ninety-five

Dearest Grandma,

Happy ninety-fifth birthday! I hope it has been an ever-so-sweet reunion with your sweetheart.

I so wanted to say goodbye before you left, but the plane just couldn't bring me fast enough. And so I chose to write you a letter for your funeral. From me. From your grandchildren. We came together from all across the country. To honor YOU. To share our love for you, and for each other. You have truly blessed our lives.

I love you.
For being one of the sweetest angels in my life.
For sacrificing to keep your family close.
For treasure hunts and whistles at family camp.
And especially for family camp.
For stories of hollyhock dolls and a love for flowers and gardens.
For birthday cards that always came, and sweet letters of encouragement when we needed them most.

We love you. For opening your home to nearly all of us at some point in our lives. Whether for a night or for many months. We have felt your love and concern for us individually. There was always dinner on the table, a listening ear, advice when needed, and we knew we could confide in you. We have received strength from the prayers you have offered in our behalf. You have waited up late for us to return at night and claimed it was because you "always" stay up late. Your home has oft been a haven of security and love. A refuge from the world. Thank you.

We love you for the innumerable hours you've spent sewing for us. Matching Easter dresses, tailoring clothes to fit (because we ALL have a little bit of Ross... in us!), sewing costumes, gowns, and doll clothes. Perhaps most cherished are the Temple aprons that you lovingly hand-stitched for each of your grandchildren and many spouses. They are a testimony of your love for the Temple and each time we attend, we have a little bit of you with us.

I love you. For writing your history. Thank you for sharing your life with me and with your posterity.

As a teenager, reading about your speech teacher's encouragement that you can "Sparkle and be as charming off stage as on, if you try" and your example of working and working to overcome your shyness and become more outgoing and confident gave me the courage to do the same.

Reading about your struggle with ever increasing bad eyesight while growing up, and receiving a blessing that one day you would no longer have to wear glasses reminds me that prayers are not always answered in the time or way that we expect. Many years later that promise was fulfilled. You taught us about miracles when you wrote, "It was a humbling and exciting experience to know that he Patriarch's blessing had been fulfilled in the own due time of the Lord. I felt a great uplift, for I know a miracle had been performed."

I love you for encouraging and helping us to explore and strengthen our talents. For making a loan possible to purchase a violin and fulfill a dream, for turning grandpa's briefcase thingy into an art set with chalks, pencils, and sketchbooks. For attending many of our competitions, games and performances and celebrating our successes.

We have brought our boyfriends to meet you, then our spouses, and later our babies. You have rejoiced with us and opened your arms and your heart to each of them. Thank you. You have an amazing and ever expanding capacity to love.

You have taught us by example and word to place our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and to serve as He did. All people. Especially our family. Until the end. We have watched you fight a good fight and finish the race. With grace and humility. And we will strive to do the same. We rejoice in your sweet reunion with your sweetheart and look forward to the sunrise when we will be together again.

I love you. We love you. Forever.
Stacey