It's getting better!

As most of you know yesterday was my Papa's funeral. I thought it went very good. I also think my Papa would have been surprised at how many loved ones came to support my Mama and family.

I wanted to say thank you to all who prayed for my family yesterday. Please continue to be in prayer for my Mama and family as prepare for life without Papa. Although it was a sad day yesterday...it was also happy because for the first time in at least five years all of our family was together. After the funeral we were able to go back to Mama's house and spend time talking and laughing together.

I wanted to share with you the eulogy I read for my Papa yesterday. I had some trouble starting but after my brother came up to stand next to me I was able to get through it.

Here is my eulogy for my Papa:

Thomas Kinnan was so many things to so many people. He was a Husband, Dad, Brother, Son, and Friend but to 15 of us he was Our Papa!

My Papa made a big impression on my as a child. No offense to my brother and my boy cousins, but he really had a soft spot for his girls. We all know it is because he liked us better. J

When I was only 2 my family moved away from Papa and Mama, but Ryan and I came to visit every summer. Some of my best memories as a child were spent camping (in a motor home of course) with my cousins and Mama and Papa. We would all get into the motor home and head out to a lake in the area. Papa loved the water. We would fish, swim, play games, and talk.

One memory I have happened when I was about 9 or 10. Ryan, Whitney, Jared and I were had come into town and we were headed to the lake to meet Stan, Jenny, the boys, and Mr. Howard and Mrs. Ihna for a week at the lake. The first night Mama was getting us ready for bed when Papa came in and told us we weren’t going to bed yet. We were all a little confused but excited that we didn’t have to go to bed. When we got out of the motor home we noticed the stars were shooting across the sky. It was a meteor shower. That night we sat outside, sang songs, and laughed about all the stories Papa was telling.

As many of you know Papa loved John Wayne. We have all watched many John Wayne movies with Papa over the years. I think Papa was a lot like John Wayne. He loved his family and his friends and would fight for them if necessary. He was patriotic and stood up for what he believed in, even if no one else in the room agreed with him. I think he is really enjoying talking with John Wayne in Heaven.

As I got older, Papa’s health began to fail. But no matter what he always wanted to hear about what was going on in my life. He wanted to make sure I was happy and he wanted me to know that no matter what he loved me and was in my corner. A week ago as I said goodbye to Papa, I told him I loved him and gave him a kiss. He kissed me back and said, “I love you too sweetheart!”

The last thing I will always remember about Papa was that he wanted us kids to think he spoke Indian. Of course he didn’t but he had us all convinced when we were young. So in the words of my Papa….Atchawhatchey.