This past Sunday, we learned that Brian's grandma passed away. She was 95 years old.
Obviously, this wasn't highly unexpected. No one can live forever, and 95 years is more than many can boast. However, it is still a loss to be grieved. When we came home on Sunday afternoon after running an errand and going out for ice cream, Brian's dad was on our answering machine asking us to call back. Brian knew from his voice that something was amiss, and said immediately, "I hope Grandma didn't pass."
When he called back, the tears didn't just come to Brian's eyes. I also cried. Brian's grandmother was the last grandparent left between us, but it was more than that. Brian's grandma was one special lady- full of spark and strong opinions, and I truly appreciated her.
She was the very first person in Brian's family that I ever met, and she always had a special spot in my heart. For whatever reason, I always felt at home with her. Perhaps it was because of her relationship with Brian- she loved her one and only grandson so much- I guess it wasn't hard for her to love me, too.
The first time I met her was in April of 2010. Brian and I were dating, and he wanted to take me to see his hometown. Brian's parents were at their second home in Arizona, so we stayed at Brian's grandma's place. She was still so full of life then, even cooking an Easter meal for us. The next time I saw her was in August of that year, when Brian wanted to take me to his family's camp up in the Adirondacks. The three of us went together, and it was neat to see Grandma in her element, the place she loved the best. She put up with me, a city slicker by comparison, and though I remember her snapping at me two distinct times, I didn't let it get to me. She was a particular lady who liked things a certain way, and I knew she wasn't snapping at "me" so much as at the way I was doing something. I never felt once that she didn't like me, but rather, I felt very much welcomed into her world up there at camp, even though I was such a foreigner to that whole lifestyle.
Every time I saw her, I called her "Grandma" and greeted her with a hug and a kiss. It felt right to me, and not a stretch by any means. My own grandmothers had passed on, the most recent being less than a month before I met Brian's grandma. She seemed to naturally step in and fill the spot that I had been missing in my own life.
Grandma was a no-nonsense kind of lady. She let you know what was on her mind and didn't hold back. She had high standards, values, and morals by which she lived. She loved going to church. She was devoted to her family.
We last saw Grandma this past May. Brian must have sensed that this would be the last time he'd see her on this side of heaven. He asked for some time alone with her, so Brian's parents, Caleb, and I all left the room. He told her we were going to have another son this summer, and while we hadn't fully decided on a first name, we were committed to naming his middle name "Carl" after Brian's grandfather, her beloved husband. She loved her husband very much, and was very happy to hear this news. The morning after our second son was born, Brian called his grandma to tell her about Silas Carl, and she rejoiced with us. She even got to hear some of the sounds Silas was making over the phone. We also learned that Silas was born on her and Carl's anniversary!
We are so grateful that she got to hear about the birth of her tenth great-grandchild before she passed, and even more grateful that she got to hear him, for just a moment, over the phone.
She's in a place now that we can only dream about, and for all of us that know the Lord, we will see her again one day. For now, we have that peace knowing that she is at peace.
We will miss you, Grandma!
