Family Again

September 26-29, 2014

Happy 6th anniversary to my wonderful granddaughter and her wonderful husband!

Steve drove me to San Diego, about a 2 hour trip, and when we were almost to the airport I received a text from Southwest Airlines saying that my flight through Chicago to Charlotte had been canceled.  I was determined to get to North Carolina somehow, so I got into a humongous long line at Southwest in the terminal where I discovered that there was a problem with someone trying to burn down the air traffic control tower in Chicago and ALL flights to or from there were canceled.  After a 2 hour wait in line, I was told that the earliest flight I could get from Southwest would be Sunday afternoon--that was, of course, unacceptable, so I got a refund.

Fortunately, I had brought my laptop with me, so I sat down in the terminal and started looking for other flights.  I got lucky and got on a Delta flight through Atlanta that got me to Charlotte about the same time I would have arrived on the Southwest flight...12:02 A.M..   Sweet Debbie Bowen picked me up, took me to her house, and put me to bed.   The next morning she drove me to Rockingham and into the loving arms of my family.  She is an angel!

It was a difficult couple of days.  We all miss Sonny so much, but we cried together, comforted each other and helped each other through the things that had to be done.  The visitation was Saturday evening, the funeral and burial were Sunday afternoon. Sonny's wife, Melba,  his sister, Becky, and his children and grandchildren were awesome and impressed all of us with their strength and faith.    Through it all I felt so blessed to be a part of this wonderful, loving, Southern family.  The ritual of saying goodbye to our loved one is so healing when it is shared with others who loved him and who also love me.

My dear cousins Kelly and Warren loaned me a car while I was there and provided bed, breakfast, and Grey Goose martinis for me.  Asa III drove me back to the Charlotte airport in rush hour traffic.  Neighbors and Sonny's church fed us royally.  Mark and Faith provided us with an evening of music, and the third generation of kids made us smile and made us proud.  I repeat....I am blessed to be a part of this family.  

The most loving and in-love couple I have ever known. Sonny and Melba Lassiter

Melba and her children and Becky Lassiter Welch.  

While I was in NC, Steve, Bonnie & Larry moved the RV's to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, NV.   They picked me up at the airport and while the Shields' had happy hour with friends Steve and I went to the Red Rock Casino (recommended by cousins Asa & Teri), ate at the buffet and left with more money than we came in with.   It was good to get back to the RV and the dogs.