And Still...

Today is my grandma's funeral. I am going to be surrounded by the best family in the whole world...mine! I love my family so much I really can't even express it in words. It is a funny feeling to be celebrating on one hand and grieve on the other, but it is somewhat a pleasant combination. To remember my gram as she was, to picture in my minds eye where she is now, but to feel the loss in my heart now that she isn't physically here to hug me. It is kind of a roller coaster ride of emotions to feel in a week. But in lieu of today I wanted to write my own top ten list for the occasion. So here goes,

Top 10 reasons I love my grandma

1. Her cereal cabinet.
2. She always looked beautiful and taught me it is okay to feel good about your insides and your outsides. One word: Lipstick.
3. Her devotion to the gospel. She was doing name extractions until she couldn't walk to her desk anymore.
4. The fact that I couldn't go on a trip without looking in every shop for thimbles and spoons until I found just the right one for her collection.
5. Her kisses and her hugs.
6. The way she adored my little Claire Jane...and I am pretty sure she is going to kiss my next one goodbye before it gets here.
7. Her beautiful cross stitching and crocheting she made especially for each and every one of us.
8. Her never ending supply of treats (pretzels, ginger snaps, ice cream) for the littles...she never forgot them!
9. The way she would light up when we would come for a visit, and that she was the hub for information in our family! If you wanted the goods, go to grandma!
10. The way she loved...I hope I can emulate her in every way. Man I will miss her.

Another little side note about gram, we all worried about our kids pulling and tripping on her oxygen tube and she would always say, "they can't hurt a thing" or "Katie, she is just fine". Claire loved building tracks on her floor and dancing crazily to "I'm a little tea pot" in her living room. Basically whatever wouldn't kill them she would let them do it....hence the socks. Grandma had latex glove boxes everywhere in her house that the nurses used for the last two weeks and Claire would always find them and take a million out. Of course, grandma allowed it...even when Claire thought they should become socks. Sweat socks! She put them on her feet and waved goodbye to gram and they traveled all the way home to the T-town McDonalds like that. Needless to say that was a treat! Thanks grandma!