Headstone Installed... Classroom Uninstalled

Joshua and Caleb's grave site has had nothing more than the little cross I made marking it for quite a while now. We've had the headstone in our possession since December but we had to wait for the ground to thaw to put it in. We are blessed with an amazing family that has been there for us every step of the way and getting their headstone erected was no exception. On June 16th, Wayne, his dad, step-dad, and my dad set out to get the concrete foundation poured. John, Wayne's step-dad was kind of the brains behind the operation but everyone worked really hard...while I did little more than stand there and watch. They all pitched in and got it poured and I have to say that it looked more professional than the professional ones. I'm not just saying that because it's for my boys...it really did look better than many of the others.

The following weekend was a VERY busy one. Again everything we set out to accomplish was achieved only through the help of our amazing family. It started out in my classroom. My home away from home for the last 4.5 years. It was time to get it cleaned out for the next teacher to take over. Clearly I was unable to move much so my parents, Wayne, my brother and his wife all pitched in. They were great. They knocked out about two full days work in about 4 hours. We were way ahead of schedule. Now I may never find the things I packed away until I unpack the boxes someday if I find another classroom to call home but they are packed and it is a big weight off my shoulders. It was kind of sad to leave my classroom all empty and to look across the hall and know that I would never get to see Barrett (one of the teachers on my team) looking back at me with a classroom full of kids again. The reason behind my leaving is what makes it all easier to swallow. I guess the point is that change is just hard and this was no exception. I've been through a miscarriage and the loss of my perfect boys, Joshua and Caleb, yet it was time to take a leap of faith and do what is best for my husband and Dotson.

After we left my classroom Ben, my brother, and Wayne and I headed to the cemetery. Ben had the headstone in the back of his truck, thanks to the help of many hands at Moss Glass in Anderson (plug plug). Wayne and Ben managed to get the headstone unload and put on the foundation perfectly. It is more beautiful than I had imagined and MUCH taller than I had pictured. I am so grateful for all the hard work that made it possible.

Looking out into the cemetery at all the headstones I think Joshua and Caleb's really stands out. Thanks to West Memorials we were able to get everything we wanted on it and in a font that was different from the typical block lettering you see on most headstones. I am just so pleased with how it turned out!

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I love that the cemetery where we have the boys buried is lenient when it comes to their rules. I don't know how many cemeteries out there would be willing to let the family dig the grave by hand, pour the foundation, and install the headstone without any professional help but they did. Well we didn't really ask but we knew the rules so we figured as long as we followed them it would be fine. The family that runs it is really laid back. It really has proved to be the right choice for a final resting place for the boys even though it isn't quite as close as I'd like it to be.

So again, I want to say a huge thank you to all the wonderful people in our lives. So many people chipped in with the purchasing of the headstone and the installation of it, not to mention the support they've shown us. We are blessed beyond belief!