Today's family burial service for Amanda

It's amazing to me that your body can function on a level that keeps you moving throughout the day, yet inside you question how you will take each breath and each next step.  That is where I often find myself.  It's not always that way, but when it hits - it overwhelms.

Today, we had our private burial service for Amanda.  Saying goodbye was already done the day she left us.  While this was a necessary step that we had to take, it was still a brutally painful step.

It was a simple service, with only immediate family present and we all wore our Team Watson shirts.  Even though we have two pastors in our family, we asked a close family friend to officiate since the pain is still so devastatingly raw.   It was a service of memories shared and truths from the word of God that left us comforted and encouraged to run our race with endurance just as Amanda had.  If you have been following our blog, you might remember on the day we found out that the tumor was growing, we heard Amanda whistling "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", so that was one of the hymns we sang.  We closed with "When We All Get to Heaven."  It was a beautiful time together.

We had some special adopted members of our family, there as well - Romeo and our team from ROCK!  At the end of the service, Sandra Jo and Ryan tacked Romeo in the western saddle that Amanda rode.   With Ms. Judy and Ms. Kristin as side walkers, they brought Romeo over to the family so we could give him the personalized halter Amanda had bought him. That was one of Amanda's last wishes, was that Romeo got his halter.  In the past week or so, she never had the strength to make it over to ROCK to personally give it to him.  I think Amanda would have really enjoyed today's presentation.
 
Each family member took a rose and placed it on her casket at the conclusion of the service.  The colors of the roses were chosen by Amanda a few weeks ago in a conversation she had with Tom.  She was very specific with what she wanted, and looking back, I am incredibly thankful for those difficult conversations. 

I simply can not put into words what it feels like sitting in front of your child's casket.  As Christians, we know that her physical body is what the bible calls her earthly temple.  As soon as she took her last breath on Wednesday afternoon, our Amanda, the one we all knew: the beautiful, smart, courageous and strong girl; was in heaven.  She was running, swimming and playing with more spunk than she ever had here on earth.

That grave does not mark where my Amanda is.  It merely pays honor to a life well lived. 

Our team tacking Romeo, just as Amanda had helped with so many times.

Just as they did for Amanda, Judy and Kristin side walked Romeo with Sandra and Ryan leading him.

Romeo finally getting his new, personalized halter from Amanda.

We are blessed with a family that supports, loves and encourages us during the hardest times.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

1. What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms;
   What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.
   • Refrain:
     Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
     Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
2. Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms;
   Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.
3. What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms?
   I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
   Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Sandra and I putting the halter on Amanda's Romeo.