I had the pleasure of meeting my Aunt Jenny for the 1st time when I traveled to Ireland in 2008. I immediately fell in love with her. She had a smile that lit up a room & it always led to laughter that would make your sides hurt. She was always cracking some kinda joke & giving my dad "Bobby" a run for his money. Those two were so full of themselves when they got together & I seemed to fit right in. As they say, the apple doesn't fall from the tree and to have 3 or is it 4 (?) generations (Aunt Jenny, My Dad, Sue, Liam, Bernie & Myself) all in the same room cutting up & carrying on @ one time was quite the show.
Some of my favorite memories of my Aunt Jenny include:
* She was adament that I was named after her and she was so excited about this she made Sue drive her to the Tesco to buy me a bottle of whiskey in celebration of feeling so honored by my being named after her. This was HILARIOUS!!! We never let on and continued to let her rejoice in her thoughts about this. I'm glad she went to heaven with her heart filled w/ joy in thinking that I was named after her. Afterall, to be named after her would have been an absolute honor. And I like to think that when my parents were naming me, the big man upstairs had something to do with this but it would take nearly 33 years later for us to learn the significance. God works in mysterious ways ya know....
* Aunt Jenny also taught me about seaweed grass (as a snack). She swore by this stuff saying it was so tasty & a delicious treat. I did try the ol' seaweed grass, but I never developed the love for it like Aunt Jenny had.
* One sweet vision that will forever remain in my mind & in my heart was when we were @ Tullycrine putting up the "May Way" sign & I turned around to see my dad "Bobby" arm and arm w/ Aunt Jenny strolling down the way. It was such a beautiful sight. To this day, it is one of my most treasured pictures. I've included it in the slideshow @ the end of this post.
* Aunt Jenny LOVED the pub and the music. It brought her so much joy and to have all her family surrounding her made her light up even more so. She'd sit there enjoying a "Fizzy Orange" while laughing, smiling & grooving to the tunes.
Jane "Jenny" Callinan Skehan was born 25 October, 1924 and died on 7 February, 2010. She was laid to rest on 18 February, 2010 where she now watches over all of us from above w/ that perma grin on her face just as you'll see in the slideshow of pics that I put together below to honor her.
One last thing.....as I sat here reading over the funeral program & the eulogy that was read @ the service, it is evident that the entire day was absolutely beautiful just as she was. I also found comfort & tears of joy as I saw they sung the song "How Great thou Art". This is one of my favorite hymns and no doubt most fitting for honoring my sweet Aunt Jenny.
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
and hear the brook, and feel he gentle breeze;
Refrain
And when I think that God his son not sparing,
Sent him to die - I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:
Refrain
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home- what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
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