99 Years Young

On January 30th I found out that my Mom was flying out to Hamilton (south Ohio) to visit my great Grandma before she died. My great Grandma Hazel is the sweetest little lady I have ever met. She loved pretty things, birds flowers, butterflies and anything else that was girly. I could go on and on about her but the number one thing that I have to thank her for is my mother. She raised my mom in the gospel. My mother's parents were VeRy young when they had her and so Grandma Hazel would watch her on the weekends to give them a break. Most importantly she took my Mom to church, taught her how to feel the spirit and was a great example.

The week before my great grandma had suffered her 3rd heart attack. Everyone knew that this would probably be the last and I instantly started debating on whether I should go and visit. When I found out my Mom was coming I knew I needed to go as well. I was able to meet up with my Grandpa Joe (My Mom's Dad) and drive with him to get my Mama from the airport.

 When my Mom came and talked to Grandma she didn't say much but we knew Grandma knew it was my Mom. The joke always was that my Mom was the golden child, although it really wasn't a joke. Grandma used to tell me "Becky was always my favorite and that's why she ended up moving away, because I'm not supposed to have favorites." I can remember my Mom telling me she wished she could have seen her more the whole time I was growing up.

 When my family went out to Ohio in 2009 we thought that would be the last time we saw her, and as we backed our truck out of her driveway she watched us from the porch and waved until we couldn't see her. Talk about a tear jerker! What a sweet little lady!

 I don't really like these pictures but they are the last ones of me with her and with my Mom. She never looked like this she was always so happy.

This was taken a couple of months before she died. For the most part she was still sharp as a tack all the way until the end. She was still living on her own until August of this last year. Grandma had people that would stop in and make sure she was all right but she could still walk on her own. 

This picture is a perfect example of how I remember her. This visit was a much more sullen visit than the one I had with her last September. Looking back I am SOOO glad David and I took the time to go and visit her.

We got there on Monday evening, she recognized my Mom and went to sleep. She never woke up after that and by Wednesday morning she was gone. This was all happening during that big ice storm that was supposed to hit, but the morning she died the sun came out and was shinning so brightly. We also heard a bird singing a little right before she died and it continued to chirp outside the window after. Just what she always liked sun and birds and pretty things. I also thought it was a little more than ironic that she died on a Groundhog's day that said Spring was actually going to come early. How fitting is that?! I say never ignore the little stuff it all happens for a reason. And I hope Spring really does come early this year.

 I was sad to see her go and I was actually in the room when she died. Being there for that I was worried that I would feel really sad or depressed but surprisingly it was like a weight had been lifted from the room. She had out lived her most recent husband by 9 years and her eternal companion by 27 years, and I can't even imagine how great it must have been for her to finally go home. It's moments like this that I am so thankful for the gospel and the knowledge that we have about death and family, it really does take away the sting of goodbye.

Goodbye to that happy little lady that taught my Mom so many things and gave me the gospel. I wish I had known her better but my Mom embodies her in so many ways that I probably know her a lot better than I realize.