Saying Goodbye

Yesterday we had a funeral mass for my Poppa. He was one hundred years old, just think of all the things that have changed in his lifetime! Cars, refrigerators, air conditioning, microwaves! Wow, life without those things would be very different. And life without him will be different. Richard "RJ" McNally had four children, 13 grandchildren, and I think it's about 28 going on 29 great-grandchildren. He was married for 64 wonder-filled years to his sweet Katie, my Nana. They raised their family with love of God, love of family, and a huge helping of humor. My Poppa had a joke or funny story for every occasion. I know he could have given us a big laugh yesterday even at something like a funeral mass. So when my Sarah whispered to me after communion, "Their chips aren't as good as ours!", I smiled, on a day when you really didn't feel like smiling. It's just the kind of thing Poppa would have said. Then I smiled again, this time because that's just what Poppa and Nana would have wanted.