We have been making (at least) weekly trips to Enid, OK, for the past thirteen, or so, weeks. Some weeks there were two trips made. Figure 600 miles per round trip, and we have racked up at least 8,000 miles in a matter of weeks -- most of 'em on scenic I-35. In a "normal" year, we only put 10,000 miles on our car. This definitely has not been a normal year. And it's only June.
Florence saved and valued EVERYTHING! Gifts from family and friends were especially cherished. Family heirlooms were treasured and preserved. There are numerous quilts and more glassware/china than we know what to do with. Each item has a story behind it, and my mother-in-law took the time to write details on almost every item in her home. We are enjoying a little history lesson each time we go to Enid.
My dear mother-in-law passed away June 1st. From the time she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March, it was only a matter of weeks until her death. She made her departure from this world while Mr. Smith and I were in the car driving on I-35 trying to make it to Oklahoma to see her one last time. (We are always in the car, it seems!) We now know every little landmark along the route between here & there. When we received the phone call telling us that she was gone, we pulled off the interstate highway. That exit will always remind us of her, but remembering her is a good thing.
Now that Florence is gone, we have begun the task of sorting, organizing, sharing, donating, packing, and moving an 88-year collection of memories. We now have many of her possessions in storage here in Texas, and we will probably need to make another U-Haul trip sometime in the future.
U-Haul calls the extra space in their trucks "Mom's Attic" for a good reason.
U-Haul calls the extra space in their trucks "Mom's Attic" for a good reason.Florence saved and valued EVERYTHING! Gifts from family and friends were especially cherished. Family heirlooms were treasured and preserved. There are numerous quilts and more glassware/china than we know what to do with. Each item has a story behind it, and my mother-in-law took the time to write details on almost every item in her home. We are enjoying a little history lesson each time we go to Enid.
We are also learning more about D's mom and the Smith/Krueger/Wehrmann/ ancestors. It is amazing how there are things we learn about a loved one's life or their character that we never knew until after they are gone. It's almost as if Florence wanted it that way. My mother-in-law was a meek, humble, kind, and generous soul. She definitely did not like to be in the spotlight. We knew that about her; however, there were some details that she never shared with us. We have learned interesting things through conversations with friends and relatives that make us value her even more than we did before. She was a REMARKABLE, godly woman and she will be missed.
The weekend before Memorial Day (May 22), we made the rounds to three cemeteries in the Enid area to decorate the family grave sites. This activity was something that Florence dearly enjoyed; unfortunately, she was too weak to accompany us. We took photos of each bedecked tombstone to show her that we covered every possible family member. Even the slideshow wore her out, but she appreciated seeing the pictures.
This photo was taken at the cemetery in Lahoma, OK, where we found markers for Kruegers, Wehrmanns, Grafs, Youngs, Schneiders, and many more German Lutheran names that I cannot even pronounce.Memorial Day was one of Florence's favorite holidays, and we thought it was only fitting for her to politely wait until after the long weekend to begin her own "road trip." The streets she's now traveling are constructed with a higher quality paving material than we have here. And she doesn't have to worry about running on empty. Better still, there are no bug splats on her windshield. Sounds heavenly...
