a memorial in honor of my Grandma

A few weeks back we gathered with many family and dear friends at my parent’s lake house.  A place that radiates family, fun, togetherness, and was built to bless family and friends.  My parents love to have people there to celebrate, to give tours on the boat, to swim, eat too much, and allow others to take a break from the everyday normal.  My grandmother was up at the house before they rebuilt it into what it is now and she wrote in my mom’s guest book about how grateful she was to get to see us all enjoying the time together.  How proud she was of being a part of creating a family that plays together and loves even though we bump into one another in the process. She was so excited to become a great grandmother and intensely swelled with pride to see us all living our lives.  Because she was an integral part of us.

We read that note as well as many I found recently that she had written me in high school and college during the memorial.  Her words were a gift for us in our mourning and remembering.  I came across the letters she wrote me while unpacking bins we had placed in storage and they were a special gift.  I had forgotten I had saved them but even in my pink hair and grunge wearing days I must have known those words were special, were blessing, and were meant to be saved and re-read.  We had a great few days enjoying the lake house and then celebrated my Grandmother’s life.  We were so grateful we could be there for this time.

fish watching

check out our lil’ fisher-woman!


rule breakers…we just cannot help ourselves!

Auntie Katie love

perfecting her cannonball

getting all dolled up in honor of Great Grandma…she would have loved these dresses!

My grandma loved to accessorize! She had more costume jewelry than anyone I know. She noticed, appreciated, and always loved things that make the world more beautiful.

As part of the memorial we all wore pieces of her jewelry and everyone got to take a piece home to remember her by.  She would have loved that we all can enjoy things that she treasured.

The time of sharing and remembering and laughing and crying was healing.

our service finished with scripture reading and prayers and then we all went outside to bury her ashes.

My mom; as always, held everything together for all of us even in her time of saying goodbye to her mother.

My dad and his brother and sisters


my favorite letter that made me laugh through tears.  I get my complete and utter incapability to follow directions and/or direction impairment from my Grandma but at least we both have a sense of humor about it.

We miss you dearly Grandma.  You are beautiful, your life was well lived, and your legacy will remain with us.