I Miss Her So Much

On June 29, 2010 I lost my great grandmother.

I knew I'd miss her long before she left us, but I could never have guessed how much.  Looking back I was crazy not to have realized how much of a hole she'd leave in me.  After all, she was a part of every special memory in my life.

Every Easter I that I can ever remember was spent in her backyard.

Granny would sit on the porch and watch the children go wild.

Everyone would hunt eggs....

....and spend time with their cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings.

Our last Easter together, she wasn't feeling well so I'm thankful to have snagged one photo with her.  

Every Halloween we'd stop by to make sure she saw our costumes.

Every Thanksgiving, it was her house the whole family flocked to in order to fill up on turkey and dressing.

And every Christmas Eve, it was her tree that everyone always gathered around to pass out gifts.

She hadn't been herself months before she passed, but two days before she left us she gave us all one last special gift--the gift of her company.  

She was very alert and ready to talk to everyone.  

She even smiled.  Oh, she smiled.  

And she even gave us a hard time and all of us laughed.

I'm so thankful that she gave us one last day to soak her in.  When I get too sad about her not being with me anymore it's these memories, and many more, that I try to focus on.  I'm so blessed to have had a relationship with this strong-willed, opinionated woman that I often see in myself.  

The day she passed was a very bad day, even though we knew it was coming.  And this past year has been difficult for my family as we seek out a new way of coming together to celebrate without her.  In many ways, she was our family's center of gravity and we've all been off balance since her passing.  

But thankfully, she left a little bit of herself in each of us and that gives me the hope I need to know that no matter what, we'll get stronger everyday.  

I miss you granny.  

This post idea came from Mama Kat's Writing Workshop.  Be sure to stop by there for creative inspiration!

**While you're here enter my current giveaway

for a chance to win $30 to spend on Frigidaire accessories!**