The End of an Era

The past month has been rough.  I failed my Blog Challenge, but I'm giving myself a pass and looking forward to getting back to it, and my crafts, in February.   

 

Nana & Popoo - circa 1930's  

On Saturday, January 19, I got the call that my Nana wasn't well.  She had taken a turn for the worse after battling an infection for a couple of weeks.  I guess because we'd been through this so many times, we all kind of assumed she'd pull through again.  But we sat with her in shifts throughout the weekend, as she slowly declined.  She was unable to speak, but would moan and blink in answer to questions.  We would gather around her room during the day and chat with one another and encourage Nana as best we could.  I had the night shift, and spent many hours in remembrance of the times I'd spent with her when she was well.  I watched her and listened to her breathe, and it reminded me of when my children were babies - that anxious listening and watching their chest heave up and down...  

 I wouldn't have been anywhere else.

My beautiful grandmother passed away on January 21 at the age of 102.  People keep saying "You're so lucky you had so much time with her."  But I wonder if it makes the grief worse because we did have so much more time than most people do?  

She was a beautiful woman, always. My sister and I wrote her obituary and I can't really add any more at this point other than to say that I miss her so much already.  I want to write about much she touched my life, but I need more time to process and put it all into words.  

She was like a 2nd mother to me, since mine was a working/single mom for much of my early years.  Nana taught me so many things that I will carry in my heart for the rest of my life - from how to cook things that every Southern woman should have in her recipe repertoire, to how a lady should never leave the house without lipstick and her hair just so... 
(I try to remember the lipstick & hair, but sometimes a girl has to run to the Walmart without them...I'm sure she'd understand.)

Rest in Peace, Nana...knowing you touched many and truly LIVED life.  

 Nana & Popoo - December, 1989 (the last week of his life)