The Memorial Service
I just got back from the memorial service for Ann and I have to say — I have NEVER been to a memorial service where people are clapping along to the folk music, telling stories about someone’s funny exploits, and where the pastor does the blessing with a squirt gun. (Then again… ECA has *NEVER* been a normal church.) It was a really joyous occasion — EXACTLY how I want my funeral to be.

One thing that Nolan mentioned was that ANN was the one called to ministry — not him. I fully believe it and I had never thought about how much of a ministry I have as a pastor’s wife. (Well… a vicar’s wife now.) Ann left definite footprints and she and Nolan are very much the reason I am in seminary to be a pastor.

It was also VERY wonderful to see people again. I keep forgetting how much of a family ECA is to me. It was amazing to see how people had grown and how people had changed.

My Sumo Cat
Mouse was diagnosed with an abcess this morning and they drained it about 1 pm. We’ll pick him up in 30 minutes (6:00 pm PST) when he’s more out of the anethesia. The vet is more of a valley girl than I am and she thought Mousie was a cutie! (He’s a strange looking cat, but he is the sweetest cat.)

Blog Additions/Changes
Bene has a new link and a new domain. Check it out!

My friend Michelle (a.k.a. Mikao) has been added to my list. Mish and I have known each other via snail mail for about… 9 years? We’ve lost touch in recent years and when I saw the site on blogs4God last month, I was wondering if it was indeed her. Then, I got a message in my blog around Christmas Day saying that it was her. So… go read her blog. I am really looking forward to getting back in touch with her this year.

The 411 on Jen’s Activities
December 27th: It was the Bergstrom family gathering. I got to meet Jon’s aunt Leslie and uncle Peter for the first time as well as their daughter Libby and son Glenn (who are wonderful children). I got to see his other cousins who well… are not. We served In-n-Out burgers — the pinnacle of fast food. Justin (our best man) came over and we discussed the fact that he and Jon are the only people in their Boy Scout troop that are not gay. It was nice to catch up on the “coming out” gossip.
December 28th: We (me, Jon, and Justin) went to Disneyland. We got on everything that we wanted to go on except the Matterhorn (it wasn’t open that day) and we took advantage of the Fastpass system. We got soaked on the way out by a downpour that lasted most of the night.
December 29th: Jon was preaching at this home congregation and I was the communion assistant. It was an interesting service. After church, we came back to the house and hung around. We played lots of Boggle that afternoon (which is a full contact sport in the Kibler household) and went to a graduation party that evening. I then got to listen to my father-in-law play piano while my mother-in-law meowed Christmas carols. (I’m dead serious.)
December 30th: We flew up to San Jose. It was a quiet rest of the day because Mom and Dad had to work. I helped make dinner.
December 31st: I had coffee with Abra, which was great. She is a good friend and it had been 9 months since I’d seen her. After that, I went shopping with Dad for dinner stuff. I spent my New Year’s Eve (and much of morning) in San Francisco with some high school friends, Sean (my twin), and Jon. We got home at 4.
January 1st: Another quiet day. Went shopping with Mom and got The Cat Who Went Up A Creek, the latest Lillian Jackson Braun book. Read most of the day. Sean’s girlfriend Jeanette is over now.

My sumo cat has a lump on his head that we think is an abcess. Pray for Mouse (yes… his name is Mouse) that it’s nothing serious.

I also met the elusive Trail Kitty, who actually likes me. He is scared of Sean and Jon but I’m apparently OK. We bonded last night when I went out into the garage and he let me give him some love. He is a very soft cat but also a BIG kitty.

Tomorrow is Ann’s memorial service. (Ann is the wife of Nolan who is the pastor emeritus of my church in San Jose.) It’s a folk service and should be good. I’m going mostly for closure’s sake. I’m OK with her death but it’s always good to go to things like this to resolve all feelings. (Boy… I have so learned this the hard way.) I’m nervous about going because I’ve been gone for so long but it should be OK.