"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's
sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head
with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will
dwell in in the house of the LORD Forever." Psalm 23
The tears are flowing as I write this, and sleep just wouldn't come to me last night. Just before bed, I received a phone call informing me my grandmother had passed away. I knew this day was coming, had been expecting it for years, but death's blow was shocking nonetheless. I thought I was prepared mentally, but obviously I wasn't. The above Psalm kept coming to my mind, so I thought about it all night long. I am thankful the Lord is my shepherd.
My grandmother was an amazing person. She was spunky and determined and loved her family. She was the glue that held us together, especially when I was a teenager. I would go visit her on my own and those are times I will always cherish. We enjoyed many talks about life, some good, some bad, some ugly, but always truthful. She shared her wisdom like grandmothers do, and I pondered it like a good grand-daughter should. Lately I have been thinking about her, wishing I could call and talk to her about my dad as a child. Of course I've heard the stories, but now that I am a mother to a child with a personality similar to my dad's, I would love to know how she kept from losing her hair. =)
She overcame many odds in her lifetime, experiencing things that would have killed most people her age. Her love of family and determination to go on contributed to her longevity. In August, she celebrated her 98th birthday- amazing! I pray I live a life as long and full as hers.
She battled severe dementia the last few years, so March 2007 was our last "real" visit with her. Tristin-Grace was only a baby, and probably won't ever remember her, but I am thankful my grandmother got to see, hold, and spend time with us. Her memory became worse very quickly, and the following summer, in July 2008, she didn't know who I was. That was the last time I saw her- it was too painful to see a woman I loved dearly have no idea who I was. As time passed, it got to the point where she didn't know anyone, not even her children. I refused to remember her in that way, so I stopped visiting her. I inquired of her through my dad and aunt, but I want our time together those 6 years ago, and all the times before, to be what I remember about my grandmother.
By the way, Annie is named after her and shares a similar personality. Although tiring at times, it's refreshing to me to know the potential she has as a woman.

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