Legacies and Good-byes

In the past two months I have lost two of the most special people in my life.  Both of my grandmothers.  They were different in their own respect, but the same in the amount of love they gave to their family.  I've been truly blessed to be their granddaughter, and hope that I can instill the same love and care for my future grandchildren that they bestowed on me.  

Moo: (Mar. 8, 1929 - Mar. 24, 2015)

Moo at her 80th birthday celebration

Moo.  What self respecting grandmother would let her grandchildren call her Moo?  Only the best.  My cousin couldn't say grandmother and so Grandmoo was born.  From there all other variations came about, but she will forever be our Moo Moo.  The picture above is my absolute favorite picture of her because it is how I remember her.  She was sassy, outspoken, and fun.  She was proper and reserved, but we could always get her to show her fun side if we prodded enough.  This picture captures that side of her that I love so much.  The side where I could tell her a dirty joke and know she'd both laugh and chide me for it.  I love that I have so many memories of her.  She was my neighbor growing up and I played in her basement every day during the summer.  I love the memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas morning with monkey bread.  I loved her coconut and pineapple cakes.  I love her crafty side.  She could sew, knit, crochet, and quilt.  Growing up I wore probably one too many jumpers she made, and one of my favorite possessions is the quilt she made me as a wedding gift.  I love the memories of going camping with her and Gramps and how my cousin and I convinced them to go tubing down the river in Helen, GA even though my Gramps couldn't swim.  Oh how they loved us!  I think my favorite memories though are those from the last few years.  Those where I was older and realized how wonderful she was and how much she had to offer.  How I could have conversations with her about church, politics, family matters, and just life and enjoy her advice and perspective that I never cherished before.  I loved seeing her interact with my kids.  She loved them and aggravated them just as she always did to us.  She was an amazing woman.  

As she was diagnosed with cancer I learned so much about faith through watching her live her life in such a courageous way.  She believed in the Lord's healing and so did I.  It was an honor to sit and listen to her share of her faith in the Lord and His ability to heal her.  She never wavered.  Not even in the end.  In her final weeks we all knew that cancer had spread and her time was limited.  I'll always cherish two moments from those weeks.  One being a day I got to spend with her where we talked, prayed, and shared memories of the past and of what God was doing through her.  I loved seeing the light in her eyes as she spoke about His promises.  The other was on her final day with us.  She was in bad shape and unable to speak.  We spent the day singing hymns by her bedside and talking to her.  I had a few moments alone with her while everyone else was eating dinner.  I told her how proud I was of her fight and that even though things seemed dim I was keeping the faith.  The squeeze of her hand during our brief conversation let me know she was in agreement with me and that not only was she aware of all that was going on, but she had not lost faith either.  The story of her amazing faith and fight are something I will have to share in entirety in another post.  I am so proud to be her granddaughter and for her amazing legacy she has left here on earth.

Me, Moo, & Bay

Moo & I at her 86th birthday celebration.  Just a few weeks before she went home to be with the Lord.

A bit blurry, but a fun shot.  This was in her final weeks.  Both of us were needing assistance walking and this was a race my sister thought would be funny to make us do.  Let's just say I let her win ;)

Grannie: (Oct. 30, 1939 - May 17, 2015)

Grannie Sara.  My relationship with Grannie was different.  Growing up they lived on the other side of town, so mom would take us over to their house as often as possible.  My PawPaw owned a store in town so we stopped by often so visit, but Grannie was working as well so we didn't always get to see her.  She was probably the sweetest lady anyone ever knew.  She had a cheerful disposition, and I can't ever remember a time where I ever saw her angry or mad.  She always smiled and had a laughter that will be etched in my memory forever.  She's been suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's since I was in high school, so my memories of her started fading as the new Grannie emerged through her disease.  This Grannie didn't remember me or other family member or even the memories we once shared, but her sweet spirit and that laughter remained undisturbed.  Something I'm extremely grateful for, because that little part of her remained my Grannie.  Through her sickness we made new memories, but they were usually due to her silliness caused by the memory loss.  I remember Aaron once scared her and she grabbed his arm, drug him outside to mom and dad's front porch and pulled him up and down the porch over and over.  She just reacted and the rest of us died laughing.  Laughter was our medicine.  Without laughter there would have been nothing to do but cry, because let's be honest its not fair.  It's not fair that the sweet lady I knew as my grandmother slowly slipped so far inside herself that she didn't know her family and the people who loved her.  I love hearing stories about her and how she inspired others.  One story touches me particularly.  My uncle on my dad's side shares how my grandmother's devotion to have her grandchildren in church has inspired him to do the same.  She would go get my cousins and bring them when my aunt and uncle wouldn't.  Now my uncle does the same for his grandchildren all so they will know the love of the Lord, and its all because of the example my Grannie set.  I'm so proud of her for that.  I wish I could have shared that with her.  Even though the disease took her memories, it brought us together.  Every Wednesday my mom and I would take my kids to visit for a while.  We'd talk and she'd listen and we'd paint her fingernails.  Levi & Naomi would make her laugh, pick on her, and give her lots of love.  It was a special time.

Grannie left us suddenly.  While her memories were long gone, her health seemed steady even if in a decline, so her passing was unexpected.  Honestly its been a month and I'm still in shock.  We believe she had a massive stroke and she was just gone.  She will be missed and Wednesdays aren't quite the same and probably never will be.

Mom, Grannie, & I at one of our visits.

Nursing home visits

I'm proud of these women.  Proud of their legacy, their lives, the path they paved for me.  It's never easy to say good-bye, but it is easier when you know its not forever.  I know they are singing with the angels and one day I'll join them in praising the One who gave it all for me.