Gran

Gran passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 85. In some ways, it still doesn’t seem real. I guess you’re not supposed to have a favorite grandparent, but she was definitely the grandparent I was closest to out of the four of them. She was my only grandparent to have any sort of relationship with Brooklyn and Savannah (Granny got to meet Brooklyn and Dadaw met both of the girls, but that was about the extent of their relationship due to their declining health). The pictures that I have of Gran with Brooklyn and Savannah are ones that I will treasure forever.

I’m not sure why her death is hitting me so much harder than when my other grandparents died. I think it may partially be the fact that she was my last living grandparent. It’s really weird to think about them all being “gone”. It’s like a whole generation has slipped away. I’m really not much of a crier, but I have cried more this week than I have in a long time.

I had the privilege and honor of making the slideshow for Gran’s visitation. I really enjoyed getting to go through all of the pictures Mom had gathered, many of which I’d never seen before. It’s pretty cool to see pictures of your grandparents when they were your age and in your same stage of life.

Growing up, we spent a good bit of time with Gran and Dadaw and had a close relationship with them. Our family would almost always eat at their house on Sundays for lunch after church. Gran was a really good cook! She was famous for making “Gran rolls” in her bread maker. They were THE best! Jenn and I would decorate them with faces made out of peas and carrots…haha. I guess we were allowed to play with our food as long as we ate it afterward ;) Anytime someone had a birthday, we always celebrated with cake and presents after lunch. I can still remember the house that they lived in, what the furniture looked like, what was in each room, etc. Jenn and I spent the night with Gran and Dadaw on occasion also, and I have fond memories of painting at the kitchen table. Gran even bought smocks for us to wear while we painted. Gran was a wonderful artist herself, and her paintings and portraits hung all around the house. Mom has some in her house now, and I’m hoping to inherit some one day to display in our house too :) Gran even painted a portrait of Boo, the rabbit I had growing up, that is really special to me.

Doesn’t that look a lot like Brooklyn with straight hair and bangs? :)

This is one of my favorite pictures of Gran :)

I’m thankful that Travis got to know Gran over the last 10 years or so of being in our family…

4 generation picture when Brooklyn was a baby :)

Gran dealt with many health difficulties during the last years of her life, yet she continued to have a smile on her face whenever we saw her. On top of her own health problems, she also had to watch her husband (my Dadaw) suffer from NPH and live for many years bedridden in the nursing home, unable to say more than a word or two, or even feed himself. I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been for her to see him go through that every day. But, somehow she did it with grace and perseverance. She was committed “in sickness and in health” for sure.

Christmas 2015

So glad I pulled out my cell phone and took this picture at Gran’s 85th birthday party in January—I love this one!

I’m thankful for Gran’s wonderful example of love, grace, hospitality, and generosity in so many ways. She made a huge impact on my life, and I’m glad to have so many wonderful memories with her in them. It’s bittersweet thinking about her no longer being here on earth with us. I’m selfishly sad for me (and our family), but so happy for her that she’s finished the race!

1 Corinthians 15:50-58:

⁵⁰ I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

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A couple of weeks ago when Gran wasn’t doing well, I mentioned to Brooklyn that Gran was sick. Brooklyn wanted to make Gran a card, so I told her that was a great idea. Usually when Brooklyn wants to send someone a card, she will color on a piece of paper, and then I’ll write whatever message she wants to me to add to it at the end. So, when she was finished coloring, I asked her what to write. She wanted me to say, “Get well soon, Gran! Love, Brooklyn”. At first, I wasn’t sure about that. After all, it was obvious that Gran wasn’t going to recover—her kidneys were shutting down, and the end was coming soon. But, then I thought about it, and the real truth is that Gran is well now. She has no more pain and suffering—just eternal joy and rest. How much better could she get than that?