The celebration of life was wonderful. The guests have departed. The house is one-again quiet.

My husband and his brother did a fantastic job organizing the weekend. 

They put a lot of effort into making everything run smoothly. They are both exhausted and need some well-deserved rest.

The weekend was split into two main gatherings interspersed by smaller get-togethers with different groups of friends and family. Sunday morning, was the formal celebration. This service was attended by many people, including residents from my mother-in-law's retirement community.

In the afternoon we rented boat and a smaller group of close acquaintances took her ashes out onto the lake for a final farewell. Earlier, my husband placed her ashes into a biodegradable urn. Once the boat reached the middle of the lake, he set the urn into the water. We all watched as it floated for a few minutes before sinking. The moment brought a few tears, followed by a quiet family hug as we all said our final goodbyes.