Aunt Freida

Monday we drove to O'Hare to retrieve daughter #2.  We are thankful to have her safely home from her 3 weeks in India.  Her Flight was 3 hours late, so we did a little shopping at Oakbrook Shopping Center on the way up. 

My Aunt Freida passed away on Saturday.  Today was her funeral. 
When I was growing up, and my family went to Lester, Iowa to visit my Grandpa and Grandma, I usually stayed at Andy and Freida's house.  They lived in a bungalow style house, and they converted the attic into the neatest boys bedroom I ever saw.  I loved to stay up there with their sons.  She grew up one of 14 kids on a dairy farm north of town.  She was about 12 years older than my Mom, so she had different experiences and stories to tell that we always enjoyed listening to.  She had a pleasant personality and always seemed to have a positive outlook, even during disappointing situations.  She was well known for her "Freida buns" (dinner rolls) that she baked and passed out to others.  She bought her flour from the Butter Braid factory 50 pounds at a time.  She spent her whole life in NW Iowa until they moved to central Illinois less than 3 years ago.  She made literally hundreds of dozens of buns since she moved to Illinois until her health stopped her.  A large percentage of the 84 nieces and nephews were able to come to the visitation or funeral.  It was a cold day, but our hearts were warmed.
I was honoured to be a pall bearer.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:1-3