I'm wishing you all a very happy, healthy prosperous 2016. I truly hope everyone will be healthy and happy all year long. My paperwork has been completed and mailed and I hope that is all of it. I was really overwhelmed with all that had to be done. My girlfriend has invited me to her house for New Years Eve but I want to stay in tonight. I'm just not ready to party and we have stayed home for the last few years so this will be normal for me. I hope you will all be safe and careful tonight but enjoy the evening.

I want to share this gift that I received. It came the day of the viewing for Bill and I can't tell you how touched I was and how much I cried. The card is just lovely and the Prayer Shawl is simply beautiful. The written verse inside the card had brought me such comfort and love. The Shawl wraps me in God's love and comforts me so very much. It is just stunning in variegated shades of blue with gorgeous fringe along the bottom. It is such a treasured possession and the picture doesn't do it the justice it deserves. Be kind to one another.

Mother Nature sure has a way about her to slow you down. I went to my son's for Christmas and we had such a nice time. Saturday morning at 1 am I started in with many, many bathroom trips. I thought it was probably from eating things I don't normally eat. I became so dehydrated I called my girlfriend at 5 am and she took me to the ER. They started a glucose drip for me and I had several tests and a CAT scan of the stomach. I had a lot of irration but nothing serious. They said just stay on the BRAT diet and it was most likely the 24 virus going around. They had seen a lot of it. I took it easy on Sunday and just watched football and ate lightly. The Brat diet doesn't really contain food. Monday I didn't really feel that well and was still pretty weak from not eating much. Monday night I began vomiting. Seems I had gone through both types of the virus. Some had the bathroom visits and some vomited. I was lucky enough to do both. I slept a lot each day, then slept all night except for little visits. So I have done nothing for four days, literally. Today I've had banannas, chicken noodle soup, applesauce and jello along with Sprite. It was a feast. I hope it is not going around where you are. One more Christmas card. Then I want to share the beautiful cards I've received in the mail. They are all the most beautiful cards I've ever seen. Be kind to one another.

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your families. Our sons and their families came here yesterday and we did have a nice time. It was sad without Bill but I know he was here with us. Today Molly and I will go to our son's for an open house. It is always fun because I get to see their friends and family. This was my goal for now, to get through Christmas. I have a lot of paperwork things to do next week and my thank you cards. That is the hardest thing for me. I have set down several times to start them. When I think of how kind everyone has been it brings me to tears and I just can't do it yet. I teared up just now typing this. Be kind to each other.

We have gone from extremely warm to extremely cold! Luckily no snow or heavy rain for this time of  year so I count us grateful.  I got all my errands done this past week and now want to concentrate on getting the house in order, tree up and presents wrapped. Today I do NOT plan to get in the car for anything. I feel like I'm spent the last two months in the car.

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the comments, prayers, phone calls and beautiful cards I've received during this sad time. It has truly touched my heart and I am so lucky to have you as my friends. I have some new ladies in the UK that I want to visit after the holidays that were sweet enough to send me good wishes as well. Our time is precious right now with Christmas right around the corner and none of us are spending as much time on the computer as usual so that makes it so much more special that you would come by.

I will be getting Christmas cards out but they are old ones I made when I was starting out or from SU classes and they will most likely be late. But I want you to know I'm thinking of you. This picture is of a plant I received from a dear friend who did not know hubby had passed. She felt so bad that she wasn't there. It was delivered from the florist and it is a three foot tall calla lily. It's kinda of big! Also another card for you. Be kind to one another.

It's funny how quickly we have to go back to our regularly scheduled lives. This week will be a whirlwind just when I thought things would settle down. Yesterday I Christmas shopped for the first time this year. I did get quite a bit done in several hours plus the grocery store. I did that on no breakfast as I was out of food! Today Molly goes to the vet that I have been putting off because of hubby. Tomorrow I go back to the cemetery as they want their money. (Grinches) Thursday I will try to finish the shopping and Friday I go to Social Security. I hope to decorate in the evenings and do the thank you cards. I have Christmas cards I have made in the past and in an Online Class and will use those. As I post some pictures of them they may be cards I've had on my blog before. There just is a time crunch right now. Molly and I are getting along. I think because there is so much to do and I haven't come to terms yet since hubby's passing was so unexpected to happen that quickly. I'm glad to keep busy. Be kind to one another and say I love you everyday.

One more post, then I hope to be making cards again. The funeral was a wonderful tribute to my dear husband. It is such a sad occasion but it is so nice to see so many people that you haven't seen in a long time and meet work people I've only heard about through him. Also met a lot of the grandchildren's friends and both of my sons bosses and work people. How kind everyone was.  It is pretty overwheming at the time and seems like they all come at once so you have a very long line. Saturday was a pretty hard day. You know you are saying goodbye. So many more people that weren't there Friday and many who were. The priest led the service and our son Brian spoke. It was just beautiful and celebrated Bill's life. Then Lauren spoke and cried. Then Mitch. It was a while before he could begin to speak because of the tears. It was truly heartbreaking and there wasn't a dry eye when he finally got through it. He had to stop so many times and Lauren was right beside him and she was crying as well. I don't know how they did it. I know Bill knows how much he was loved. The younger grands just cried. We got to the veteran's section of the cementery and the Marines were there and ready. Listening to Taps while they removed the flag from the casket and folded it was a very emotional time for all of us. We went to my niece's afterwards and visited. Even the weather was good. It got up to 70 which is just unheard of here for December. It was overcast but still warm. This is the picture we chose for the folders as it really looks like him. The tux picture was not his everyday look. Thanks again for all the prayers for us. We could feel them and they helped us get through this sad, emotional time. Be as kind to each other as you have been to me.

It's so nice to see some new faces in my comments and I thank you all so dearly for coming by. Soon I will visit you and say hello. Thank you all my friends for the support and caring you have shown as my family has traveled this time with Bill. He was a good, good man and wonderful dad and grandpa and the best husband a gal could ask for. We hope to do him proud with his funeral. I love you all. Be kind to one another.

Billy J. Wilkinson

Obituary Guest Book Be the first to share your memories or express your condolences in the Guest Book for Billy J. Wilkinson. View Sign Billy J. Wilkinson 70, passed away Dec. 9, 2015. He was born in Beech Grove, IN to the late Phillip and Maxine Wilkinson. Bill retired as a foreman from Storms-McMullen Electric. He was a Marine Corps Veteran serving in Vietnam. Bill had a passion for golf and was a very loving husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years Brenda Wilkinson; sons Brian (Angie) Wilkinson, and Travis (Elizabeth) Wilkinson; grandchildren Mitchell, Lauren, Olivia, and Billy Wilkinson; and sister Sharon (Wally) Wilkerson. Visitation will be held Friday Dec. 11th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Little & Sons Stop 11 Chapel. Funeral Services will be held Saturday Dec. 12th at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home with visitation one hour prior to the time of service. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Greenwood. The family would like to thank Madison Health Care, Dr. Max Runkle & Staff and St. Francis Hospice for their caring and compassion. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warriors

I am so sorry to tell you my husband of 48 years passed away this morning. My oldest son and I spent the night at the nursing home because they said it would be soon. The nurses checked him at 4 am and said probably very soon and he passed at 5:21 am.  It has been a whirwind of a day with making plans, going through pictures and getting clothes ready. Also need to make calls tomorrow and visit the cementary. I am so tired already from not sleeping last night and am ready to drop into bed soon. Be kind to one another.

All the family was with us Thursday night and hubby talked and talked. I was so very happy the grandchildren got to talk to him. Our oldest grandson was just devasted. He had the closest relationship with his grandpa as he was the oldest and we were able to spend so much time with him when he was young. We couldn't understand everything he said but some things came through loud and clear and we would laugh. Friday hubby slept all day.

First picture is our oldest grandddaughter with him, then oldest son on Wed. night and a picture I was able to get of him smiling Thursday. Be kind to one another.

The hospital called this morning and said hubby had been discharged back to the nursing home. He is no longer a psychiatric patient and not combative. They said to get in touch with hospice. The hospice guy came this afternoon and got us started. Hubby knew who we were and he talked the entire day. Constantly, the whole time and when I left tonight he was still talking. The boys and I got a kick out of him. No matter what happens we had this great day with him. Hospice said 5 to 7 days. No one knows for sure about these things but he is not eating or drinking anything. I tried to get chocolate pudding down and some ice cream and no go. He pushes your hand away and gets mad at you. It was a hard day and seemed to come out of the blue that he was back here. We were planning on a meeting up at the hospital instead. I will be taking a break for a while and going to spend all my time at the NH with him. When they start him on his meds he will most likely be sleeping a lot but I want to be there.

Thank you all for the love, prayers and comfort you have sent me. I love you all and will try to update in the evenings.

Hugs,
Brenda