♫♪ On the road again ♪♫

We leave tomorrow night (after I get out of work) for Colorado Springs.  We'll meet my northern MI family in Muskegon and jump on the highway from there.  Our caravan will include 4 cars, 14 adults, and 8 kids ranging in age from 13 to 3 months.  The plan is to drive straight through, alternating drivers, on the trip there.  Our caravan back may play out a little different as a few people need to come home sooner and spending a few hours in a hotel hasn't been ruled out for the rest of us.  My hope is to go straight through and get back late in the afternoon next Tuesday.  We'll see...

The memorial will be a casual affair, more a gathering of family and close friends than a wake, so we've loaded our suitcases with jeans and khaki's per Susie's direction.  Dad will be doing the service part of things.  As the oldest son, he tends to lead the way in a lot of ways.  Being an ordained minister allows him to step in as a spiritual head as well.  We've been told that Chuck's favorite music will play constantly through the majority of the memorial; plenty of Merle and Johnny.  Chuck's favorite gospel song was Amazing Grace, so at some point Stephani, Leah, and I will be doing a three part harmony of the song accompanied by my cousin Lexi's husband Jesse.  It should turn out alright if we can keep our emotions in check.  Its always great to have the family together so our hope and prayer is that this trip, while obviously a bit more somber, will be a celebration of Chuck's life and legacy, as well as an opportunity to cherish the time we have together as a family.

We've been abundantly blessed by family and friends who've hugged us and prayed for and with us.  As we begin the journey west the prayers will continue and for that we are truly grateful.  Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and compassion as I (with my family) grieve the loss of my uncle.