Harold M. Freed

 I hardly know where to start this evening. There are so many things from the last 24 hours swirling in my head.

Jeremy's grandfather passed away last Wednesday. My brother-in-law, Josh, had planned to fly in to see Pop that Wednesday. Josh was with Pop that morning, helped him with breakfast, had a good conversation with him and then headed to WV to see Jeremy and his parents. Soon after Jeremy and Josh arrived in WV, Karen received the call that Pop had passed away. The timing gives me goosebumps. Today the story was related to me that on that Wednesday Pop had told the nurses that he was going home. They said, "Mr. Freed, you have a lot of work to do to be able to go home." He said, "No, I'm going home (while he pointed his finger heavenward)." He did indeed go home that day.

 Last night was the viewing. Jeremy and I made the trip to PA alone. My Mom and Janell took care of our children. I'm so thankful that Jeremy and I could just be there for Karen and not have to worry about our children, well, acting like children! We sat through the entire 2 hour viewing. Yes, I love them a lot!! After the viewing we ate at Pop's favorite restaurant, Coopersburg Diner.

I have not been on the family side of a funeral for 12 years when Jeremy's grandmother passed away. It was very different to experience a funeral in my early 30's than it was when I was 20. Very different. I noticed that flowers were from the grandchildren and immediately asked how much we needed to pay for them. I noticed the role the funeral home staff played in the day. I made sure Van and Karen had water during the viewing. I was very aware that I still have 3 grandparents.

Now the matriarch and the patriarch of our Freed family are gone. We are left with their legacy and it is up to us to pass on the values that we want our children to have. I feel so blessed to have married in to a family that values faith and family relationships. Some families work to create a new legacy for their children and in other families we are left with a different but similar burden to instill in our children the importance of continuing what has already been lived.

What I'm trying to say is that I want to be sure that I maintain relationships with Jeremy's extended family. I feel like Jeremy's family has become an important part of who I am and where my children have come from. I also left the funeral with a renewed passion for passing on values like faith and family relationships to my children.