Remembering Grandma

My sweet grandma (my mom's mom) passed away last Tues. Oct. 26th at age 92. She was in a nursing home and had really gone downhill in the past year. She'd had macular degeneration for the past several years and could not see anymore. She'd had bladder cancer and had also suffered several strokes. I'm so happy that she's no longer in any pain. What a happy reunion she must be having on the other side with her parents and three siblings who passed on before her. Her funeral was on Sat. and luckily for me, Caleb was home for the weekend (before heading off to Seattle, WA for his next rotation) so he was able to go down to Salt Lake with me for it. It was so beautiful. My sister and I played a flute/violin duet, my mom gave the life sketch, Caleb gave the opening prayer and my dad dedicated her grave.

My sister, Chalise (holding Capri), my mom, and grandpa at the gravesite

Chalise and Capri

(My kind sister-in-law baby-sat my other two kids so we wouldn't have to worry about them and it was such a BIG help! Thanks so much, Kynda!!)

Since my grandma was in the Navy Waves during World War II, the Utah Veterans of Foreign Wars was present at the gravesite to give her a salute with rifles, bugle, and bagpipes.

They presented my grandpa with this flag at the conclusion of the salute

Grandpa

immediate family shot

Caleb, my grandpa, me

my parents with my grandpa

and this is what Capri looked like when we got home!

I have many happy memories of my grandma. She was a wonderful lady with a big heart. She loved to sew and made me many items of clothing while I was growing up, including matching dresses for my sister and me. She was also a painter and inspired in my heart the desire to take art lessons which I did in high school. She loved to play the piano and organ and I remember sitting beside her while she played for me or sang to me. Her homemade bread was famous and I will never forget how fun it was to go to her house and find a "little loaf" just my size waiting for me, fresh from the oven. I love her so much and I'm so grateful I'll get to see her again one day. Until then, goodbye Grandma...