Gone Home

My gram passed away this morning at about 6am. I got to say good-bye yesterday. One of the last things she said to me was that she loved loving me. How cool is that?! Not just that you were loved but that someone loved loving you.


I'm thankful I got to say goodbye and now she is up there, eating Easter candy with my gramps, Sara's gramps, my sister, my mom, my aunt dee and countless others. A life well lived.

You know it's funny because I called two people and asked them to pray. One I know hates to talk on the phone and I wasn't going to call, but I did anyway (my sister Sara) and I am so glad I did. And the other was the Pastor from my old church. It's funny because before both phone calls, I almost didn't but I think God nudged me a little. It was like being surrounded by God's love.

I asked her yesterday if she wanted me to read her Psalm 23, my bible was in my purse, she said she would like that. And I said to her that I bet she never thought she'd hear me say that, and she said "you're right" and we laughed.

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

AMEN!

July 19, 1918 - April 19, 2007
She was a woman who put her family first.
We crowded around a dining room table for holiday dinners, we sat in a small living room on Christmas and opened presents.

I’ve heard my dad tell the sweet story of how the doctors told her he’d be blind. She wouldn’t take that as satisfactory, she taught us all to fight for our families, to not take no for an answer. I think somehow we can thank her for great laser surgery we have today because she had given her son the opportunity for experimental surgery back in the day.

She exuded joy with each marriage of her kids and was thrilled with the birth of each grandchild, and one great- grandchild.

She was proud that her son was a Captain of the police department and a firefighter. IF you knew my gram, you know she would follow a firetruck.

She was proud of her Mercy nurse daughter who gave her life to God.

She taught us each about Jesus and the importance of Him in our lives, even when we didn’t want to hear about it, and I got to eat lifesavers during church because gum wasn’t allowed in Catholic Church.

She might not have always liked our choices, but at the end of the day, she just wanted us all to have the same joy in our families as she had in hers. She was proud of each of us even if she didn’t always tell us, you could tell by the smile we were greeted with on each visit. And she loved us all.

There are many great things in our lives that we don’t even know how they got there, but she planted the seeds in each one of us. To love our families, and eat mixed vegetables.

WW Update, down 2.2lbs this week. -2.2/-11.6