On Thursday, April 18 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central Time, check out the NFDA Virtual Roundtable: Death Cafe Culture and Before I Die Festivals. Funeral directors can get their needed continuing education credits by participating in this one-hour discussion. via Tumblr Virtual Roundtable on Death Cafes and Before I Die Festivals
0 Comments
Teaching Kids to be POLITE (in Public!) post syndicated via Tumblr Teaching Kids to be POLITE (in Public!) I had to paint her nails. It was a simple act that I’ve done thousands of times. On myself. On girlfriends. Heck, on hundreds of dead bodies. It’s a little bit more difficult on those who are embalmed, though. Their hands are firm because of the chemicals and they don’t bend like my friend’s would if we were having fun at a slumber party. This time, though; this time it was very different. This time, instead of going into my makeup kit and pulling out the basic soft pink – you see, it’s the perfect shade for every little old lady, adds just a hint of color while still looking ‘natural’ – I had the bright pink polish waiting there. Given to the funeral home from the family. It was a loud color. A color that I would have never used unless specifically asked because it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But this time it made sense. Because this time it was for a little girl. The minute we got the call I made myself scarce. A little girl? What happened? Was she sick? Was it an accident? Where’s her mom? I started to ask the other director a million questions. Children funerals are never easy, but this was the first time I’d be burying one while I was a mom myself. You never know how you’ll react in certain situations, and I very quickly found out that I couldn’t do it. My coworkers were very understanding. Being a new mom comes with a lot of changes, physically, mentally, hormonally. Maybe I’ll be using the hormones as an excuse for the rest of my life, but how else can I explain myself? Certain deaths have always affected me, but I have always been able to contain myself and be professional to walk others through their loss. After all, a crying funeral director isn’t going to be able to help anyone. I need to comfort, not be comforted. But I needed to paint her nails. If I couldn’t do anything else for her, damn it, I was going to paint her nails. I walked into the funeral chapel during the early hours of the morning. I walked up to her casket and looked inside. My eyes saw an angel. Perfect eyelashes, soft lips, and cheeks that you just wanted to kiss a million times. She was absolutely perfect. So I opened up her hot pink nail polish, and began to paint the littlest nails ever. As I placed her hands back down I realized that I had been crying. And I realized, once again, that sometimes this job really sucks. I want to always be able to be there for people when I’m called upon. But in this new season of my life, I’m still learning how to balance my personal life with my work life. How do I merge Mama Lauren with Funeral Director Lauren? Will I ever be able to do it? And will I ever be able to stop feeling guilty for putting myself first? Because yes, sometimes putting myself first means letting others down. But you cannot pour from an empty pitcher. And I keep reminding myself that I need to be able to water my own flower. Because this life is short and unfair, and as a funeral director I’ve been given this gift of understanding. So little angel, I hope your pink nails sparkle from Heaven. And I pray that God wraps his arms around your mama, because I know that she’d give anything to wrap her arms around you.
via Tumblr Painting her nails. EAT | Hack Your Way to Healthier Ramen post syndicated via Tumblr EAT | Hack Your Way to Healthier Ramen April has arrived, spring is in full force and Houston is buzzing with activities. You’ll find festivals, concerts, performing arts, cars transformed into art pieces, and opportunities to get outside. Start planning your month with our guide of things to do in Houston in April. Latino Art Now Conference: Sight Lines and Time FramesJoin artists, art professionals, educators, scholars, and others at the 6th LAN! Conference, the centerpiece of Latino Art Now’s four-month celebration of Latino art Your Guide to April post syndicated via Tumblr Your Guide to April Watch videos of couples and individuals playing The Newly-Dead Game at Frozen Dead Guy Days! via Tumblr Videos: Fun Times at Frozen Dead Guy Days Looking for a place to snap that perfect shot while exploring Houston? With its many green spaces, museums, sculptures and street art, you don’t have to look too hard to find an interesting backdrop for your photos and selfies. Read on to discover some of the coolest spots to take pictures. Smither Park
8 Places To Take Selfies & Photos In Houston post syndicated via Tumblr 8 Places To Take Selfies & Photos In Houston Around Town: 8 Outdoor Artworks Worth a Visit post syndicated via Tumblr Around Town: 8 Outdoor Artworks Worth a Visit The regular monthly Albuquerque Death Cafe will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2019 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. via Tumblr April 28: Albuquerque Death Cafe The 2018 Before I Die New Mexico Festival is being recognized with a prestigious national funeral industry award. A Good Goodbye from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has won First Place in the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s 2018 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards. The KIP Award recognizes the best in personalization in the cemetery, funeral service and cremation profession. via Tumblr New Mexico Before I Die Festival Wins National Funeral Industry Award |
ABOUT MEMy family owns a funeral home and I am married to a funeral director. Raising 2 kids while taking care of the dead provides for an interesting family life. I like to do crafty things with bright fun colors to keep our life happy and light in my down time. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |