A different kind of scrapbooking

Recently my father passed away and I ended up making some very difficult decsions.  Mostly funeral arrangements.   One of the things I knew he would have wanted was a memorial service that showed him as he really was; fun, full of life and a little on the mischievous side.  He alwasy said “don’t play that song How Great Thou Art.  Everyone I’ve ever known my whold life plays that at a funeral.  Play some Willie Nelson or Merle Haggard at mine.”  He loved to ride his Harley, he loved to hunt with his dog and he loved his grandchildren.  I knew that I would not be able to get up at a podium and properly convey how I felt so I decided to use my skills in scrapbooking to create picture boards of happy times in his life.  I know this is a very common practice these days, but I know my talents are more artistic expression, than verbal. 

While creating the boards I had to keep telling myself  “don’t look at the pictures”.  Because each time I did tears would come to my eyes and I was afraid of ruining them.  However, as  I kept working, I found myself smiling at some of the goofy pictures and marveling at the ones where he was a child.  So the process turned out to be therapeutic as well.  We did play Merle Haggard and we did have pictures of him on his Harley, too.  I’m glad I was able to fulfill his wishes and I will miss him every day…

(boards were laid out side to side on easels)