Grandma

She was so classy. Dressed so perfectly all the time with her hair perfectly curled, appropriate matching jewelry, and matching heels.  I mean look at this picture...out on a country road, wearing a cute dress and high heels! She always smelled wonderfully....like perfume and tic tacs. And was always happy to see me. 

 When she would sing to me as a young girl she wouldn't sing, she would purr. It was the most beautiful sound. She would wash my hair in her sink and give me baths in her big pink tub. She'd lather me up with lots of soap, bend my arm and "milk my elbow" with all the soap running off of it.

She was strong. I mean she raised twins! My mom being one of them. She got sick when I was about 15 with Parkinsons disease and I remember going to see her in a mental facility because her medicine she was on was all messed up. It was prescription drug induced. I sometimes feel anger about this because I feel like it could have been avoided sometimes. Like someone GAVE it to her in a bottle who didn't know what they were doing. She didn't smile often after that so I'm so grateful to have a few where she is smiling so beautifully!

 Her mind was mostly still there which made it even harder to watch her be trapped in a broken body and not be able to do the things she wanted to do, like hold babies. She loved babies so much and would hold and play with them anytime she got the chance. I have great memories of playing on the floor with her for long hours. Paracheezee, Uno, Chutes and ladders. She had a fun dirt devil vacuum that I loved to use. I thought it was a toy but I was probably cleaning up some mess I made!

Her house was always exquisit. Clean and dust and crumb free. It was probably hard for her to watch us grandkids come in and trash it but she never complained.

 A photographer snapped this lovely photo of my grandparents together and it is so perfect. And it captures them exactly. My grandma soft and delicate. My grandpa strong and kind. He took such good care of her throughout her whole life but especially at the end. He was raised catholic and my grandma was LDS. When she started to get sick she needed help getting to church and so he helped her dress every sunday and took her to church. When she started shaking so bad that she couldn't take the sacrament without spilling it all he fed her the bread and the water himself. And by the time she had a feeding tube the last few months of her life and physically couldn't take the sacrament, he helped her touch it to her lips in the act of taking the sacrament as her bishop told her to do. What an incredible act of love.

 We got home from St. George on monday, threw several loads of laundry in a days time, repacked, and hit the road so we could be there for her viewing and see all of my family. Every grandkid was there except 1 who was on a mission and 1 who lives far away that couldn't get a flight at the last minute.

As we pulled up to the funeral home a huge lump was in my throat. I was just at that same funeral home for a celebration of life for my uncle rulen (grandmas brother) 2 weeks earlier. The kids were being hard and I was ready to get on the road and return home. I felt a tug at my heart to stick around and hug my grandparents before I left. I loaded the kids to the car and sat there until the service was over. I hugged my grandma for the last time at the front doors of the same funeral home she would be laying in herself in a few weeks. I'm so glad for the prompting I had to hang around for a few extra minutes and say goodbye.

 Mollie has always been very curious about death. She asks about it often and with grandma passing it brought a whole new slew of questions. I was pleased to see though that she wasn't scared at all to see grandma. She spent most of the viewing sitting right here. Touching her hair, her face and blowing her kisses. She looked absolutely beautiful in her pink casket and so peaceful. I felt so much peace and happiness I couldn't be sad. But I knew the funeral would be hard the following day.

 Another viewing was before the funeral and Mollie wanted to stand in line with my mom the whole time. I think she felt pretty special and I think it helped my mom feel loved. Carter wanted a picture with grandpa because they had matching suits. :)

 Mom, Serena, Rod, Cindy and grandpa saying their last goodbyes. The tears were sure flowing here folks! The hardest part of any funeral I think is when they close the casket.

 My mom and Serena got to dress her in her temple clothes beforehand and got to put the veil over her face before they closed it.

 The DeGiulio family.

 The funeral was beautiful. Just our family took up all of the center pews. All the grandkids sang Grandma I love you and Families Can Be Together Forever. It was beautiful. The girls did the life sketch, Ericka sang Oh Lord My Redeemer, and Uncle Rod spoke. I was honored to be asked to say the closing prayer and again felt such peace and love wash over me. I KNOW families can be together forever! We traveled to the cemetery and because it was Memorial weekend the cemetery was covered with flowers. It was so beautiful! My grandma loved memorial day and visited graves every year. I'm sure she was smiling down and enjoying all the flowers.

All of my brothers got to be there. Justin flew in for 24 hours so he could be there but it was so nice to be all together again.

 Grandpa was strong at times. And weak at times. He told me when I went through the viewing line that they had a great love. Something that not many people get to have in a life time. That it was real and deep.This is something I desire to have and feel I do have with Chad. I can only look forward to how sweet it will get with time.  He kept saying he was so sad but would smile through his tears. He spent so much time taking care of her I'm sure he finds himself with not much to do. I'm so grateful for all of his efforts in caring for her for so long especially with his physical limitations. HE is a true saint!

 Grandmas ward put on a lovely dinner afterwards and again it was so great and comforting to be all together with my forever family. We recently were all in the temple together for Adam's wedding and it's such a miraculous feeling to know our potential. I sometimes feel sad that my grandpa doesnt have that same knowledge and I hope he will accept it some day.

Until we meet again my grandma dear. You are so loved. I know that you are so much happier and will still be with our family in spirit. I was shopping at Ross of all places the other day, not thinking about much at all and looked down at the shelf in front of me near the checkout and it had PIZZELLES (an Italian cookie she made often) of all things on it! I know it was a small nudge from grandma saying she loved me. I know she helps us from the other side of the veil and is probably so happy being there and being able to see us and help us in ways she couldn't before. I'm so glad you have influenced my life so much. I love you grandma and know I will see you again, someday. Hugs and kisses!!