Until We Meet Again

Grandma Church passed away on Christmas Eve.  It was very shocking to me after just seeing her weeks before so spry and healthy.  She got sick and I think lacked the will to live since my mom's death.  I am so thankful for the time I took just a month before to visit with her and hug her and tell her what a special grandma she was and how much I loved her!

This is the memory our family will be sharing at her funeral this weekend... (from my dad's perspective)

Mom was there for the birth of every one of our babies.  Vickie cried when her mom left after having her first baby, she had been there helping her for at least 2 weeks. Mom always tried her hardest to be at the blessings, baptisms, weddings and graduations of her grandchildren. Mom and Vickie were always there for one another, and would organize, take trips to Mexico together, and plan family gatherings.  The kids have fond memories of trips to Laverkin and family reunions.  Mom would babysit our children so we could travel, some memories our children have while staying with grandma are the house always smelling like herbs, picking cherries and apricots from the orchard, and helping pull weeds from the garden or mow the lawn with a coconut ice cream bar for a reward...and who could forget her healthy cooking?!  Jamen, Jace and Katie will never forget the day Grandma made broccoli soup and told the kids they could not have an orange creamsicle until it was all gone. The boys promised her they would eat the soup if they could eat the creamsicle first, and grandma being the loving person she was agreed.  They ate the creamsicle and then got to work on the soup.  One bite and they realized it was just blended up broccoli mixed with warm water, and could not gag it down.  The boys were glad they had already eaten their creamsicle, but Katie was not so lucky!  Grandma was a tireless worker and she always had a project going. She was also a resourceful pioneer woman, who would ring every ounce of usefulness out of any object. She was a woman of Faith. It made a big impression watching grandma's response when she was asked to say prayers.  She would always say thank you!, and we knew it really was a blessing to her to be able to talk to her Heavenly Father!  Above all, we all remember how grandma always made us feel loved and welcome. She always had a hug, a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek ready for every greeting and every parting. at the age of 80 Grandma was still as spry as most 30-year-olds. She worked in her yard, did her own cleaning and shopping and most especially still had energy to play with the great-grand-kids. She would play pretend with them, jump rope, get down on the floor and play with cars and run after them playing tag or hide and seek. She loved her great grandchildren and they loved her. Mom was a devoted mother to all her children. When her daughter Vickie became ill she was a great support to her and her family.  She was by Vickie's' side for her final days on Earth and even after she had passed, mom begged Vickie not to go.  It was hard on her to have her daughter gone, and we are so happy that they are back together again. I am sure there were many hugs and kisses shared in Heaven that day!

I love you Grandma and look forward to seeing you and mom again someday!