burial service in process. Anyway, here he is naked, strapped in his car seat and on our way home for dry pants so we can still go to Hyvee! What a day.

All I could do is laugh and take his picture -- definitely not your ordinary trip to the cemetary!