In Loving Memory

Even though this has been one of those things that we all "knew was coming" for a long time now, I can hardly believe that this sad day has come. My grandma passed away yesterday after an extended battle with alzheimers. It has been a long and difficult week for our family with more to come next week. I am so glad that I was able to spend several hours with her on Monday and again on Wednesday - just holding her hand and talking to her even in her unresponsive state. (photo from Nov. 2006)
I am so blessed to have had a close relationship with all 4 of my grandparents, and I thank God for each of them and the impact they have all had on my live. My grandma was a very special, peaceful lady. Some of the things I will always remember are how she always had fresh fruit all cut up and ready for us to eat whenever David and I were there to visit. Oh and the candy and those Klondike bars! As a kid I recall that she definitely had the coolest bath toys! It was fun to sleep over grandma and grandpa's from my earliest memories all the way through high school. She and grandpa came to just about everything I ever did in school. They even got an award for being our most loyal fans my senior year of playing volleyball. She loved reading mystery novels and even enjoyed old horror movies. She and my grandpa took us on lots of little vacations - especially to amusement parks. She loved to ride coasters and even took me on my first upside down ride. I remember being really scared and how grandma put her arms around me and told me to just close my eyes and enjoy the breeze in my face. She enjoyed flower gardening, and I'll always think of her when I see red geraniums and white sweet alyssum. Grandma was always very aware of current fashions and even in the her last days, she would reach out and straighten my shirt whenever I was within arm's reach. I will miss her laugh, her hugs, and those blue eyes so much!
(photo from Feb. 2007 - celebrating their anniversary with a quartet to serenade them.) She and my grandpa were married on Valentine's day, 1942, on a military base in Pennsylvania. This past February marked 67 years of marriage for them. Grandpa is taking her loss really, really hard. Please keep him and the family in your prayers as we celebrate her life and go through the events of the next few days.