New York, New York

So, Matt and I are back!  Just a quick re-cap.  We left Thursday afternoon, and arrived in NY at about 11 pm.  Matt's parents picked us up and took us back to Grandpa's house, it was there we discovered that we'd all be staying there for the weekend.  Matt and I had to share an air matress... both being rather large individuals this was hard, not because we couldn't fit, but because when we both lay down on it,  it becomes super inflated and hard.  The "comfort ripples" just became a major pain in the butt.  Friday we didn't have to be up until about 9 or 10 because we weren't to be at the funeral home until 1:30 pm, so we all slowly got up and started to get ready.  Then Vivian came down and wanted everyone to shower... I had showered right before we left Thursday, so I told her I wasn't showering and then it was 20 questions as to why... I'm an every other day showerer.  So then Matt tells her.. "Ma, she's not Italian, she doesn't stink!"  It was pretty funny.  So we drove all three cars to the funeral home, and we sat there for about 3 and a half hours.  It was long, and it was hard because it was emotional.  People came to pay their respects and it was amazing how well people knew each other... there was a lot of support and it was beautiful.  Then it was home for dinner and an hour to relax, then it was back to the funeral home for the service.  Frank Mansuetto spoke, Matt and Mike spoke about their memories of grandpa, and then Bob did the eulogy.  It was a beautiful service and I was surprised because before we left Matt was preparing me for a  Catholic service, but it wasn't.  It was just like an LDS service.  Bob said that he thought that that may have been what was best for grandpa.  So, Friday night after everything I made Matt get me pizza!  I love NY pizza.  Then we came home and went to bed.  We had to be up early the next morning because the limo was picking us up at 8:15.  I got up at 6:15 to shower which was easy for me because I didn't really sleep anyway.  ( I had never been in a limo for a funeral before...) but it was nice. We all got to drive together and I think we may have been to tired to drive ourselves anyways.  So it was back to the funeral home for a bit for a last viewing.  Some of the older cousins came and it was so cute.  They had some fun stories to share.  Then we left for the burial, they arranged for a military service, so when we pulled up to the site, they were saluting ( grandpa was in the air core).  We all got a red rose and were standing out side next to the grave for some last thoughts, then the bugle started to play TAPS and I started to cry, really cry for the first time since I'd been there.  Then they folded up the flag to present it to Bob, the gentleman there turned to face us and we saw that he'd been crying too.  It was sweet.  We all said our last goodbyes, laid our roses down and got back to the car to head for lunch.  I know this is becoming an extremely long entry and those of you that made it this far... thanks for caring.  We ate our lunch, visited with family, and then headed home for naps!!! Then that evening Matt, Mike and I were going to meet Jenn Bailey, Lindsey Kelly and some others at Applebees for a visit.  We were supposed to meet at the one in New Hyde Park, and Matt nor Mike knew where that was, so we ended up passing it and getting lost in Hempstead for like forty minutes.  We finally made it and had a nice visit.  Then it was home again to sleep and get ready to leave.  We helped Vivian at the house in Wheatley Heights Sunday morning before we had to leave, then we were off to the airport.  The first leg of the flight was good, then Matt and I realized that on the second leg we weren't seated next to eachother.  We both had middle seats in rows one right behind the other. We got on the plane and asked the two men sitting by the windows if they minded trading (and of course they don't have to) and they didn't, so I said, ok, we'll see if we can get someone else to.  So then the gentleman came to sit on the aisle of my row, I asked him politely and he says to me "I don't really want to sit there because I've had a long day" (I'm overly exhausted from getting almost no sleep the whole weekend, and I just came from a funeral but he's had a bad day) Anyways... I was like ok.  And at this point I am on the verge of tears because I'm tired and I'm sitting between two JERKS!  Luckily this extremely nice lady sat down next to Matt and she was so sweet about switching.  I was so grateful.  PS the guy on the aisle in my row... totally in the wrong seat... but anyways.  We finally made it back to SL and eventually out to the car.... then after a fifteen minute drive home we got straight into bed and passed out dead.  Home at about 11:45  and we didn't wake up until noon.  It felt fantastic!  AND apparently someone was coming to view the house today between 11 and 1.  Matt got up at noon because he heard them upstairs, but he didn't wake me. Luckily they didn't want to come downstairs... because I didn't even get the txt until 12:30 HAH! Anyways, thats been our weekend... long I know... thanks for sticking around.