To My Grandma

 To My Grandma,

I am still in shock that you are gone.... it is hard to say goodbye to one of the most important women in my life.  A grandma that lived next door to me until I moved out of the house to start living on my own as an adult.  Someone who I would run across the yard to see in Florida and North Carolina.  Someone that made me look forward to sleepovers where I was able to eat anything I wanted (including ice cream sundaes, biscuits with ranch dressing and cheese sticks) and watch what I wanted on television (which usually included Golden Girls and TGIF).  I absolutely loved taking naps in your king size bed!  I love the way you loved me, making me feel that Lindsey and I were the two most important people in the world to you.  You helped make my dream of owning a wedding dress at a young age a reality when Santa delivered it to our house while I was sleeping on Christmas Eve.  You would light up when Linds and I would entertain you singing songs using microphones you got for us (a favorite artist- Neil Sedaka) or when we would roller skate in your basement like we were on the national figure skating team (usually to Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston or Celine Dion).  I loved the trips we were able to take together in the camper and motor home.  I loved being able to stay longer with you on vacation after mom and dad had to head home early.  I loved hearing you tell stories of dad when he was growing up (how he would eat hot dogs- without the dog, just the bun at the drive in theater!)  I loved the way you would laugh when something was really funny.  I loved looking into your blue eyes and getting hugs from you where you would rest your hand on my hip and squeeze me tight!  I loved swimming in your pool in Florida, having birthday parties there and ironically you not being able to swim yourself, still watching us from the side as we swam around.  You would always take the "creepy crawly" out when we were swimming since it scared me.  I loved Sunday lunches after church and lemon cake with lemon icing for my birthday.  You were always such a good cook and I love having recipes I use often from your kitchen, written in your handwriting.  Some of my favorite stories that you would tell or that would make you laugh included the "f-ing butter" story, me figuring out the timeline of dad's birth compared to your wedding anniversary date (the smirk you gave, I will always remember!), and you attempting to "spank" me as a punishment dad and mom had for me while they were gone out of town and you struggling to make it a meaningful consequence since I was just too cute! ;)  I talked to you for the last time on Monday, July 19th.  I called you daily while we were on vacation (which is where we were when we found out you were gone) and the conversation we had was a fitting "goodbye".  You mentioned you liked the beach.  You mentioned I was the light of your life and I brought you so much joy.  You told me you loved me.  I tried to call you on Tuesday and the phone kept ringing both times.  I think you knew that conversation on Monday would be our last.  While you talked about how much joy I brought to your life, I have to say that it is one of the greatest joys of MY life to see the woman who watched me grow up meet and love on MY own children.  I know it is a blessing that not many people get to experience to watch their grandparents with their great grandchildren.  We were blessed with eight years where four generations were able to spend time together.  I am so thankful that you and grandpa got to meet all four of them!  So until we meet again, thank you for loving me, thank you for loving my kids and thank you for always being one of my biggest fans!  You will be greatly missed.  Until we meet again... so long, Grams.....

Love, 

Meggie ;)

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  -Revelation 21: 4-5

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11