Saturday, January 23, 2010

With great sadness...


I share the passing of my grandmother.  One week ago today, she passed in the night after being in and out of the hospital since Thanksgiving.  My chest was tight and breathing shallow in the days that followed the news, but as I began to work on a slideshow of her life for her memorial, I am inspired to be a great wife, mother, and servant.  She left a wonderful legacy behind of laughter, love, and faith. 

She had the sharpest wit and the warmest laugh.  She made jokes right up to the end.  At my last visit, I was talking to her cousin about our trip to Australia, when he mentioned his son going to school there.  Grandma chimed in, "What's the matter, he couldn't get in to any schools here?"  Her cousin shot back, "Careful what you say Marion, I brought my camera."  She quickly told him to "play fair" from behind her mess of hair and tired look.  Bella and I had a beautiful visit with her for two hours the week before she passed.  It was the first time I had seen her sitting up and dressed too.  I will remember her looking lovely in her blue blouse and fresh white slacks.

I burst with emotion to think she is in heaven now.  To know she lost her daddy at age two and is now meeting him for the first time makes my head spin with curiousity.  My heart is heavy with concern for my grandpa as he lost his wife of 65 years.  He was such a dedicated man and constantly spoiling her.  Most recently, I think of how grandma loved cold hands as she was always hot.  Grandpa made anyone with cold hands bring them to grandma to enjoy.  Upon our last visit, Grandpa took Bella for a walk outside and when she came back from the walk he told her to go give grandma her cold hands.  At first, I was blessed by the personal walk he took my daughter on, but when they returned back, I think I was more blessed to see that possibly his whole motivation to take Bella on a walk was to bring grandma back her first great-grandbaby with a hug and cold hands.  The man new how much she loved her family and the simplest things like cold hands are the little ways he would say, I love you Marion.

Please keep my grandpa in your prayers as you think of me these next couple week.

3 comments:

  1. I love your thoughts on your dear grandmother, Julie. You have lovely memories that will last forever. And what a blessing that you and Bella had one more moment with her.

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  2. Julie I am so sorry. I lost my Grandma 14 years ago, yet memories of her continue to make me happy. I hope the same for you.

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  3. Julie - just stopped by your blog to 'catch up'. So sorry about your grandmother. I got teary-eyed reading the way you describe Bella's cold hands for your grandmother. You are a wonderful photographer and gifted artist! Your grandfather is in my prayers... ksc

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