It's been an honor...

I've been blessed with an amazing family. Even more so, I've been blessed with an amazing grandma. In fact, I don't even think the word "amazing" does my grandma justice. This past Sunday, our family had to say goodbye to this dearly loved member of our family. After a very unexpected stroke on January 9th, we were all faced with the reality of not having grandma around anymore. After a week of hanging in there, she finally went home to Jesus on Sunday January 16th. Needless to say, it's be a really tough couple of weeks on all of those who knew and loved my grandma. Yesterday, we were able to honor her life in a church full of family and friends, that showed just a small testament of how much she loved, and how dearly she was loved.

I told Brian earlier last week that in MY perfect world, grandma would have died with me in another 65 or 75 years. Pretty unrealistic, and selfish too:) But she's just that special; to me, to my kids, to our whole family. But since that seemed very unlikely:) I'm truly thankful for the almost 27 years of time and wonderful memories I had with her. Those memories she left with me are the things I'm clinging to dearly in the days and hours I miss her most. Because if there is one thing that my grandma was good as, it was loving on people. I'm never going to forget the Saturdays we used to spend with grandma and grandpa. The times they took us to the river and down onto the sandbars to play. The popcorn they made us in the evening while we watched Golden Girls:) I'm probably one of the few six year olds who loved that show! I will never forget eating cheerios while I sat on the church floor and colored on the pew on Sundays that they took us to church. The visits to the playground behind their house to play on the equipment. The trips she and grandpa used to take us on when we were kids. The time she lost her purse (leaving behind my cinderella watch in it) on one of those trips. The days she kept me when I was sick and out of school. How well she tucked in my bed sheet corners. To this day, I still try to mimic grandma's method so my sheets don't come untucked for the bed....I'm not very successful....she always did the best! The trips she took Ross and I even after grandpa died to Michigan, Virginia, Washington D.C. I will never forget the loving "nagging" and advice she used to give. The comments that she couldn't believe my mom would take her 16 year old to get her belly button pierced, or that I would want to show my bare midriff in a two piece prom dress. I will always remember her poor hearing and how it made me smile every time I called and had to practically yell so she could hear me, or anytime she left me a message on my cell phone. I will always remember her amazing food, our Sunday dinners. The look of pure joy on her face when she held her great grandchildren for the first time, and never wanted to give them up. Her willingness and excitement at watching our kids whenever she could, and the excitement Eli and Kamdyn showed when "geat bama" came over to play. I will never forget her proudly toting her only great granddaughter around and sitting on the floor happily playing with her on the day before her stroke. So many memories. I'm so thankful for a grandma who was so actively involved in our lives until her last days.

Grandma thank you so much for 27 years of love and memories Thank you for always being at every school play and musical and being one of my biggest fans. Thank you for being such a good role model and such a constant presence in my life. I love you grandma!