Remembering MeMa

My Grandmother is one of the strongest women I've ever known. Although our stories are not so much the same, we both found ourselves raising little boys on our own, only her hands were twice as full as mine! She was not perfect (and either am I) but I will forever admire her strength and beauty and I know she left with me, some of those gifts. She raised five boys, four of them as a widowed, single mother, then went on to raise two grandchildren. The struggles in my adult life have given me a much greater appreciation for who she was and the challenges she endured. There were definitely times I felt I had missed out on a little bit of her as a child, but I feel that I've gotten to know her best in the past few years as her health and mind were failing her. Even through the veil of dementia and heart failure, the woman that she is and her love for her family shined brightly. I am forever grateful that I've had the privilege of being close to her in the later years and final days of her life.

Another parallel in our life stories, we both found a second chance at love. She and I were blessed to find men who love our children as their own and stepped up to father sons that are not biologically theirs. As her health deteriorated I witnessed the most tangible example of love and sacrifice one could imagine. My Grandfather has taken full responsibility for her care for the past several years. He has adapted their home to meet her needs, taken her to hundreds of appointments, kept track of medications that were constantly changing, lifted her in and out of bed, answered her every call for him, spent countless days and hours in hospitals, slept in a twin bed beside the hospital bed in their home and so much more. He has done it all with a smile and a compassion that words can't describe. He truly loved and cherished her to her very last breath.

Early this morning, she finally gave up the fight of her life. She was welcomed into heaven by a grandson and a great granddaughter whom we never got to know. I know she's already holding those babies and soaking up being reunited with all the others gone before her. 

I pray that her beauty, strength and courage continue to live through me and that I can pass those qualities on to my daughter, who will carry her MeMa's middle name.

Rejoice with Jesus Grandma and shower my Presley with kisses until we're all together again!