My Sweet Granny

We have had quite the week. My dear sweet Granny Stewart passed away last week. I don't know how I was so blessed to have such a wonderful Grandma who has always shown me love. Last Saturday before Mother's Day I receive a tender phone call from my Granny and we said good-bye. I couldn't understand half the things she said to me because I was crying so hard. She has always been one to show her love to me and always expressed it in our letter we have written over the years. I now treasure those letters in her handwriting telling me bits of family history or the newest adventure my Gramps and her were on traveling the world.

After my phone call, everything I did reminded me of Granny. She has taught me so much and I know I am who I am today in part by the things she has taught me. She was a very talented woman who loved to paint, draw, and quilt. I have 2 treasured quilts from Granny that I hope to some day pass down to my children which I know they will cherish too. One year for Christmas she have me my Great Grandmother's china which I have treasured since the day she gave me. I remember she taught me how to garden and plant flowers, quilt, and bake. She always took pride in everything she did. Everything she did had a touch of beauty added to it. I remember when I was little and she would have the table set for breakfast with plates, bowls, glasses and beautiful goblets (which I will be thrift store shopping for those pink goblets!). I couldn't understand why she would have the table set so nice with beautiful fresh flowers from her garden as a center piece when all we were having was cereal and it was just us, family. I use to think and wonder why she would go to all that trouble there was no party but I now understand. We were the celebration. She loved having us around and wanted to make even a simple breakfast beautiful for us.

This year has been a year of sickness in our house. I keep getting sick and it's been one thing after another. Well, while I as at the funeral I realized I have not been taking my Granny advice. She ALWAYS had orange juice and ALWAYS gave us a glass with our breakfast to keep us healthy. I think it was about last year I stopped drinking my orange juice to cut the calories and she was right I have been sick! I'm going to the store tomorrow to buy some!

The casket bearers were my cousins and our husbands. It was a beautiful service. My Granny has had everything planned for her funeral for as long as I can remember. I see where I get some of my craziness from! I told Damon I will do the same thing because if you want your funeral done to your liking you better plan it yourself!!

I have been searching my computer for some pictures of my Granny but I couldn't find many. One of my favorite pictures of her is on her trip to the Amazon and she is holding up this snake 5 times the size of her! She was full of spunk! Here is a picture just a day after Shane's 1st birthday. She loved her great grandchildren so much. She couldn't stop talking about how Trevor smiled big at her when she met him at Craig and Cyndi's wedding. She told me that through that sweet smile she could tell he was telling her I love you.

This is at Granny and Gramps house in St. George. Lanae came to visit Spring Break '05 and we went to visit them for a day. If you can't tell by the picture my Grandpa is a silly man and is always telling a joke!

The funeral was hard because her death finally became a reality. It was hard seeing my Grandpa's heart broken and the thought of not living without his sweetheart. Knowing I wouldn't see her sweet smile, hear her tender words of encouragement, and feel her loving touch. I will miss my Granny but she has taught me so much and left behind a true legacy of love that I hope to pass on to my children and grandchildren.