Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A blessed heart...

Grandma and Grandpa Gerrish with Sierra (2007)

My grandmother passed away today. At the amazing age of 97, she went to be with Jesus, to dance at His feet with her husband of 72 years, Grandpa Don. And what a life she led! She and Grandpa still held hands and danced together almost up until his death 2 years ago. I am so grateful that she is now at peace, her body is at rest, that she is with the one she loves.  But she will surely be missed!

How ironic and special that she passed just before Thanksgiving. In my mind, Thanksgiving forever will be Grandma Gerrish's holiday.  I have such vivid memories of her planning her spectacular Thanksgiving feasts, setting out her signature handmade place cards, the myriad of pies (always homemade Key Lime, Apple, Pecan and of course Mincemeat - which I honestly thought had meat in it until just recently! haha!) and her delicious mashed potatoes. I have such wonderful memories of sitting with my cousins at the kids' table and playing together at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Although Grandma Gerrish is gone, she has instilled in all of us left behind such a legacy of family, tradition and love. 

Now, I pass along that legacy of family, tradition and love to my children. Knowing that Grandma was close to going home this week, I have been focused on the speed at which life passes, heavy with the knowledge that these years of having little ones underfoot will be over in the blink of an eye. I've been intentional about focusing on the kids this week, spending quality time with them...

Spending time at the Palm Springs Children's Museum...
Where they had a VW Bug the kids could just paint all over! How cool, right?!? Sierra enjoyed it...
and Bodie seriously would have stayed there ALL DAY if we'd have let him!
And they also had a pretend grocery store. Sierra was such a little lady, filling her shopping cart up and protecting Bodie when anyone tried to take his cart...
And Bodie was, well, Bodie. Total bull in a china shop. He was racing around the "grocery store," filling his cart up to overflowing and then fighting with the 7-year old who was pretending to check him out, grabbing his arm and telling him "NOOOOO!" when he tried to help Bodie unload his groceries onto the conveyer belt...

We also created our first ever "Thanksgiving Tree," where the kids got to decorate leaves with things they were grateful for. I'll share the details later this week, but as a little preview, I should mention that Bodie made 10 leaves. 5 of them said "Mommy" on them. Haha. I love this kid! (Oh, and I tried to get a pic of Bodie with the tree, but the fact that he had no pants on kind of rendered all pics inappropriate - but he was JUST as excited as Sierra!)
 

We also got lots of snuggle time! 

Grandma and Grandpa Gerrish lived in Florida, so we didn't get to see them nearly as often as we would have liked. They met Sierra. Once. When she was 4 months old. They never met Bodie. But two years ago, when Bodie was born, Grandma Gerrish offered to give Bodie her heart. No, not as a "when I pass you can have my heart" offer. As a real life living transplant. Bless her heart, literally. Tonight, as I think of Grandma passing, I look with extra fondness at this picture, her son loving his grandson, a total miracle of a boy, living and thriving with a crappy excuse for a heart. She would have loved to see that (well, not the pant less part, but the rest!)...
Thank you Grandma, for everything - we miss you and LOVE you! Please give Grandpa our love - and have the most amazing Thanksgiving feast with him!!!
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6 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry Amy. What a kind, generous amazing lady. I'm keeping your family in my thoughts.

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  2. I'm so sorry for your loss Amy. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts. What an amazing lady she was!

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  3. I'm so sorry for your loss Amy :( Sending big hugs to you and keeping you all in my thoughts <3

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  4. Some of my best childhood/holiday/family memories were at Grandma & Grandpa's for Thanksgiving and the quality time spent there with the Gerrish family!
    Missing Grandma, but wishing we all have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow and I know I will be thinking of you all.
    Happy Thanksgiving.

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  5. I'm so sorry for your loss Amy. ((hugs))

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  6. HI Amy...I am so sorry for your loss of your sweet Grandma Gerrish. I think it is amazing that she actually would give Bodie her heart. That is quite a lady!! :)

    I also wanted to let you know that I am sooooo proud of your for your electronic "fast" from all the stuff, especially facebook. I am thinking of it myself. I could honestly skip facebook altogether, because it really does make you feel terrible about your relatively fun life when you constantly see how much cooler everyone else is. It's the phone one that freaks me out. I will justify putting this one on pause by telling myself we are on an adoption list and I couldn't, no way, miss THE call. And then i realize, my word Heather, get a freaking grip. Sigh. I'll get there...I"ll get there..

    I love reading all about you Bennetts, and wish I could give your sweet friend Amy a hug. You are exactly who she needs right now and I know you will love her and counsel her in the way she should go...
    XOXO
    Heather

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