Granda Mary's Memorial Service

My Grandma Mary's hands, the last time we got to hug her, just a few months ago....

She had dementia and it was bad, her body was giving out on her, she was begging to go home, but wasn't really sure where that was even.

We will miss her like crazy.  So crazy, it hurts.

But we are so relieved that she is no longer in pain and is now with Jesus!

Lenora, my great grandmother on the left and her daughter, Grandma Mary, home on leave from the Air Force, on the right.

Yep...she was in the Air Force in the 50's!

After the Air Force, back home in Oregon on her wedding day with my Grandpa Gene:

(My grandpa died the year Jake and I got married, he was a great man and I miss him!  I think my little Lydia looks soooo much like him!)

One reason we were excited about being station where we are is we knew it positioned us within hours of some of my extended family.  My Grandma being one of those people.

I am so so so thankful we got to hug and kiss and talk with her on two different trips since being here.

It made this beautiful memorial service sweeter.

Samantha and I are both sporting earrings she gave us from her massive collection of costume jewelry.

(must be hereditary..I come by it honestly!)

I grew up visiting Oregon to see family (where this all took place) and I have many memories of walking into this precious church.

Funny though.....it has totally SHRUNK since I was last in it as a kid!   Like, literally SHRUNK!

Still, it was beautiful!  The Spirit and the building and the people.

My grandma has been a 'shut in' for about three years but was so loved that there was still a large number of her people here with us to celebrate what a wonderful woman she was!

These are my grandma's nearest and dearest girl friends.  She's been friends with a few of these ladies for over 50 years...the others just shy of that.  I have known them my entire life....oh to have friends like THAT.  I love it!  (the men were all friends too and not one of the original couples ever divorced!)

This is Georgie...she had the most 'dirt' on my grandma and dished it out 'in love' by the bucket load....she had us all in stitches....if I could be just a sliver like any one of these ladies when I'm older I'd be happy happy happy.  They love Jesus, they love their families, they work hard, they are committed to each other, they stay current (pretty sure we had a human trafficking conversation at lunch a few days after this and they schooled me!) and they are hilarious....my grandma was one very blessed lady and they were blessed to have her as a friend too.

My Grandma Mary....

.....thank you for leaving a Christ-centered, light hearted, loving, committed and funny legacy.

I love that we got to hug you so much right at the end/beginning of your story.

And I love that you got to finally "Go home".