Peace be with you Grandma.
My Grandma Cathy (seen in the 2004 layout above) passed away on Friday evening after living a very fantastic full life.
Grandma Cathy was my Mom's Mom. Awesome, independent, vivacious, confident - all words that come to mind when I think of her. She was a super classy dresser and she gave the best hugs. She and my Grandpa always had the coolest drink stirrers in their bar area. She kept an immaculate home: tidy and organized and the most formal of any of my relatives. The ticking of a grandfather clock and the crazy sound of a cuckoo clock will always generate thoughts of my Grandparents. Her simple vinaigrette salad dressing is still one of the best I have ever tasted.
As a child one of my favorite things to do when visiting my Grandma was to have tea + cookies with her. I always felt really special and grown-up during those times. She had a delicate white cat teapot (which now lives with me) that poured the best cups of tea in the whole wide world.
One of the things I will treasure most about my Grandma is that she was such an awesome Mom to my Mom. I benefit from their relationship daily because she taught my Mom how to be a good Mom (through her words, actions, kindness, example, etc) and a good friend. My Mom and Grandma were close as adults, just as my Mom and I are close. My Mom means the world to me and I am so very lucky to have her in my life.
Thank you Grandma for giving me such a wonderful Mom.
I also want to share with you a very special email that Chris sent to my Mom on Saturday evening:
I talked with Simon a little about Grandma Cathy tonight. I brought it up during a break in our TV time, and then later when I tucked him in. We said a special prayer for Grandma Cathy and then I asked him if he loved Grandma Cathy and he nodded yes in the pure way that only he can. Then I asked him what he remembered about Grandma Cathy and he said: "Going to the city, in the tall buildings, and going in the elevator like this" (followed by upward motion with his hand) : )
I asked him if he remembered all the cats and that Grandma Cathy always called him Tiger. He shook his head and said "yes". Then I asked if he remembered the x's and o's for the tic tac toe game. He again nodded yes and then said, "and I look out the window at the city and all the tall buildings".
I am really grateful that Simon has some memories of Grandma Cathy and he seemed happy thinking about them.
Sometimes you have powerful moments that you can feel are being seared into your memory as they are happening. This was one of those. It wasn't long, but the few minutes remembering Grandma Cathy with Simon was moving and brought to mind all kinds of emotions. Good ones. For Simon, for Grandma Cathy, and for all the family.
Just thought you might like to know.
Love,
Chris
We all miss you Grandma. I am going to have a special cup of tea in that fantastic cat teapot to celebrate you today. Give Grandpa a big hug from each one of us.
I'm so sorry for your families loss, Ali. Your grandma sounds so special, just like mine was. I still think of her daily, and she went to heaven 22 years ago! The legacy our grandmother's leave lives on forever, and I'm so very glad that you and your whole family have such special memories of yours.
Hugs and prayers with you all today...
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What wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing. Erin :)
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i´m so sorry to read that :(, but happy that you mentioned that she's had a full life. actually i started crying, because my grandma died last summer and she was just like you describe yours. i still miss her. my son mentions her from time to time, but i'm not sure he remembers her like your son remember his.
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Reading this brought tears to my eyes. What wonderful memories you all have of your Grandma....please accept my sympathies and enjoy your cup of tea in honor of your Grandma!! Peace and blessings...
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Ali, you are such a special person and have such a wonderful family, what lovely words you use to describe your Grandmother and the lovely email from Chris to your mom has brought tears to my eyes. Ali, my condolences and thoughts are with you and your family.
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It's always hard losing someone you are close too, I lost both my grandmothers a while ago(grandfathers before my time)and it's always a tough thing. So my deepest sympathies to you and your family. I always remember those relatives that gives good hugs, like they really mean it. It's a wonderful memory to keep always.
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please accept my condolences on the loss of your grandmother. the lovely email Chris wrote made me cry as it made me think of my grandparents who both passed away a while ago. Rev. 21:3,4
{{hugs}}
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Peace and blessings be with YOU
as well.
Such a lovely post, a tribute to a life well lived
and a reminder of how precious
the sense of memory is...
hugs to you and your
sweet family....
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So sorry for the loss of your Grandma Ali, I hope you find peace in your wonderful memories of her.
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Will be thinking of you and your family and I will light a candle for your granny.
corinnexxx
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Hey sweetie so sorry for your loss. Hugs to you all. xoxo
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Dear Ali + Chris + Simon,
Your post today brought me to tears. How lucky you are to have such a wonderful woman in your lives. All the best as you recount your memories with her. ~ Dawn
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My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. You were indeed so very lucky to have a special relationship with your grandparents. Both sets of my grandparents passed away before I got to know them so there will always be a saddness in my heart because of that. Know that God loves you always. Peace be with you and your family at this time and always.
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I'm sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family.
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So sorry for your loss Ali. Hugs to you and your family.
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Ali, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother's passing. But what beautiful memories you will always have of her.
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so sorry for your loss...My grandfather (who I was very close to) passed away this past Nov. It is always hard to lose someone. She sounds like an amazing woman. Remember how lucky you are to have had her in your life.
peace
Kim
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ali,
i have been missing you on the blog and i now know why. i am so sorry for your loss of grandma cathy here on earth, but it sounds like you will see her again. your post coupled with chris' letter to your mom were so touching.
i pray that all of your family will be comforted by knowing that others are praying for you during this difficult transition without grandma cathy. but knowing where she is and that she is with your grandpa should having all of those precious memories will hopefully lift your heavy hearts.
know that you are being thought of...
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So sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing such wonderful memories with us today.
Hugs...
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My heart is with you, Ali.
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We're better women for having women such as your mom and grandmother in our lives. Sorry for your loss, Ali. God bless you and give you the peace that only He can give us in times like this. I always say, "If I can be 1/10 of the person my mother is, I'll be doing okay." It's hard to live up to that, but gives me something to strive for daily. Thanks for sharing.
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Ali - words can't express my sorrow for you & your family. After reading your blog for so long, it seems like I know you....and my heart is so sad! My own Grandma sounds a lot like yours (she has the cleanest house ever, too!). At 85, I know she will not be around forever, and each day is a gift. She's only 45 mins away, now I'm reminded to go see her more often! Sounds like you have amazing memories of her, and I'll bet she'll be so stoked to see Gramps....love, Jen in HB
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Ali, I am so sorry for your family's loss. Thoughts and prayers and hugs to you all.
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Thank you, Ali, for sharing Grandma Cathy with us. What a wonderful person she sounds like. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, especially your Mom, at this time.
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i'm so sorry Ali. Thinking of you and your mom during this time
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