Happy Memorial Day

 In the Emperor's family, they celebrate this holiday old school, in fact, they still call it Decoration Day!

That's probably because they still use this holiday to decorate.  Not their house, of course, but the graves of their loved ones!

So we carefully pick and arrange flowers.  The Emperor's Dad loved to grow roses, so we always include them - some from the bush he planted if at all possible! 

Aunt Toni loved bright colors.  I like to include rosemary in hers because I have such fond memories of her.

Then we travel, first to Fort Lincoln Cemetery, than to Arlington National Cemetery.

The Emperor's Dad and grandparents are in Arlington, not far from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  He was wounded in WWII, and Grandpa Frank served in WWI.  It's a bit strange for me since my own Dad is a Vietnam War vet!

We tidy up the graves, clipping any encroaching grass, washing off any dirt, and placing the flowers.


Then we pray for them, and for the rest of the souls in the cemetery, especially for  those with no one to pray for them.

The we go home, have a big cook out and swap stories about those who have gone before us.  It's a lovely tradition, and one I hope the Zoomlians carry forward.

Let me leave you with one of my favorite memories of Aunt Toni: When I first entered the family, Aunt Toni was the matriarch.  We went to her house for dinner and afterwards I offered to help with the dishes.

Well!  That was that!  She decided I walked on water and that the Emperor should marry me!  I didn't realize it at the time, but once she formed a strong opinion of someone, she kept it.  No matter what stupid things I did, she was always convinced that I had done it right!  God bless her!  She welcomed me into the family with her whole heart, and I've always been grateful that God allowed her to live to celebrate at our wedding (she had been quite ill and died the following year).

One of the really nice things about celebrating those who have gone before, is that the sorrow ebbs away, and you are left with joy.  Sometimes it's a wistful joy ( I really wish I had met the Emperor's Dad), but ultimately, even that is joy because we know we will be with them again.