HONEST ABE

Here's Megan dressed up like Abraham Lincoln. She had to do a biography in school and she chose to do it on Abe. After the biography, she did an oral presentation on him and had to dress up for it. Luckily, we borrowed this cool beard and hat from our friend. The good news is that she ended up getting an A+ on the biography and the presentation. Yeah!

Too Hard to Say Good-bye

Well, this is not the greatest picture of my Grandma but it was a recent one I had. Grandma got into a car accident a few days before Christmas and unfortunately never was able to fully recover and return home. She was 91 and lived a great life yet I still few she was "robbed" of years. I was already making plans for her 100th birthday. Although the past 2 months of watching her in the hosptial and going through lots of ups and downs was difficult, I feel it was a blessing for us to be able to be with her so much during the end of her life. My family decided it was time for her to come home and stop trying to make a body stay alive that was ready to die. She came home on a Friday under hospice care and died early Monday morning. I was lucky enough to be with her that weekend and was able to see how peaceful and calm she looked that Sunday prior to her death. The one thing I learned through this process is hospitals are great at keeping people alive and we just don't let people die anymore. Medical help has come so far that it is now easy to keep a body living, but the question comes is it really living? I guess because I believe I will see her again it doesn't seem as sad to let someone go. Although I say this, I admit this has been the hardest death I've yet to bear. I cried my eyes out and still whenever I pass by the funeral announcement that says "Passed Away on Feb 25, 2007" I tear up.

Having said this, I do like to remember all the good times we shared. I had the unique opportunity of living within minutes of her. I went to her house every Sunday after church. During those years, we would make up dances to "Skip to my lou" while Bob played his harmonica. She also helped me learn to cook and to draw (although I can't really draw anymore). She was the one I would call when I was running away from home (yes, that happened more than once and I even had a suitcase packed). I also remember her taking me to the Pasadena Mall to go shopping and going to Twohey's for hot fudge sundaes. Its hard to write down a lifetime of memories but seriously she never missed an event in our lives; graduation, birthday's, blessings, baptisms, holidays, baby showers-- it really didn't matter how big or small the event she was always there. That is what will seem the hardest, going to a family party without her. I am happy for her and the reunion I know she is having with other loved ones passed on. I'm sure as much as we wanted her to stay they wanted her there more!

She was such a great example of living life to the fullest! She loved life and loved her family and friends. She was always ready to go and enjoy. I guess what I want to say is I truly loved her and am forever grateful to have had her in my life and in my children's lives.