Today I said I love you and goodbye to my Grandmother.
The woman who helped to make my mother the strong, opinionated, impish and beautiful woman that she is. A woman who I feel I never quite got to know as much as I should have, but loved hearing about so many of the things she accomplished in her life.
It was a blessing to be there with her this weekend....the weather had been bad just a few days before and had kept my own my mom getting to their house. But the temps rose, the roads cleared and my mom, one of her sisters, and her brother were all able to make it. By the time I arrived Grandma was no longer able to speak, but she gave me a beautiful smile and held my hand as I snuggled in next to her for a while. Thank goodness for Bob (who did all the driving to get there) and who was my steady rock as I rode the emotional tide in and out while trying to be strong and full of love for my Grandfather as well as do my best to be helpful around the house.
The entire time I was there I was mentally replaying one of my favorite sermons of all time (from Pastor Kevin at Advent Lutheran in Washington) He gave a childrens' sermon that blew me away on an All Saints Day service. He talked to the kids about how hard it is to see those we love in pain--especially as they lose those they love to death. He mentioned that because we don't want to feel that kind of pain (when we don't have control to make things better or easier) that we tend to tell those we love "don't cry".....He then looked at each child and said "I want you do me a favor...the next time you see someone you care about sad, crying and hurting, I want you to pull up a chair next to them, reach out and hold their hand, look them in the eye and tell them 'go for it', and I'm going to be here until you're done."
Honestly, what could be better than that type of love?
I love you Grandma. I'm so happy that you are now free from this final pain and struggle. Thank you for your gifts in this world and for the family you helped to create that now holds each other's hands with love and memories.




