My Grandma

This week my grandma passed away.  She was an amazing, selfless person; beautiful inside and out.  I'm so lucky I got to call her mine for so long.  Even though it is hard to let her go, I'm so happy she was unhealthy for only a short time.  After I left her Monday night, knowing I'd kissed her good-bye for the last time, I stayed up WAY too late gathering pictures for her services.  It was fun to reminisce.  My pictures prove it, she was always there.  Never the center of attention but there...visiting me at Eastern, my graduations, my wedding (I'll never, ever forget her that night--Dancing Queen), at the hospital when my babies were born...

She was particularly close to Ben.  The two of them had a special bond.  Last year during our annual trip to Kentucky Lake, Ben cried constantly.  The only one that could calm him was my grandma.  She spent the entire weekend rocking him, that is not even an exaggeration.  But, she couldn't have been happier.  She often thought about that weekend.  She'd say, "I had Ben on my shoulder and a glass of wine beside me, I don't think I've been that happy since then".  And since that weekend, Ben and Grandma were buds.  

I'm so happy both of my kids were able to know her.  I'm sad my third child won't have the same privilege.  I think my grandma was as excited as I am to find out the sex of the new baby.  I wish she could have been here just two more weeks so she could find out.  But, then there will always be one more thing I'd want her to stay for.  I don't think I'd ever be ready.   

My grandma and I were close.  I'm proud I can say that I don't regret not spending time with her.  Life can change so quickly, it amazes me that it was just barely a month ago when the kids and I had an afternoon lunch date with her at Culver's.  It is a blessing that her end came quickly and she was ready to go.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to miss her though!  She leaves a lot to miss, I think anyone who knows her would agree.  The things I'll miss most are catching up over a glass of wine, her laugh, the little love notes I'd sometimes get in the mail saying "I'm so proud of you" or "You are a good mom, but take care of yourself", and her comforting reminder "I prayed for you this morning".   

We had a good run together.  I'm so lucky.