Mingos in the Watah! What in the Wuhld?

[MaryAz]

I am so very sorry for your loss. Please know that your family will be in my prayers. Glad the puter was fixed. Can't wait for the new report.

 

[slightly_obsessed]

I know I said something on Facebook already, but I've been thinking of you all. It's awful losing someone you love so much, even knowing they are better off. I hope you all find comfort and peace, particularly Ray.

 

[Poolrat]

I have Mardi Gras bead too if you need some.

 

[belleinpink]

I'll be at Disney for 7 months starting a week from Wednesday... I'll be sure to grab some beads and send them your way

Also, I'm so very sorry about your loss. I will pray for all of you and Joan's family.

 

[dancin_princess]

MeMom and Jill, I am so sorry for your loss Thoughts and prayers go out to your family.

 

[MeMom]

Things went well at the visitation yesterday. There was a constant stream of people for seven hours. Ray only stepped away one time to grab a sanwich and go to the restroom, and that was mostly to get away from a woman who came in and began to tell him about a miraculous healing her husband had had from cancer two weeks before. She was not a 'real' friend, but someone who knew Ray and Joan from eating at the same restaurant they did on a regular basis. He was looking a little weak by the end of the night, and today will be most likely the most difficult yet.

I bought a blank journal, and many people wrote Joan stories in it. Ray will hopefully enjoy reading that in the days to come. Most everyone mentioned that she was always smiling, encouraging, and faithful. One lady has been friends with her since they were little girls, and she wrote about going to her house to play after school almost every day. One wrote about a time they had to clear the ballfield and get their teams quickly to City Hall (right next to the ballfield) because of a racial riot that was coming through the city. This was a tiny, tiny town, so that would have been a huge and scary thing. Someone who saw that story later said that they remembered it, and they thought it stemmed from a police officer getting killed and then the 'march' following. I don't know details, but I am sure glad we have worked through so many of those serious racial tensions. A couple of people wrote about what a fierce Bunco competitor Joan was. I hope a lot more people write more stories today and that the journal will be something Ray can cherish. A couple of the grandkids got to skim through it throughout the evening. They will get to read stories that they never knew, and I think that's kind of cool.

I also found some nice hurricane lamps where Drew works, and I bought all of them and myself (Jill may want one, as well) one so that each family would have one like object in their homes that was a remembrance of Joan. 'Light' was the obvious choice for her. They use tea lights, if you want to use them, but mostly they will just be for decoration, I am sure. They will fit into the decor of everyone's houses, because they are just a whitewashed wood look. I liked them, anyway, and I think the others will.

Anyway, those are the things I did in lieu of flowers, and I will be making a contribution to the Mexico mission fund at church, which had become one of her favorite things to support. She was also a great supporter of our camp, so when camp time comes, I will figure out something permanent that we can put up there that will remind us of her influence and work in that area.

It was good to see many old friends who had gone to church with us in the past. I got to spend some time with the little boys back in the kitchen as we all ate. Parker showed me the finer points of playing some kind of Star Wars video game. I did a pretty decent job of faking my Star Wars knowledge by pretty much repeating everything he said and acting excited about it. It works with a four year old.


Jill will be here this morning, and she is bring Brooklynn, so I am excited about seeing them. Bella wouldn't be able to make it through a funeral service, so she is staying at school. I will miss seeing her, but it is definitely for the best.


Everyone who has offered the beads, let me check with Jill, and if the final decision is a Tiana/Princess and the Frog/Mardi Gras/French 'Porter' party, then we will definitely take you up on your offers!


belleinpink - Hooray for you! You will have to keep us abreast of the newest things going on in Disney World and send us lots of pictures! Very excited for you!



Okay, I have to go. There is much to do this morning. I am fixing ham and rolls and having cinnamon rolls and fruit for the morning hours. The family will not eat a big meal until after the burial, so they thought that sounded perfect to get them through the early hours. There were still pies and sweets left from the ladies who brought some food last night.

Again, thank you all for your good thoughts. We really do cherish our DIS friendships!

 

[micandminforever]

I know I say this for all your Dis friends we are honored to have your friendship.

You have add light to all of our lives by your encouragement, in my case when my mother had knee surgury. Also my your wonderful sharing of Disney pictures and stories when we need a pick me up.

 

[pooh'smate]

I know I say this for all your Dis friends we are honored to have your friendship.

You have add light to all of our lives by your encouragement, in my case when my mother had knee surgury. Also my your wonderful sharing of Disney pictures and stories when we need a pick me up.

Ditto

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Rest in peace Joan. You sound like you were an angel here on Earth. I'm glad you have gone Home, where there is no more pain.

 

[mickeyfan71]

I was saddened to hear the passing of Joan-what a great influence in yours and your families lives. The story of Trent brought tears to my eyes. Memom, you have raised such wonderful children and I can only hope that I have done half as good as you did. My thoughts will be with all of the family during the next few weeks-especially Ray.

 

[CanadianWDWfan]

Sending my hugs and prayers to you today.

I'm sorry that you lost such a special and dear member of your family. She would be so touched knowing how much she meant to everyone.
I hope that her dear husband will get along without her. It is so difficult at first.
He will be comforted by all his children & grandchildren.

I love the idea of the candles and the journal...a very sweet and thoughtful thing to do in her honor.

I think Joan would have been so proud of the woman/mother/friend you have become. I bet she enjoyed knowing you and your family just as much as you did of her.

I'm saddened that the world lost such a wonderful person.

Remember all of your DIS friends have you in their hearts today.

I'm so sorry to have been a miss on here and didn't find out this until tonight. Since being back home I have worked 3 x 12hr days.

Take Care, Lana

If I didn't cancel the March trip I could have gotten you those beads from POFQ.

 

[MeMom]

You are all so very kind. The service was held this afternoon. There were plenty of tears and some smiles. She made a vey big impact on a lot of people, and her absence will be felt in a lot of ways. She's on to better things now, and the rest of us are left to go about the remainder of our time choosing how to use it and how to influence others and do good things for this world. Like Dawn said the doctor told Joan, "All of us will die, and this is how you will die." She said he said it in a very compassionate but matter of fact way. We all have a certain amount of time here - some longer than others. What we do while we wait for our time to expire is largely up to us. We will all leave an imprint on this world even after we are gone in how we affect others. How will we be remembered? That's a question to consider.

Joan wanted to be buried in a red dress, for whatever reason. The girls questioned her on that, but that is what she wanted. In the car on the way home from the burial, my kids decided I needed to be buried in an Animal Kingdom t-shirt. They said that was just me. Really, the more I have thought about it through the years, I want to be cremated. I want to donate any organs/parts I have left that are fit to give away, and then I am good with being cremated.

I hope I do leave the world around me a better place, and I hope people are able to say nice things about me when I am gone. I will try to live a life that allows that to happen.


Jill loaded all of the trip pictures onto her laptop while she was here. There were about 2600, which is not nearly as many as I thought I would take. We had a couple of early nights in, so I wasn't out and about to take pictures. I only did a couple of morning walks, because my leg swelled pretty quickly on this trip, and I saved the walking I had in me for other times. I hope 2600 is enough to keep us enjoying this trip until June 23rd, when we take off again. I am going to very much depend on all of you with trips coming soon to bring back lots of warm weather pictures for us to enjoy, too.

We think the title of the new report will be A Christmas to Remember. It was memorable for good things and bad. Nothing really stood out as a trip title except for one thing, and I am not sure I can use God in the title, so I think we better not use it. We can share it with you guys, though. Brooklynn and Bella were coloring Duffy bears in Epcot. They finished, and we marched on. I was pushing Bella in the stroller, and all of the sudden I saw Duffy being held high over the top of the sun cover and I heard Bella's voice saying, "One nation, under God...." She was holding up her 'flag' like she does at school. To her, anything on a stick is a flag. It was then that I told Jill we should name the report One Nation Under God - A Christmas Story. That is one crazy little girl!

Anyway, Jill will get the new report started as soon as she has a few minutes. I think John and the girls are going to KY to pick up Ben this weekend, since he's been staying with John's parents while they were gone. Jill plans to get a lot of housework done and enjoy some alone time, so if she doesn't start before then, I'm sure she will get to it this weekend.

 

[punkin413]

Glad the service went well and lots of people showed up to remember Joan. I was thinking of you guys today.

I think I wanted to be cremated too. I've thought that for several years. And I agree about being an organ donor. I won't need these parts any more...better to give them to someone else who will appreciate them!

Can't wait to hear about the trip report. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with this one.

 

[Poolrat]

I am all for organ donation and cremation too!


Nothing wrong with being cremated in your Animal Kingdom shirt.

I am sure you are exhausted. I will keep an eye out for the new report.

 

[slightly_obsessed]

It sounds like it was a lovely service for Joan. I love your idea of the candleholders and journal; both are the kind of things that will hopefully bring smiles and good memories when they are needed most.

I am with you on organ donation and cremation. We buried my mother in law in a wdw swearshirt, jeans and wool socks. It just seemed like the thing to do at the time and still feels like we made the right decision.

 

[Tink9721]

You can count on me for trip pictures in March My two month mark was yesterday! I'll be starting my pre-trip report some time this week! I'm so excited for my trip. It still feels so far away. I think it's because I was 90% sure I was going this month and then had to add two months to my mental countdown. But I know the time will go by faster once I'm back in school.

I know I say this for all your Dis friends we are honored to have your friendship.

You have add light to all of our lives by your encouragement, in my case when my mother had knee surgury. Also my your wonderful sharing of Disney pictures and stories when we need a pick me up.

 

[MeMom]

Glad the service went well and lots of people showed up to remember Joan. I was thinking of you guys today.

I think I wanted to be cremated too. I've thought that for several years. And I agree about being an organ donor. I won't need these parts any more...better to give them to someone else who will appreciate them!

Can't wait to hear about the trip report. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with this one.

I don't know that I will have anything worth giving, but if I do, I will be happy to help someone else. It won't be hair or eyes or knees, though, I know - all of those are bad news!

Thanks for thinking of us.

I am all for organ donation and cremation too!


Nothing wrong with being cremated in your Animal Kingdom shirt.

I am sure you are exhausted. I will keep an eye out for the new report.

I went to bed around 8 last night. I know Ray and the girls are beyond exhausted. I really hope they were all able to get some good hard sleep, as it was much needed.

It sounds like it was a lovely service for Joan. I love your idea of the candleholders and journal; both are the kind of things that will hopefully bring smiles and good memories when they are needed most.

I am with you on organ donation and cremation. We buried my mother in law in a wdw swearshirt, jeans and wool socks. It just seemed like the thing to do at the time and still feels like we made the right decision.

It kind of chokes me to think of being closed in a box, so cremation works better for me personally. Different things for different people - that's the way it should be. All of Joan's last requests were met.

You can count on me for trip pictures in March My two month mark was yesterday! I'll be starting my pre-trip report some time this week! I'm so excited for my trip. It still feels so far away. I think it's because I was 90% sure I was going this month and then had to add two months to my mental countdown. But I know the time will go by faster once I'm back in school.

Your ticker says 1 month and 28 days this morning!

I just want to get through January and February. Those always seem like double the days for me. If I get to March, the rest of our wait will not be too bad at all.

Glad we have have our DIS friendships. I can't even count how many of you sent comments here and on FB over the past week, but it was truly touching.



Totally stole this from Pat's report this morning, but if anyone wants to see the new Dumbo coming along, here it is.

http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-new-fantasyland-dumbo-testing-video-19105/

Any little thing like this is exciting to us die-hard Disney fans, isn't it? Anybody else would think we're a little nuts to get silly over a two minute clip of some construction work.

She also has a Fantasyland construction one over on her report, if you want to check that one out, too.


Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge/experience with the Mobile, Alabama version of Mardi Gras? It is supposed to be very family-friendly, and I thought it would be a great thing to take the girls to. February 4th has three parades scheduled, so I am thinking we could do the afternoon one and make a day trip of it or stay one night. A teacher friend goes to the real thing every year and comes back just raving about the fun they have, but I have heard it gets a little wild, so this family-friendly version sounds perfect. Mobile will be a lot warmer than Nashville or Huntsville on Feb. 4th, too.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Does anyone know if there is an official opening date yet for any of the new attractions? We usually go in late Oct./early Nov. and I am really curious as to when this stuff is going to premier. I'm also wondering if the opening of all of this is going to do away with this year's fall discounts like free dining. I just can't imagine Disney needing to give a big fall discount if this is opening in October as I am sure the people will come out in droves to see it.

I'm so glad all the services went well Memom. I know it was a comfort to see how much so many people thought of her.

 

[Megablocks]

I am at MCO & will arrive in cold (& soon snowy!) Boston around 3:15. I took notes on my phone so I think I'll do a TR. Just need to come up with a title. I'm thinking "IT'S A TRAP! A January '12 trip report" because after riding Star Tours for the first time, Kailyn said that constantly.

I can't figure out how to quote what I want to on my iPhone so I'm not gonna try, but I had to laugh when you said you faked your Star Wars knowledge by pretty much repeating everything Parker said - I did that with my friend's cousin's son (also four.) It does work.

I've been thinking of you guys a lot & hope you are doing okay

If you guys end up needing beads, I remembered I have several hanging on my desk. I have no need for them so I'd be happy to give them a new home!

 

[jenjolt]

I'm so glad that the service went well!!! I have no doubt that the lessons Joan lived and taught in her life will be carried on by all those she touched!!

Really looking forward to your Christmas TR!!! I will anxiously await it!!