The week after being thankful....

These past two weeks, have really caught up with us... We are thankful and praise God daily for His mercies are new each and every day. But nonetheless, it doesn't make hard time easier. The Thursday after Thanksgiving, November 29, 2012, we got news that Alan's GiMaw passed away. Both of his grandparents on his dad's side were not in the best of health anymore. We knew these days were around the corner sometime, and we are extremely grateful to have had so much time and make wonderful memories with both of them. Last night, December 12, 2012, we got the call again that his Paw Paw went to go be with Jesus and his beloved wife of 67 years. I think sweet Paw Paw just wanted to make sure GiMaw was safely home and ok before he left this earth. 

I really clung to GiMaw and PawPaw over the past few years, they have been special since meeting them and joining the family nearly 10 years ago. After you grow up and have your own family, you appreciate your whole family a little more. Knowing the ends and outs of taking care of the elderly and watching my mom do that just a few years ago, I know that's no easy task either. Aunt Laureen did an amazing job caring for GiMaw and Paw Paw over the years, and she worked tirelessly these past few months. It's more than a full time job, especially when both parents were taking so much of her time and for a while they were in different locations. The entire family is grateful to her and her dedication to the family. 

I know Alan has a lifetime of memories he will never forget, but I have a few of my favorite memories of our grandparents also....

They were so loving and inviting into their family. I always felt welcome at the big family get togethers. I remember going to GiMaw's for my first big Christmas dinner. Her house was always decorated perfectly and the tables were decorated and set with her Christmas china, everyone had a chair and place. The food was amazing! Every year she made new ornaments to hang on her tree for all the grandkids with their names on them, and I glanced by the tree and saw my name on an ornament. I knew I had made it in the circle, she was thoughtful enough to remember me and want to make me an ornament! She was the crafty type, a loving spirit, and always made me feel welcome. Just something small like an ornament, touched me in a way that she'll never know. When we got married, she also started a Christmas tradition of giving Alan and me a piece of the Fontanini Nativity collection. It is a beautiful nativity and we will treasure it forever! The night before she passed, GiMaw asked Aunt Laureen if she'd already gotten our nativity for this year. How sweet, that she was worried about our Christmas present before she passed! She was such a blessing to us and we learned a lot from her! 

Paw Paw also has a special place in my heart. He's one of those people that everybody likes, and is naturally drawn to, so I felt privileged to even be related to him! He was a Methodist minister for most of his adult life, and he was friends with my Granddaddy, so we instantly had something in common. My favorite memory of PawPaw was when Alan and I asked him to marry us. I could not hold it together enough. Because all the weddings I'd grown up with or really ever heard of, my granddaddy performed them. So I remember crying and telling Paw Paw my story about wanting my granddaddy to marry me one day. He was so sweet and kind about it, and of course said he'd love to! It's just the small things that us grandkids remember, but they are the most meaningful and the things that will bring us the most joy when looking back on our relationship. 

We rushed down to the coast on Thursday after getting news of GiMaw because we so desperately just want to be with family, we want to see them, hold them, help them.... The services weren't until Tuesday, so we really got some casual bonding time in on the Coast! I think over the course of that week, we felt every emotion possible, but I wouldn't trade those moments together for anything in the world!

We made it to the Gulfport Christmas parade! Lydia liked looking at everything, she's just not a big fan of Santa being close to her! We met Ava and Jane there for Liddy to play with but I don't think I snapped any pics :(

That's Bo's office in the background, so we got a front row seat and hung out drinking coffee before!

Watching the bands.

Sleeping at GiMaw's that afternoon....it was a long day!

All prettied up and just a playing! The church where the memorial service was  held,  had two great nurseries, so she was  great!

GiMaw and Paw Paw's great grandchildren!

Alan and Robert read scripture and they did a great job! Bo also sang "Surely the Presence" up there by himself! It was amazing, I still know how he held it together, but it was touching! He did another awesome job singing "My God and I" at Paw Paw's service.

At the last minute, our babysitter for the service fell through, and thanks to one of the best friends in the whole wide world..... CLINT, for babysitting during the service. He surprised us and showed up way before the service and he jumped in when I thought I was going to have to miss the services. He also stayed and went to the family dinner afterwards! I was touched by his dedication to our family!

When we left town, my house was a wreck! I had no Christmas decorations and I just begun planning Liddy's 2nd birthday party. I managed to get the invites out while we were on the coast but I was nervously laying awake every night wondering how I'd get everything done. AND THEN..... we pulled into the neighborhood late Tuesday night in the cold and rain and I saw a shinny glow coming through our window... our bestie Clint had done it again! He picked out, bought, put up and decorated us a REAL Christmas tree! I was beyond grateful, lost it, started crying, but it was a happy kind of cry and I just kept saying, that's so sweet!
This is a picture of an ornament that GiMaw made for us the first year were married. They are adorable and perfect for this football home... She gave them to us back in 2005, and when I took them off the tree that year, some crumbled a little. So I wrapped them up carefully and stored them in a box with our other ornaments. Every year since, we have only looked at them at Christmas, we didn't want to put them on the tree and damage them more. So in the box they stayed.... I know, silly, right?! But Clint didn't know this story, and what a surprise to get home to a fully decorated tree with these precious handmade ornaments that GiMaw so thoughtfully made for us 7 years ago!

This is sweet baby when she was sick.... a week into being home and we all got the stomach bug...... yuck! She had fever, so she had to take some medicine. But on the plus side.... she loves taking medicine now and we don't have to fight her about it.