Eternal Companion

I feel so lucky to have married into a wonderful family.  They are a close knit group in a lot of ways.  We woke up this morning, business as usual and then Jeremy got the call that we expected just not for a while.  Jeremy's almost 93 year old Grandma, we lovingly call Grandma June, passed away this morning.  It feels a little silly to find out the news and then run to my blog.  I feel a little torn, like I should wait but this is usually where I pour out my heart.  The day of Grandpa's funeral, a little over two years ago, she found out that she had cancer.  She fought through chemo and surgery and got as clean of a bill of health as you can get after having cancer.  Earlier this year she found out it was back in a different form.  She had more she wanted to do and went through her first round of chemo.  She then decided it would not prolong her life and she would be uncomfortable either way.  She decided it was enough and discontinued chemo.  This last week was a rough one.  She had been to the emergency room at least three times.  Yesterday she came home and Jeremy and James helped her get into the house.  He then gave her a blessing, that alone has been a wonderful treasure for him.  That is the sad part, watching some one's life on the outside deteriorate, while on the inside their mind is so young and vibrant.

The awesome part is that all our children got to meet her.  She is a woman who I think all would be lucky to have as an example in their lives.  She is a woman who testified of having faith.  She and grandpa lived their lives according to the Gospel and their family is what mattered most.  I have seen her heartbreak as she was talking of struggles of her grandchildren.  These last years have been hard on her hearing but nothing brought her more joy than watching her great grandchildren play.  One of my favorite pictures is when she was going through chemo yet she is still reading stories to my children.  That is definitely a legacy that has been passed down from generation to generation, the love of a good book! 

There are so many ways that I would love to be like her.  Her love as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother was abundant.  She was one who loved to do many things.  I met her later in life so her crafty abilities are stories that have been passed on to me, but I hear tell she was a pretty crafty lady.  She was talented with material and thread.  I have images of her making applesauce (which wasn't all that long ago) and taffy pulling from years ago.

One story that keeps coming to mind was soon after she and Grandpa moved here from Utah.  (I will probably botch the story but hopefully the idea is the same.)  They had received a check, it may have been from the sale of their previous home.  She knew it was valuable so she placed it in a very secure place.  When it came time for her to need it she scoured the house and could not find it.  She didn't know what to do.  She finally decided that she had enough faith to ask for help.  She sent her four kids to the pool so the house would be quiet, after all the spirit speaks in a still small voice.  She knelt in prayer, she asked Heavenly Father to help her find the check.  She said she felt a little silly to "bother" Him with such a trivial thing yet it was a big thing for her.  No sooner did she say "amen" then she was prompted to check a drawer she had checked numerous times.  She found the check.  She was defnintely a woman who relied on the Lord.

She loved, LOVED LOVED family history and geneology.  This is one of the passions that I saw the most.  She was so proud of her ancestors and was thrilled at any opportunity that she got to share a story or two.

Another story that I recall shows the love that Grandma and Grandpa shared.  It was a particularly trying day and the children were being a little rough on Grandma.  She had all she could handle and left the house for a breather.  Grandpa sat all of the children down, I am told with a tear in his eye, shared how much he loved that woman.  He then told those kids that they were never to treat her in a way that made her feel that she  needed to leave their house.  Again this story is from my hazy memory of hearing it retold.  I still think of this example and know how much they love each other.  This is what I want my marriage to always be like.

She is truly an amzing woman, one who I love very dearly.  There was no doubt in my mind that she accepted me whole-heartedly into her precious family.  For that I am extremely grateful.  I am grateful for the temple and being able to be sealed together as a family forever.  Our time apart will be short.  One more happy thought is Grandpa welcoming her back into his arms.  I am sure it felt like it was too long that they were apart and what a happy renuinon it is!