Those that wanted info on viewing/funeral arrangements. The viewing is going to be on Friday (2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00) at Cook Funeral Home in Grandville, MI. The funeral will be Saturday (11:00 with viewing at 10:00) at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville,MI. I need to let you know that Karens body has yet to be returned. The body is getting a connector flight and should be back late tomorrow night. They are going to try and be ready for the first viewing at 2:00. If not, we will have flowers, pictures and the family will be there. The body will be ready for the 6:00 viewing. There will be a viewing 1 hour before the funeral on Saturday. Very excited to see those that can make it and those that could not, I will look forward to seeing you all as soon as possible. Love you all. I redid this to let you all know about what may happen at the first viewing.
Thank you, Al. I’m sorry I can’t be there, but I will be thinking of you and your family as you lay your beloved Karen to rest.
You & David will be in my thoughts and prayers.
While I’ve never met your family, I feel closer to you than I do to some of the people I see almost every week. Your strength as a family, your passion for life, and shared love for our AT community and its activities has bound us together. I wish I could meet you all this weekend, as you gather together to honor Karen and give solace to Al and young David.
Instead, I am remembering some of the special times Karen has shared with us. In January of last year, she posted this comment below about her beloved K-pony:
Thank you Julie, for such a wonderful pup (most of the time) He does have a mischievious side though, which I Love that side, these guys make me laugh daily!! And I have to tell you, he is soooo helpful, from cleaning out my purse for me to get the candy or crackers or whatever suits his fancy at the time, to cleaning my glasses, to giving me my exercise to chase him down to get my belongings back..most things he will bring to me, but when he has been in my purse he tries to sneak away and when I try to catch him..he Ducks! (This is when he is Al’s dog) HEHEHHE
In the post of Sessions Family Portraits, on Dec. 4, 2010, K-pony is around 6 months old. There is a picture of Karen with Kapone and Sabree that is especially beautiful. Sabree’s long coat is absolutely glorious, and Karen said she was thinking about showing her in the long coat class. Jennie later “photoshopped” that picture, and re-posted it as a sketch. Karen commented that she didn’t like most pictures of herself, but she always liked that one. She only wished that Al and David would have been in the picture, also.
Well, Al, now you are in the picture with David, but Karen can’t be seen. But you can still sense her presence, as real as the love you shared, for she is whole again with God.
Beverly, thank you so much for finding that comment Karen made back in January, re-reading it made me laugh. I will have to find those pictures and re-post them. Karen loved the computer sketch Jennie did for her.
Ditto!
Thank you, Beverly.
Somehow this still seems like it is just a bad dream. I wish I could be there to support you and David personally. You will be in my thoughts during this time. I think Karen was able to find peace and go to God knowing that her boys have so much family to help them through this very difficult time. Take the comfort you can knowing that she is no longer in pain and whole again with God. You will still be able to feel her presence because the love you shared was so strong.
Thank you all for the very nice words. If it was not for God, my family and my GSD family. I would not be able to deal with all this. I am going to hold every one of your words as well as your prayers close to our hearts. I sat David on my lap and told him that mommy was very sick and the doctors could not get her better. I told him that Jesus took mommy to heaven and made her all better. I also told him that mommy was going to be in heaven a long time and we will go to heaven and be with her in a long time. He looked at me and said. Daddy, you mean, Mommy died. Tears ran down my face as I told him. Yes bud, mommy did die. I told him that, him and I were going to do a lot of things together. Like train the dogs and go to dog shows next year and go see Ms. Julie. He smiled and said, Daddy, can we go see the hot rods next year too. I said yes bud we can. You see, Karen, David and I would go on the weekend and see some friend of ours that would hang out with their hot rods. I told him that one day we will own a hot rod and he said. Ya and I can ride with you all the time.I said yes bud, we will. That replaced the tears with a huge smile and it also told me that we were going to be alright. I may see some of you this weekend and that will be great but those that can not. I will carry your words with me through this weekend and you WILL be with us. Thank you, GOD bless and Good Night.