Grandma

Last week, this world lost a beautiful soul.  As her earthly body grew weaker, she had a confidence and a peace about where she was going and the heavenly body she was about to receive.  She has always been Grandma to my hubby...and I consider it a great honor to have called her Grandma for the last 17 years.  I think it is probably a rare gift to grow close to a spouse's grandparent.  But Grandma...she played a big role in God's plan for my life....and that goes back about 20 years.  I was loving life as a college student, when my sweet friend Christie took a few of us to Williamsburg, VA to visit her Great Aunt Virginia and Great Uncle Jack.  What a trip that was...to see the farm, that beautiful long lane of magnolia trees, and experience the hospitality of Mrs. Virginia Massie.  Fast forward a few years to our senior year in college...weeks away from graduating...when Christie suggested we take one more trip to see her Aunt Virginia.  I remember feeling the pressure of exams and graduation and questioning whether or not I should go.  I'm so glad I did.  It was on that trip that I was introduced to Mrs. Massie's grandson....my hubby :)  Our story began around Grandma's kitchen table...and at a Sunday service at her church when I thought to myself, "who is this guy sitting just a little too close to me on this pew?!" lol! I went on to move to Florida and Chad still lived in Williamsburg, working for his Grandpa's company.  We started dating which led to frequent trips to Norfolk airport.  Chad's job required long hours and not much time off, so on my visits we would see each other when we could...and Grandma took care of the rest.  She would pick me up from the airport and drop me back off.  She would drive me to the job sites where Chad was working for a quick hello.  We would shop for groceries for whatever amazing meal she was getting ready to fix.  She would ask me about my family, my work, my friends....and never once made me feel like an inconvenience...quite the opposite...she made me feel like there was nothing else she had to do but hang out with me...which I know was not the case.  that was the beginning...followed by so many wonderful times together....birthdays, holidays, vacations...watching our boys grow up and taking in whatever sport they were playing...spending time on the Nanticoke...she was God-fearing, gracious, generous, sweet-spirited, hard working, full of life and flowing over with love....simply just one of the best.  As I watched her life coming to an end...at age 94...it was just as it had been in all the years I have known her...full of grace and gratitude for the life that she lived...full of love for all of her family that came to her bedside...and full of anticipation of what was to come.  So now we prepare to remember and honor her on Friday.  The finality of a funeral, stings.  To know that we will not see her again on this earth, hurts.  But what a joy it is to have the promise of heaven.  To believe...without a shadow of a doubt...that she is already there...and to believe...without a shadow of a doubt... that one day, that is where I am going.  

We love you Grandma.  What a blessing it was to know you.  What a life well-lived.